Parenting by Strengths

New Threat to Kids on Your Home Computer

by Mary Ivory

I feel a bit out of character always ring the alarm bell here on the parenting blog about the use of the Internet but I will do it! This is about the newest social networking site. Chat Roulette is a popular new chat website that puts users face-to-face with complete strangers via webcams.  It was designed by a teen in Europe, and it has become wildly popular. I learned about it on this CBS Early Show report.

Knowledge is power. You have heard me say that before. This one a piece of knowledge you can get the step up on. Learn about Chat Roulette and block it from your home computer. Watch the video with your teens, and talk with them about your concerns that they will meet dangerous people there and that is why you don't want them to be involved. Again, this is a teachable moment, to let your kids know they can ask you about anything, anytime because you will be fair and honest with them. You may get some eye rolling or 'I don't want to talk about that'. Assure them you understand that it is uncomfortable, but you are there for them. Always. You will be glad you did.

And the kids are glad too. Even if they don't act like it.

Adam Lambert vs The Media: Round 2

by Amy Johnson, MSW

Adam Lambert was on The View this morning.  I was nursing a cold and decided to watch to see how they would handle the recent controversy over his performance at the American Music Awards. 

Let's Talk!

by Amy Johnson, MSW

Parents, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy has designated October as "Let's Talk" Month.  So, let's talk about sex and more.  Here are tips to get started or take the next step in talking to your children and teens about sexuality.

Intersex: what do I tell my kids?

by Amy Johnson, MSW

Most of us learn in high school biology that a person is either born with XX or XY chromosomes, making them a girl or a boy.  Lately, news in the field of athletics has brought this over-simplified version of a person's sex to the forefront, and has sparked conversations about what, exactly, determines if one is a boy or a girl.  Here is important information so you can give educated, informed responses to your children's questions.

Why Preschool Isn't Too Early for Sex Ed

by Amy Johnson, MSW

I recently read a blog post on RH Reality Check, a site that publishes information about reproductive health.  The title of it was "Start Sex Ed Early, Or It's Just a History Lesson," and it deals with recent research showing that children as young as 8-years-old are having sex.

Now you can listen to us!

by Mary Ivory

Thanks to Toni Schutta you can now hear six of us writing blogging coaches!  Toni hosted us on her radio program. What a treat to hear the voices and values of great coaches being showcased. It was exciting for me as a guest and my kind sister-in-law Jennifer said she enjoyed the lively presentation of the broadcast.  It is yet another way to connect and get support for positive psychology based parenting.

Sarah Gillen gives one of the best explanations of how positive psychology is the next step in the understanding and practice of parenting by strengths. She told us about how to begin to understand that 8 to 12 year old that we know! Amy Johnson lead us to reassurance as she spoke about how to talk to kids about sex. Her composure helps you to believe it is possible to be at ease, eventually, with that weak at the knees topic/ discussion many parents dread. 

Marion Bloch gave us some great advice on how to approach the school setting when you are concerned about possible learning problems your child may be having. Great perspective, thanks Marion!  Unfortunately we had some technical difficulties hearing Janice Van Buren speak about the how to talk about race and mixed race identity. We hope to hear more from her in the near future but check her out on this blog anytime, she has great tips.

Yes there was a bit of how to talk about sex, how to roll with the changes kids bring and I talked about drugs, or rather the need to be prepared for ' did you smoke pot?' question. Toni shared her insights on getting kids to work as a team instead of battling each other. Sarah and Amy shared some great ideas about bedtime routines that work! Fantastic! Cathy was unable to join us. She writes of care for the parent of the a fragile child on the blog but check out her stress management ideas in our book.

So check us out, hear us now, on the radio!

Do you have more questions? Put the questions here. Maybe we will get invited back to Toni's show. Remember it is at 1 PM EST, Wednesday on Voice of America. Her show is Real Parents, Real Solutions.

 

Sex and Marriage

by Amy Johnson, MSW

Lately, it seems like infidelity is in the news even more than usual.  While I was attending a training in Minneapolis, the Governor of South Carolina made headlines.  When I returned, "Unfaithfully Yours" was the headline on Time magazine, along with the picture of a collapsing wedding cake, and this quote (also on the cover of Time) arrived in my inbox:

"Adultery is not about sex or romance.  Ultimately, it is about how little we mean to one another." Leonard Michaels.  Just what are we really teaching our children about sexuality and commitment in our culture?

Subtle Sexism

by Amy Johnson, MSW

Lately, there has been a media firestorm over comments made by David Letterman on his show regarding Sarah Palin's daughter.  Here are some thoughts on gender, sexism, and what a parent can do.

Sexuality Education Defined

by Amy Johnson, MSW

The internet was a-buzz this week with posts and links about President Obama's new budget that has removed funding for abstinence-only sexuality education.Stopping short of opening up a funding stream for comprehensive sexuality education, this budget proposal does include money for teen pregnancy prevention.
What's the difference? 

Our Righteousness Is Killing Us

by Amy Johnson, MSW

This post is a repost of an article I wrote in my column, Sex in the Suburbs, for the Federal Way Mirror.

I just returned from Washington, D.C., where I was privileged to be part of a Sexuality Education Advocacy Training developed by three faith groups.

We came together from all over the country to be a religious voice for comprehensive sexuality education.

Sexuality education is a moral issue, and religious communities and organizations come down with varying degrees of tolerance. A loud and heavily government-funded (more than $1.5 billion over the past two decades) religious voice has proclaimed that the only acceptable teachings are "abstinence-only" until marriage. This same voice makes wildly inaccurate claims about comprehensive sexuality education, scaring otherwise intelligent adults into withholding information from our youth — and that is killing people.