Being a teen is doubly difficult. And scary. The following quiz is designed to walk you through some positive and effective ways of dealing with your teen. Answer all of the questions for a quick evaluation of your parenting style. (It might be easier to print out this quiz.) For each question, score yourself on a scale from 5 (best) to 0 (worst). Once you have a total, check your … [Read more...]
A healthy child makes for a healthy adult
For children to be mentally stable and to feel loved, they must be allowed to express their fears and pain of losses, as well as their hopes and longings. The parent or primary caregiver must listen to, bear the burden of and validate the child's thoughts and feelings with compassion, love, comfort and care. This is the cornerstone of creating a foundation of deep self worth and safety … [Read more...]
Abuse: It’s not normal, it’s wacky
Do you think you have been abused in your life? No? Well, read on. Most of us have developed a high tolerance for what I call wacky abuse. We're becoming accustomed these days to using the word "abuse," although for many it is still an uncomfortable term. Many of us believe abuse is a normal part of child rearing. In fact, let's consider that term, child rearing. Some parents view their … [Read more...]
Setting free your inner child
In everyone's subconscious there is an abiding world. It is a place where our essential creative treasures lie and where all of the memories, experiences, and emotions that belong to our unique selves are stored. It is important, however, not to presume that everyone is aware of, or connected to, him or herself, and that not everyone is mindful of both an outer and an inner world. Often, … [Read more...]
The child as adult: a balancing act
In a wonderful world we have balance. We achieve balance with the presence of two structures. 1. The outer world: The love of our family, the value of our jobs, our responsibilities, our important relationships and our not-so-important relationships. The outward important manifestation of our daily lives. 2. The inner world, which possesses and reflects our creative lives. Also our … [Read more...]