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.
Stories of “free-range” parenting have sparked intense debates over the past decade, but the concept is nothing new. Back in 1946, the influential American pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock promoted tenets similar to those of the free-range parenting movement in his “Common Sense Book of Baby and Child,” one of the best-selling books of the twentieth century. Spock urged parents to do the following: Trust their instincts Let kids be kids Be flexible Allow kids to fail,... read more>>
We’re in the sprint toward summer and the daily grind of school and homework seems interminable. Here in Montgomery County, Maryland, the report cards will arrive in homes soon. The timing provides us with an opportunity to think about how we’ve handled report cards in the past and how we might do so a little differently. Kids are so eager to please their parents. But many of us have high expectations that can send us down rabbit holes where we emphasize the outcomes rather than the effort,... read more>>
MYTH 1: Parenting classes are for parents with big problems. Parenting classes can be great for parents with big challenges and just as great for everyone else. Let’s face it, parenting is a lifelong learning process. As soon as you get one age and stage mastered you move on to the next. Most people start going to parenting classes because they are frustrated. They sense there is a better way than nagging,... read more>>
As parents introduce themselves during each session of PEP’s Thriving with Teens Class I lead on Friday mornings, the word “anxiety” is overwhelmingly used when describing the issues they face with their teen. In my work as an independent college counselor working with high schoolers selecting and applying to college, I witness teens’ anxiety play out in a variety of ways from extreme avoidance of tasks to full on meltdowns when they feel overwhelmed.... read more>>
In the early years of our marriage, my husband Jason and I used to get stuck frequently in the same frustrating interaction. “We need to talk about our relationship” I would announce to him out of the blue, with urgency and anxiousness in my voice. “I’m feeling disconnected.” How do you imagine he would respond? “Why of course, honey! Let me drop everything, and let’s have a wonderful conversation about our negative emotions and what’s not working in our relationship!” Nope.... read more>>
As the details unfold from the events in Las Vegas this past Sunday, parents are undoubtedly struggling with how much to tell their children about the tragedy and how to talk about news they may have heard or read. Here are a few thoughts to guide a parent’s approach to sharing pertinent information, providing comfort and reassurance, and addressing the issues honestly. 1. Reassure your children that they are okay and that they will be okay.... read more>>
Many years ago, my head got stuck between the uprights of a stair railing outside our Silver Spring apartment. A neighbor found me, head on one side, body on the other, calmly considering how to break free. Neighbors joined. They worried I might remain stuck. Something needed to be done. Quickly. As I was three years old, my head was about twice the width between uprights. They tugged, but couldn’t squeeze me through the rails.... read more>>
Will I get lost? What if my new teacher is mean? Who will I sit with at lunch? Will any of my friends be in my class? As summer draws to a close and the new school year approaches, it is normal for children to feel butterflies in the pit of their stomachs and to wonder what awaits them in the next grade level,... read more>>
School is almost over and you are bound to have some vacation plans this summer. Whether it is for day trips here and there or a week long jaunt, planning, packing, and corralling the troops and the stuff can feel like the actual “vacation” is more work than it’s worth. If you’re feeling burdened, you are probably taking on that whole task as solely your responsibility. There are very healthy and reliable strategies that not only can unburden you,... read more>>
This week, it seemed as though I couldn’t turn on the TV or open my email without seeing some reference to the controversial Netflix Series 13 Reasons Why. I had just finished watching the series recently at the suggestion of my 20 and 23 year-old daughters, who know I work with parents of teenagers through my work with PEP. My first thought while watching the series? Thank goodness I’m done parenting high schoolers!, followed by empathy for those parents who are still parenting teens,... read more>>
