Raising teens of this generation matters, and the choices you make in how you interact with your kids of any age truly makes a difference! There are experiences most parents face that they view as challenges. How parents react to those challenges, and as such interact with their children, either creates an unhealthy dysfunctional parent-child family relationship dynamic, or, creates a healthy functional family system in which significantly affects who our children are and become. “Parenting matters! And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” This is how I led off my parenting education workshop held on 9/29/15 at the Foxborough Regional Charter School in Massachusetts. “As parents, what we say and don’t say, what we do and don’t do, is the difference that makes the difference in the family relationship dynamic, the relationship our children have with us, with themselves, and with others.” These points are among the various perspectives I shared with attendees, including my parenting philosophy, and 9 key techniques for raising children (based on my parenting book: 9 Key Techniques For Raising Children).
My parenting philosophy I have been educating parents for 20+ years: “Treat your children as equally valued members within the family” was discussed during this workshop. Specifically, children who feel valued, in turn feel special, important and respected. Children who feel valued, special, important and respected in turn will treat themselves with respect and thus make respectful and responsible choices because that is how they are treated and thus the lens in which they view themselves. These are the children who treat their parents, themselves and others with respect and act responsibly. These are children who feel good about who they are. Experiencing an upbringing where you feel equally valued does not mean you are the puppet master and your parents the puppets, no, that’s a big mistake far too many parents make. It is imperative that parents are parents. The notion is that everyone’s voice counts, everyone’s opinion and who they are as a person is special because everyone in the family, including the children, are of equal value.
I shared with attendees the lens of which I view parenthood, and invited them to consider the same, which includes the following: being a parent is a blessing, recognize the normalcy of your children’s behaviors, relish and cherish each moment, know that it is your responsibility and obligation to bring your best self each day as a parent for this is your job, and know that you are the difference that makes the difference in your children’s lives.
If you are interested in learning what my 9 key practical parenting techniques are that I explained during this workshop along with real life case examples, I invite you to check out my parenting book of which this workshop is based on. A few of the 9 techniques include: “Don’t push a pull door”, “hear your children’s voice”, “positive re-frame”, “all behavior makes sense in context”, “positive style of interaction- the big 3” and more . . . These techniques can be implemented immediately, right now, and you too shall experience positive shifts in the family relationship dynamic, how your children interact with you, and the relationship they have with themselves and others. I invite you to take a sneak peek into my book: Parenting Tips – 9 Key Techniques For Raising Children. As stated by Foxborough Regional Charter School: “Dr. Ruskin’s techniques are strategic, practical, and her presentation was fabulous.”