Rx For Parenting Today

Holiday Parenting

Now that the holidays are  almost here, it can be a frantic time for parents. Rather than getting caught up in having the perfect turkey or holiday party, it can also be a time for reflection. With some many recent tragedies in the world, I think we have to be grateful we can still have some special family times on holidays. Children will long remember yearly traditions rather than the food that was eaten or the toys they received. If you don't have any holiday traditions, this might be the year to start them. They can be as simple as going to a annual holiday event, baking a special dish or treat or singing Christmas carols around the piano, as I did with my children. 

One of the things I have always stressed during this busy season is to be sure you don't get too busy to be sure your children are safe. Lighted candles, holiday plants, such as holly and  mistletoe, and even Christmas trees can be a hazard. If you have an active toddler or a child with developmental delay or on the autism spectrum, you want to be particularly careful. I remember one woman suggested putting the Christmas tree into a playpen if you were not sure a child could or would not pull it over! I remember one Christmas when my active two year-old boy pulled all the name tags from the presents under the tree and proudly handed them to me.  My mother-in-law was not happy I could not thank her for their special gifts!

One way to be sure little children are safe, if you have a big holiday party, is to hire a teenager or someone to watch the children. If you have a child with autism who likes to escape, this can be a way to be sure he or she is safe. Thanking ahead about any possible problems and solutions can make it a more fun time for everyone. Happy Holidays!

College Students Killed in the Latest Mass Shooting

My  heart goes out to the parents and families who lost a child in the latest mass shooting.  College should be a time  to have fun and learn who you are and what you want to do in life. Instead, we have just had our latest mass shooting that killed at last count 11 college kids. There have been 307 mass shootings this year and we are a nation that has more guns than people. The latest count is there are 393,347.000 guns in the U.S.  Of course there are many guns that are not licensed. 

The U.S. has 46% of the firearms in the world. It is important to note that despite Trump's claim that we will be murdered by the immigrants trying to come from Central America that the last three mass shooters were white U.S. males. The statistics are that 36,000 people die by gun violence in the U.S. each year. What is wrong with Trump and his Republican base that they won't allow anything to be done about gun violence? Hopefully,when the Democrats take over the  House of Representatives in January some legislation  will be passed to do something about gun violence in the U.S. Of course Trump pushed by the NRA will try to veto it, I am sure. If Trump had ever had to care for a child dying from a gun shot as I have, he might see guns differently. The power of the NRA is amazing. I  have no problems with guns being used for hunting. My father was raised on a farm and hunting was a way of life. However, he would have certainly wanted to keep guns out of the hands of people with mental illness or those filled with anger looking for revenge. 

Top Silicon Executives and Their Wives are Concerned about iPhones for Children

I saw a small child in a grocery store the other day absorbed with his iPhone. The mother didn't seem to be bothered by his deep concentration with the  iPhone.  If she had read a recent article in the New York Times  by Nellie Bowles, she might have had a second thought.  The author quotes the wife of a Silicon Valley executive who said " If my kids do get it at all (screen time),  they just want it more."  One family only allows  iPhones to be used on long car rides or a plane trip. 

Steve Jobs did not allow his children hardly any screen time. One executive did not allow her children to have cellphones until high school. She limits them at home and and bans  them in the car. It is good to see that these parents are making rules and sticking to them. I'm glad I didn't have to deal with cellphones either with my  children or grandchildren. My grandchildren were not allowed to have them at school and were not too interested in them until they needed them as adults. 

My only concern was for television. My rule was no TV during the week until Friday when the children could chose their favorite dinner and programs. Then we ate together in front of the TV.  I don't think my son even  has a working TV in his house. He and his father never watched sports, although he did play varsity football in high school for a year. I have never enjoyed watching sports on TV and was not raised with a father or brother who watched sports. Books and outside activities were much more interesting.