Instructions: choose (1) or (2). Add up the points at the quiz's end.
1. For you, a "driving range" is defined as:
(1) green grass, blue skies, and your yellow golf balls
(2) the miles between hockey rinks (soccer fields, etc.) your child plays on during traveling team games
2. How well does your child know spiderman (barbie, etc.)?
(1) pretty well, by reading or watching a dvd they were in
(2) very well, as spiderman (barbie, etc.) has come to see him personally, at his birthday party
3. You artfully arrange a double sleepover (away) for your two kids on a Saturday night so you can:
(1) seduce your husband
(2) finish up studying how to help your kids with their homework
4. After a game of tennis with your daughter, you:
(1) give her a bottle of water, to rehydrate
(2) give her your remote control, thank her, and leave the room
5. You are cleaning the dinner dishes yourself because:
(1) your kids are in full body casts from a freak accident and can't help
(2) your kids are busy texting their friends
Scoring: If you scored 5 points, you are still a human person. If you scored 7-9, you are in the danger zone. If you scored 9 or 10, you have crossed over and become a robotic parent. Time for the 10 steps...
Friday, February 26, 2010
Going from Humanoid Back to Human: The Ten Steps
more on The 10 Steps
10. Get back in the real world.
Limit "screen time" on computers, video games, and t.v. Got out and get some real exercise instead of playing Wii Sports. Play some real music together instead of playing Wii Rockband. Spark up some creativity and your energy levels rather than your electronics. Research has shown that overuse of media is harmful to kids' social skills. For example, check out:
to go from humanoid back to human:
1. Put yourself first (sometimes).
Putting yourself first lets you show your children that you are a person too. Your children need to know that there are others in the world besides them. They need to know that others have needs too and that the world does not revolve around their needs. If your children don't learn this, they risk becoming entitled, self-centered, and even narcissistic.
So take a job, a hobby, a class.....or just take a walk around the block. Schedule something for you rather than scheduling another activity for your child. Doing something for yourself - you'll be happier. And a happier parent is a better parent.
2. Keep the family together.
Do things as a family rather than going from one individual's activity to another. Maintain the family unit and your couplehood.
1. Put yourself first (sometimes).
Putting yourself first lets you show your children that you are a person too. Your children need to know that there are others in the world besides them. They need to know that others have needs too and that the world does not revolve around their needs. If your children don't learn this, they risk becoming entitled, self-centered, and even narcissistic.
So take a job, a hobby, a class.....or just take a walk around the block. Schedule something for you rather than scheduling another activity for your child. Doing something for yourself - you'll be happier. And a happier parent is a better parent.
2. Keep the family together.
Do things as a family rather than going from one individual's activity to another. Maintain the family unit and your couplehood.
The man or the woman who helped you bring your kids into the world shouldn't be relegated to mere "roommate" status once your kids have arrived. Spend some time with your spouse. Try going with him or her to one child's soccer game one week and the other child's soccer game the next, instead of splitting up so that one of you is at each game each week but apart from each other. Studies have shown that satisfaction with marriage tends to decrease once people have children. Lack of time for each other plays a part in this. Engaging in activities together is believed to be something that bonds couples.
Plan some family activities to do with your kids, rather than just watching them as they perform on the field or watching them in the rearview mirror as you drive them to their next activity! The family is a traditional unit, needed for our happiness and survival. Honor it and keep it alive!
3. Don't be your child's friend.
You are not your child's peer. Your child is not your equal. You are an authority figure. You don't have to listen to your child but your child has to listen to you. Make this clear in order to teach your child to identify and respect authority figures.
4. Get disorganized.
Loosen up, lose the schedule Instead of scheduling a "playdate", just send your child outside to play and see if the neighborhood kids can join in.
5. Bore your kids.
Actually open the Sunday paper. Let the kids fend for themselves. You might be amazed at what they come up with to do! Teach your children how to entertain themselves. Allow them to develop their creativity and exercise their imaginations.
6. Put your children to work.
Have your child help out around the house during the weekend instead of play on that second soccer team. Teach him to contribute to the family rather than just taking from it. Teach your child to give to others and let him experience a sense of accomplishment and responsibility. And working together - side by side - can foster connections between you and your kids, by providing a safe, non head-on, non-confrontational environment in which to relate to one another.
7. Miss the soccer game.
Go for a run when you drop your kid off at the game. Do something you enjoy while your child does something he enjoys. Let your child know that sports is not about who's watching them. You don't need to watch them play while they don't need to watch you run.
8. Pare down.
Give your child a new football rather than the latest cell phone for his 8th birthday. Throw an old-fashioned birthday party with musical chairs and the limbo rather than a "ball" in a rented hall with an appearance by Cinderella.. Teach your children to appreciate the simple things in life while leaving them something to look forward to when they get older. Get back to moderation n material things as well as in scheduling.
9. Tell your child she did not do a good job.
Give your child a sense of reality and a basis of comparison. Do not set her up to have to be perfect. This is not fair and can cause problems in the future such as low self esteem, eating disorders, cheating behaviors, etc. Let your child mess up and learn from her mistakes. Teach her to handle criticism.
3. Don't be your child's friend.
You are not your child's peer. Your child is not your equal. You are an authority figure. You don't have to listen to your child but your child has to listen to you. Make this clear in order to teach your child to identify and respect authority figures.
4. Get disorganized.
Loosen up, lose the schedule Instead of scheduling a "playdate", just send your child outside to play and see if the neighborhood kids can join in.
5. Bore your kids.
Actually open the Sunday paper. Let the kids fend for themselves. You might be amazed at what they come up with to do! Teach your children how to entertain themselves. Allow them to develop their creativity and exercise their imaginations.
6. Put your children to work.
Have your child help out around the house during the weekend instead of play on that second soccer team. Teach him to contribute to the family rather than just taking from it. Teach your child to give to others and let him experience a sense of accomplishment and responsibility. And working together - side by side - can foster connections between you and your kids, by providing a safe, non head-on, non-confrontational environment in which to relate to one another.
7. Miss the soccer game.
Go for a run when you drop your kid off at the game. Do something you enjoy while your child does something he enjoys. Let your child know that sports is not about who's watching them. You don't need to watch them play while they don't need to watch you run.
8. Pare down.
Give your child a new football rather than the latest cell phone for his 8th birthday. Throw an old-fashioned birthday party with musical chairs and the limbo rather than a "ball" in a rented hall with an appearance by Cinderella.. Teach your children to appreciate the simple things in life while leaving them something to look forward to when they get older. Get back to moderation n material things as well as in scheduling.
9. Tell your child she did not do a good job.
Give your child a sense of reality and a basis of comparison. Do not set her up to have to be perfect. This is not fair and can cause problems in the future such as low self esteem, eating disorders, cheating behaviors, etc. Let your child mess up and learn from her mistakes. Teach her to handle criticism.
Accept imperfections in your own self. And admit them: model your behavior for your kids.
This includes physical imperfections, and acceptance of aging. This is particularly challenging in a world in which younger and younger people are seeking cosmetic surgery...According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, total cosmetic surgery procedures increased by 87% in 2011 from 2000...
10. Get back in the real world.
Limit "screen time" on computers, video games, and t.v. Got out and get some real exercise instead of playing Wii Sports. Play some real music together instead of playing Wii Rockband. Spark up some creativity and your energy levels rather than your electronics. Research has shown that overuse of media is harmful to kids' social skills. For example, check out:
| Dev Psychol. 2012 Mar;48(2):327-36. Epub 2012 Jan 23. Media use, face-to-face communication, media multitasking, and social well-being among 8- to 12-year-old girls. Pea R, Nass C, Meheula L, Rance M, Kumar A, Bamford H, Nass M, Simha A, Stillerman B, Yang S, Zhou M. |
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I find these 10 steps helpful. For myself, trying to break out of any pattern is difficult, so concrete steps are helpful. I especially like the first step of putting myself first. I have always heard that as a parent I need to take care of myself and be happy/ healthy, but this is easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteI also think the concept of not being friends with our kids is important and very true. I think it's too easy for us to "go with the flow" and not really step up to the plate with setting limits for our kids. I believe they need us to set limits and PARENT them. This is not easy to do when we're tired and running around.
I think these steps are useful, I'd like to hear more. Thank you