Step-parents play an important role in the lives of children. However, their identity as “parents” is frequently complicated and defined by a common fear and misconception: A step-parent can never replace a biological parent and is therefore ill-equipped to parent their step-child. As someone who grew up with two brothers, one who was step-parented by [...]
I often hear parents complain or express concern about their children being just “fine”. For example, a mom might say to me, “When she comes home from school and I ask how she is doing, the only response I get is, ‘I’m fine’.” As parents we are all naturally curious about our children. So if [...]
As the Parentology community would expect, I was appalled after reading Amy Chua’s article in the Wall Street Journal, “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior” in which she explains her formula for “successful parenting”—a strict regiment of no sleepovers, no play dates, no school plays, no TV, no computer games, no choice in extracurricular activities, no [...]
In my last blog post I wrote about the importance of accepting our children’s choices as they grow up and become adults. But the process of accepting our children’s choices starts many years before they turn 18! It starts from the moment they are born. As parents, it is our responsibility to both unconditionally love and [...]
Becoming a parent is one of the most significant, rewarding, and challenging rolls a person can take on in life. As adults we pour so much of ourselves into raising our children, it can be hard not to view them as extensions of ourselves—our values, thoughts, outlook… But, what happens when the vision we hold [...]