Wednesday, April 08, 2009

More stuff about parenting

It's been in the air lately, so I wanted to provide some follow up.

NPR's Fresh Air w/ Terri Gross had a nice interview on April 7 that highlighted one psychologist's opinions on parenting techniques today and the softening relationship (my description--but I think it is an evocative, illustrative one) between parents and children. It is a bit long, I know, but it might interest you.

Then on Tuesday, I read the newest My Turn article from Newsweek. I admire this guy's willingness to discuss his failings as a father in public. And I don't want to come across as an uninformed "Tom Cruise" who doesn't think post-partum depression (female or male . . . apparently) is a real issue. But . . . after reading this article, I think the author didn't achieve any sort of fathering epiphany (as I read he is claiming) but instead just matured enough to accept his unavoidable duties as a parent.

*****
In other parenting news, I've got a follow up to the saga of Sarah and the note-writing boyfriend. She thought about it over the weekend and spoke to him about it on Monday. It didn't go as well as she had hoped. but I'll let a note that Lynda wrote to Sarah's teacher tell the rest of the story.

"Sarah's been nervous about handling a situation at school. C--- gave her a very sweet note on Friday asking her if she'd be his girlfriend. On Monday, she told him that she didn't want to be his girlfriend. Then he started saying that he didn't like her anymore, which hurt her feelings since she still wanted to be his friend.

She told me that she didn't want to be anyone's girlfriend right now. She felt she was too young to have a boyfriend. I applauded that decision as a very mature one. I told her that probably C--- thought that she didn't like him and that his feelings were just hurt." 

We are proud of her decision and hope that C--- understands her thinking. (He's been out of school for a few days--either sick or understandably devastated by Sarah's decision.)

And now I've got to shut this post down before today becomes tomorrow and I don't get a post officially up for April 8th. (Though, in my defense, would have gotten it done sooner of I hadn't had to a.) spend a bit of time trying to comfort Hannah back to bed and b.) watch LOST on tape.

Tomorrow I'll post the LOST Untangled video and you'll see that it also had a parenting theme.

Until then . . . 

1 comment:

Sven Golly said...

The Newsweek columnist who just matured enough to accept his unavoidable duties as a parent confirms my conviction that children raise their parents, with the unfortunate exception of parents who can't/won't grow up when their kids tell them it's time. As I've indicated elsewhere, I have trouble staying half a step ahead, but that's because my kids are exceptional;)