Learn, Engage, Remain

Congratulations to the Woods Counseling and Care Center on their parenting blog, packed with relevant articles on mental health and wellness for families.  Check it out here: http://woodsccc.org/parenting/

We thought you would enjoy one of their most recent posts, from our very own board member Barb Gass:

As a mother of three and grandmother to seven (age 18 months to 18 years), I have had many experiences in parenting (some more successful than others) and am very aware that I will be exposed to many more in my remaining years if I remain engaged and present.
The presentation in April by the Mental Health Collaborative in partnership with our local Parenting for a Different World (www.pdworld.org ) is an example of continuous learning through engagement. 

Did you know that mental illness and good mental health can co-exist and that many individuals with mental illness are mentally healthier than those without? Did you know anxiety is a normal feeling experienced by all at some time or another? Did you know that showing support for a teen can be as complete as listening to a rant about the unfairness of life and validating the feelings? These are facts presented in the above-mentioned local presentation.

As a parent, can you allow your teen ten minutes of “whining” so they can get it out and move on? Can failure be an opportunity to learn other skills, maybe even “out of the box solutions” rather than looking at it as just a problem to be fixed? Can a parent encourage a shy, timid child to commit to trying a sport, music or dance class, or a new game or activity three times before deciding they do not want to play? After three times they can quit or stay, no questions asked.

“I am your parent not your friend, but I do love, trust, and believe in you and your capabilities” is a very powerful statement. These are tools I learned on my parenting journey through exposure to others.
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I do believe “It takes a village.”

https://woodsccc.org/learn-engage-remain/

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