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.
Think your kids wouldn’t go for Root Veggie Stew or collard wraps with lentil spread? Think again. Kids devoured those and other delectable dishes they prepared themselves with the help of teen volunteers at the Can Do Kids Fair last Saturday. Kelly Bradley created the recipes and coordinated the “Good Eats” station at the fair, as she has done for three years. A licensed physical therapist, certified nutritional consultant and health coach,... read more>>
With the start of Daylight Saving Time, we’ll have an extra hour of light for outdoor play in the evening, in exchange for the hour of sleep lost this weekend. To help families prepare, we’re re-posting these suggestions from PEP leaders and other experts we published two years ago. This year, you can bring your young children to the Can Do Kids Fair on Saturday and then take them home happily tired and (maybe) ready for an earlier bedtime.... read more>>
Recently I wrote an article for Washington Parent about what a great place the kitchen is for parents—you can give your kids high-quality, positive attention and they get to experience the pride of accomplishment and contributing to the family, all while learning to build a salad or scramble an egg. I wrote about this because the kitchen was also where I learned to let go of the “right” way of doing things (my way) and instead allow my children to become responsible,... read more>>
Logical Consequences didn’t come easily to me (see Part 1), but by copying examples from my PEP class leaders I was getting some encouraging results and feeling more confident—less like a Monster Mommy and more like a Sane, Calm Mommy. But I still yearned to craft a Logical Consequence of my very own. Luckily, my on-site parenting coaches (aka, my children) gave me more opportunities to practice. One day, while fixing a nutritious yet tasty lunch in the kitchen,... read more>>
I sometimes hear about the terrible struggles parents have with logical consequences. They usually ask something along the lines of: “What is THE right logical consequence for this particular bit of naughtiness I’m staring at this moment, and how soon can I make it work?!” These questions always take me back to the days when I first learned about logical consequences in a PEP class.... read more>>
As soon as we find better ways to deal with our children’s behavior and notice that positive parenting solutions really work, we want to share them with others, especially with friends and relatives who are clearly doing it . . . um, wrong. But should you intervene and give advice to a parent whose child is misbehaving? And, if you do, how can you make sure it’s helpful? At PEP, we’re excited to see The Washington Post today addressing this important question in an article by Amy Joyce.... read more>>
We’re excited to introduce our new website and this blog! You probably have at least one child in your life who is very dear to you. You’re a parent—or you might be a stepparent, grandparent, teacher, childcare provider, or any combination of those. You might know PEP already—maybe you’ve taken a class or workshop with us—or you’re just discovering us now. In any case, we’re glad you’re here. What will you find in this blog?... read more>>
Parent Encouragement Program
10100 Connecticut Ave.
Kensington, MD 20895
301-929-8824
office@PEPparent.org
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