Welcome to PEPTalk! This blog is all about parenting – including tips, great articles and updates on our class offerings. The conversation is for parents and others who want to raise healthy, cooperative, thriving children. Raising children to thrive isn’t easy, especially when those children regularly mess up our plans for their success. We learn the art of parenting from each other, and our PEPTalk blog is here to help—with tips, tools, talk and encouragement—as well as updates about PEP’s many educational programs.
Our bloggers are like our class leaders (many of them are class leaders)—parents who have found at PEP support, inspiration and a sensible road map for the journey. They’ll share their unique perspectives and experiences, connected by their deep commitment to helping you be the parent you want to be. We invite you to join the conversation.
According to many subject-matter experts, there are three general styles of parenting: Authoritarian, Democratic and Permissive. In the realm of parenting that middle ground is associated with the democratic parenting style. Maybe you already have an idea of which style most closely resembles yours? To be real, when I first sat down to write this article, the words “Imposter Syndrome” came to mind. My husband and I have three sons,... read more>>
It’s 7:30 p.m. and 11-year-old Jack has been staring blankly at a document titled “The Causes of the Civil War” for a solid five minutes. He lets out an exasperated sigh and begins doodling on the paper next to the keyboard. The essay he has yet to begin is due tomorrow. Sound familiar? For those of us with kids who struggle with executive functioning, this is a common scenario. It’s not that Jack doesn’t want to complete his work or that the assignment is too difficult for him,... read more>>
Bad-Mouthing Your Ex: The Long-Term Effects on Children Let’s begin by acknowledging that bad-mouthing a co-parent is not appropriate behavior whether married, separated, unmarried or divorced. Saying mean things to your children about the other parent – even true things – is hurtful to the other party, but mostly to the children. And in all cases, this is a no-no. Think about this. Most of the way we behave and respond to situations stems from what we learned from the adults in our lives when we were children.... read more>>
It’s never too early to start talking to kids about race and racism. Babies as young as 3 months old can recognize racial differences, and just a few years later, they begin to show biases for or against different racial groups. You might want to say, “My children don’t see color,” but scientific research shows that they do notice skin tone just like they notice other characteristics like hair color and body build. Experts also encourage the acknowledgment,... read more>>
Limits can be tricky. Some of us set too many limits, which we spend all our parenting energy upholding. Some of us set too few limits and just throw up our hands saying, “Kids will be kids.” Limits are important. Both the natural and the social world have plenty of them. If we don’t define and uphold limits within our families, our children may go into the world unprepared to work, live and play with both a spirit of freedom and a sense of responsibility.... read more>>
Scenario: Tired after a long day at work, you pick up your child, head home and prepare the evening meal. You have no sooner joined each other at the table than you are greeted with a high-pitched whiny voice complaining “I don’t like that!” and the evening spirals downward from there. A very discouraging moment, indeed. What’s a parent to do? You are concerned about your child’s health and providing nutritious food.... read more>>
Last Father’s Day, I invited my dad, Herb Lewis, to look back over the decades and describe his childhood experiences, his relationship with his parents and how it all shaped his approach to parenting. Here are his thoughts and parenting lessons, including what’s different about parenting today. (Thank you, Dad.) Freedom to Explore and Gain Independence I grew up in a blue-collar rowhouse in Southwest Baltimore in the 1940s and 1950s.... read more>>
“If you help clean the garage, I will give you 10 dollars!” “Avery, your room is a hot mess! If you don’t clean it up, I’m going to toss all your junk out the window!” “If I catch you sneaking candy again, you won’t get any dessert for two weeks!” “Isabella, you will wear that jacket to school whether you like it or not! It’s cold out there!” If these phrases sound familiar,... read more>>
At the playground recently, I watched a mom try to convince her 6- or 7-year-old daughter to leave behind a collection of sticks and twigs she had been playing with. The mom’s patience finally ran out, and she spoke firmly: “Sarah, you heard me. No sticks in the car. It’s time to go.” Her daughter instantly exploded with rage. Screaming in protest, she flung the sticks at the car, burst into tears and ran off to the opposite side of the playground to sulk.... read more>>
“Courage is about something magical that happens on the inside that helps us push through fear, self-doubt, and anxiety; not something magical that happens inside us to make us suddenly brave.” – Jeff Ludlum In the 1990s, when my first child was growing up in our small town, one of her fears was making new friends. Painfully shy, she preferred staying in the classroom with her teachers during recess to avoid being alone on the playground.... read more>>
Parent Encouragement Program
10100 Connecticut Ave.
Kensington, MD 20895
301-929-8824
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