Blogs for Mar, 2009

How do most parents measure whether they are good parents?

Most parents I have met in my work here in Connecticut believe that they are good parents when their children do what the parents want them to do when they want them to do it. Compliance. If my child is well behaved, then I am a good parent. If they do not follow my instructions, then somehow I am a failure.

Let’s consider some other perspectives on this.

One thing to consider is that this ...

Should I use my real name as my user ID? Hmmm....

Hmmm......signing up for iParentnetwork may seem daunting to some and even downright scary to others. I'd like to point out some of the security features that are built in to this site.

This site is built with a big ol' WALL which separates the non-members (and the entire world wide web) with the logged-in members. The only stuff that can be seen by the outside world is the information that accessible without logging in.....in other ...

A Beginners' Guide To Social Networking

Social Networking is either a buzz word or a way of life -- depending on your age and demographic. If I can put it broadly, if you are under 30, social networking is a bit like breathing. You do it without thinking about it -- and if you don't, it is simply because it is isn't useful to you right now.

If you you are over 40, social networking can sound either cool, scary, or ...

Talking to Your Chlidren About Their Facebook Content

I understand it is stressed all over that parents should have a Facebook account and monitor their children's profiles, but I know this can be a daunting task for some parents and others may worry about upsetting their children. If nothing else, talk to your teenagers about the content of what they post online. Information posted on the internet is forever out there in cyberspace for the whole world to see. Personal information, photos, comments ...

Celebrations at School?

Many of our local schools and school systems are contemplating policies that would restrict all foods from being brought into the school for sharing purposes. Some of our neighboring town schools have already moved to this policy with very positive results.

No more cupcakes and cookies? Schools are looking at such a policy for many reasons, and the confidence to do so is coming from various groups ranging from educational leaders to the CDC. The ...

Are social networking sites appropriate for younger kids?

If you have kids under the age of 12, then you may know about the world ofWebkinz, a virtual Web world built around real-life stuffed animals. These Webkinz "pets", range from a horse to a dog and everything in between. These cute little plush pets that come with a unique secret code that can be plugged into the Webkinz World, where your child can feed the pet, help it sleep, play games, exercise it, ...

Book Review: The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family

I recently read Patrick Lencioni's newest book "The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable About Restoring Sanity To The Most Important Organization In Your Life". I am a big Lencioni fan, have heard him speak at conferences, have read most of his books, and even use them as resources in my consulting and leadership training venues.

Most of his books are about leadership and workplace dynamics, so this struck ...

Parents Busted on Facebook for Hosting Teen Drinking Party

Today's Hartord Courant reported from Glastonbury on how an "Charges filed In Facebook Underage Drinking Photos."

In part, the paper reported:

"Parents who hosted a birthday party for their 18-year-old daughter have been cited by police after pictures of teens playing beer pong and drinking alcohol surfaced on Facebook, police said."

You can read the whole article here.

I am ...

Me, Myself & I. Parenting the Net Generation

I ran across a great book that I recommend all parents today read. It’s called Me, Myself and I. Parenting the Net Generation by Larry D. Rosen, Ph.D.

The reason I liked this book so much is that, for me, it really demystified how the whole social networking world worked. It walked me through, step by step, how to use sites like Facebook and probably the most important thing it taught me was to ...

The Food Connection

What and how we eat, as well as what and how we feed our children, plays a critical role in so many facets of daily life - as an individual and as a family & community member. This blog is to invite you into the conversation of how to be more mindful about those choices (what we are eating, where, and when). A funny thing about food is that it is often a very personal ...

Youth Leadership and Positive Youth Development

There are tons of great organizations locally and nationally that provide youth with fantastic lifelong skills that prepare them for a successful future. Mansfield, Willington, and Ashford has a great youth group that is spearheaded by a dedicated and energetic UConn student, Jen O’Neill.

Youth Leadership and positive youth development are near and dear to my heart. I think people often overlook the power of young people, and forget just how effective a group of passionate young people can be. We hear a lot about peer pressure, but forget that peer pressure can be a positive thing.

My father sent me to MADD Power Camp when I was 14, and it completely changed my life!

So what exactly is Positive Youth Development ???