Search Results for: blog imagine things from your childs perspective

Multiple Teachers

This semester I’m teaching a course with two other instructors. It is a unique and interesting course blending all of the fine arts into a collection of humanities credits through multiple instructors. I just recently taught during our first class period. As with most first days it was spent on getting to know one another, getting familiar with the syllabus, and laying out the groundrules for the semester. Pretty standard stuff. One of the difficult things for me, as an instructor, was sharing the floor with other people. My teaching style is one based on my own personality creating a … Continue reading →

Think about How You Would React

As single parents, we may be tempted to get wrapped up in the world we are trying to create (or re-create). Many of us feel compelled to stay focused and dedicated to work, keeping our homes and families in order, and trying to minimize chaos. It can be hard to see things from our child’s perspective—especially when it comes to issues with the child’s other parent or other touchy topics. I think it can be helpful to try to step outside of ourselves and see things from our child’s perspective. Instead of always thinking about how things make US feel—it … Continue reading →

Identifying Whose “Problem” it Is

I do not know about your child or children, but mine can get pretty good at manipulating situations and trying to make their problems and issues seem like they are actually mine. As a parent, it can help us to figure out how to respond to our children if we first identify whose “problem” it is—claiming our part and NOT claiming the stuff that actually belongs to our kids. My sister-in-law has a phrase that she uses with her kids when they are trying to make their issues her problem. She will say: “This sounds like a personal problem”—it is … Continue reading →

When They Say They Don’t Care, It Often Means They DO

“I don’t care what you say!” or “I don’t care what happens”–how many times does a parent hear that in the course of raising a child? I have found, however, that when a child is touting how much he does NOT care about something, it generally is his way of covering up for the fact that he really does care. Now, this doesn’t mean that we try to force the issue as parents and tell our child, “Of course you care!” as he will just balk and refuse even more. But, it does give us insight into the fact that … Continue reading →

It Doesn’t Feel Like I’m Overreacting at the Time!

Keeping my cool, staying calm, achieving a state of Zen—however I try to describe it, it all comes down to my trying NOT to overreact around the parenting issues or things that happen in our family… I have to say that at the time, my reactions feel entirely appropriate. I wrote earlier today about how I have a hard time keeping my cool when dealing with institutions, bureaucracies and difficult “customer service” representatives—at the time, my anger and frustration seem absolutely justified. Maybe they are not very productive, but they feel natural! I know in my head, however, that staying … Continue reading →