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Parenting: It's Complicated...Let's Talk Logic - Saturday, June 9 in Monmouth County
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Upcoming Professional Training Programs |  | |
Look for our 2012/2013 Professional Development Training Calendar in August! |
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Inspirations...
Strengthening Families Program | |
Providing Building Blocks of Communication to Transform Families
Parents often find it difficult to maintain an open dialogue with their children as they enter the adolescent years, and yet a strong and healthy family dynamic is one of the building blocks of success for a child as he or she develops into a young adult. Even under the best of circumstances, families can falter during this challenging time.
For Brick residents and long-term partners, Cindy Sizelove and Mitch Harris, parenting their 15-year-old son, Sean, had become what seemed to be a constant power struggle. "We were fighting a lot, trying to convince Sean to do something because 'we said so'," explains Cindy, who was referred to Barnabas Health Institute for Prevention's (IFP) Strengthening Families Program in September by a health care professional. "Mitch and Sean would argue and I would get in the middle to try to ease the situation, but this would only escalate the problem."
Click here to read more about the Sizelove's.
Click here for a list of upcoming Strengthening Families programs. |
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Question Session with IFP |
"The summer is approaching and I'm becoming anxious about how best to manage "together time" with my children so that we can avoid arguments and enjoy the downtime, even if it's just a trip to the grocery store."
This is a very common concern for many parents, not only during the summer, but on shorter breaks from school, too. There are several strategies you can use to stay connected with your children and maintain healthy and productive communication.
- You mentioned visiting the grocery store. Children, of all ages, can benefit from a simple rewards game that works perfectly when shopping. In fact, research suggests providing immediate rewards for good behavior is a more effective way to reinforce positive behavior and eradicate acting out, compared to punishing a child.
Award your child with a sticker for good behavior while at the store and make a goal for the number of stickers he/she should receive by the end of the activity. If the goal is met, the reward is earned. Remember, rewards don't have to be monetarily based. Staying up a half an hour later or earning television or computer time are great incentives.
- Lead the conversation during meals. Whether you are eating at home or in a restaurant, conversational topics can help keep your children focused and communicating. You can write down a variety of topics and place them in an envelope. As you sit down to dinner, have one of your children pick a piece of paper from the envelope. You may choose several items to discuss during one meal.
Alyson Zilai, Institute for Prevention's Strengthening Families Program Coordinator
We're continuing the conversation on our Facebook page.
If you have ideas you would like to share, or comments about the ones above, let us know what you think!
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