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Archive for the ‘Communication’ Category
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
 Hi, Everyone: Check out my new parenting series, Kids are from Krypton; Parents are from Pluto™ heard weekly on Heartbeat Radio for Women WRHB 1410 am with Mary McBryde, Thursdays from 1:30-2:00 pm EST. You are welcome to tune in via our live stream at heartbeatradiousa.com. First four weeks will be looking at various challenges of talking with (yes, with…not at) your kids. Here’s the line-up:
Feb. 18 Kids are from Krypton; Parents are from Pluto™: The words you say are not always what kids hear. In this segment we will discuss the various ways we communicate, and why behavior really does speak louder than words. The answers may shock you!
Feb. 25 WAIT! Why am I talking?: Second segment will focus on the fact that while we want our kids to talk with us, many of us seem to do anything in our power to ‘put a sock in it’ when the kids try to talk. Emphasis will be on the importance of responding, rather than reacting to our kids’ attempts to communicate…and listen!
Mar 4 Getting to Really Know Your Kids…one conversation at a time: Third segment highlights ways to keep a conversation going so you REALLY get to find out, ‘How was school?…’How was the party?’…’How was practice?’…
Mar 11 What Kids Would Tell You…If Only You’d Ask: Last segment will identify all the conversations you DON’T have to have with your kids, where to have them, and the importance of including the whole family in sharing the answers.
Tune in and then let me know what you think!
Enjoy your kids…even when Kids are from Krypton ; Parents are from Pluto™/strong>
Tags: communicate, Kids are from Krypton Parents are from Pluto, Mary McBryde, Parenting, parents, radio show WRHB 1410, www.heartbeatradiouwsa.com
Posted in Child Development, Communication, Education, Parenting | Add a Comment »
Sunday, February 14th, 2010
Making time for each other
You plan everything else in your day—when to get up, take the kids to school, doctor’s appt, hair appt (what’s that?), grocery shopping, cooking, homework time, nap time, sports practices…. Are these all important? You bet!
You also plan family fun activities, like going to the zoo, the park, a movie, play dates, trips, etc. Are these all important? You bet!
But what’s missing??? Actually, two things…time for yourself and time for your mate. Taking care of yourself is extremely important, and will need to be the topic of another blog. For right now, I would like to make suggestions about what you can do with the kids in order to have couple time. “Easier said than done,” you might say. And, you are probably right! Easier to get divorced than remain in a loving relationship? Probably not.
What to do with the kids in order to have couple time:
- Take advantage of nap times.
- Come home for lunch when the kids are in school.
- Send the kids to a night at their grandparents, loving aunt and uncle or distant cousin.
- Swap sitter nights with your friend. You watch their kids one night, they yours another.
- Hire a babysitter to take the kids to the park on the weekend.
- Let your kids spend a night with their friends.
- Shower together.
- Go to bed when the kids do—yes, that might mean leaving the chores go until morning. Either way, you are going to be one of the dwarves in the morning: Happy or Grumpy. You choose…or, better yet, let your family choose.
- Pre-make several dinners on the weekend and freeze; or, when you make dinner, double or triple the recipe so you can have another dinner or two ready for another night. Not having to cook every night will be less tiring, and probably less frustrating.
- Go to bed ½ hour earlier—yes, before the news is over.
- Get up ½ hour earlier—yes, before the news comes on.
- Turn off the TV or better yet, take it out of your bedroom.
- Put on Saturday morning cartoons. Actually, kids will just do that themselves, if you don’t mind cereal on the rug. Have acceptable edibles put out for them.
- Have a video and popcorn night for the kids.
- Go out on a date on a regular basis. Don’t talk about the kids. Don’t let them call you.
- Schedule Sunday afternoon as quiet time, where everyone goes to their rooms for an hour to nap, read, play by themselves.
- Spend a night in a great hotel and order room service.
- Take a long weekend together one or two times a year to rediscover each other and leave the parenting responsibilities and intrusions at home.
- Take a family vacation that has sitter service—and use it!
- Put your kids in childcare at church, gym, etc. and then play hooky and run home for a little while. It’s drastic, I know. However, as long as the kids are looked after…
- Take advantage of mom’s/parent’s day/night out at some of the religious institutions.
- Get your kids out of your bed. Generally, if your kids are sleeping with you, they are serving a purpose…to be a buffer for you to avoid being intimate. How’s that working for your marriage? What message does that give your kids?
- Sleep alone if your spouse is away. Do NOT have the kids sleep in your bed when daddy or mommy has to travel. This sets up a terrible precedent, and can actually lead the kids to believe that it’s better to have their parent gone, because then they get to be with the other.
- Call each other by your first names, or rather some nickname or pet name. If you call each other Mommy and Daddy, there isn’t much room for other identities. Terms of endearment are special and actually give your kids that feeling of security and happiness.
- Show affection in front of your kids. Hugging, kissing, holding hands, arms around each other are all great examples for your kids of what a loving relationship is like.
- Sit next to each other. If you continually sit on opposite ends of the couch, or with the kids in between you, the message is clearly one of separation.
Enjoy your kids…but first enjoy each other!
Happy Valentine’s Day…all year long!
Tags: activities, affection, babysitter, bed, child, children, daddy, date, families, Family, grandparents, holding hands, hugging, intimacy, intimate, kid, kids, kissing, love, mommy, parent, Parenting, passion, passionate, privacy, school, sleep, vacation, valentine
Posted in Child Development, Communication, Family, Parenting | Add a Comment »
Saturday, February 13th, 2010
 The best thing you can do for your kids is to love each other. Yesterday’s Valentine’s message encouraged you to put passion and intimacy back in your marriage. When you can enjoy each other and feel good about yourselves, you will then feel more positive about the other roles that you also have to fill. The most important role? Parent!
Believe it or not, being parents and being passionate are not mutually exclusive! They may just take a little more effort to work both the role of the loving parent and the loving partner into your life on a regular basis.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
First of all, a passionate night together can’t always be spontaneous anymore. What was wonderful without kids may not be as available to you anymore. So, lack of spontaneity does not mean passion and intimacy have to be passé.
Secondly, planning a night of passion can be exciting. Planning doesn’t have to feel routine and unromantic. On the contrary…There can be anticipation. This can provide strong motivation to take care of all the household chores so that you can enjoy the end pay-off.
However, things don’t always go as planned. Kids will be terribly inconsiderate and get sick, have a bad dream or suddenly remember an unfinished project that’s due the next day.
So, adapting is important. Adapting and regrouping…not giving up altogether.
Share the load with the whole family. Let everyone pitch in to get the essential nightly chores completed.
Set time for each other as a priority. There’s always a tremendous amount of things to do before you probably consider everything ‘done’ for the night. Sometimes the dishes need to be left in the sink, the laundry left unfolded, the toys not put where they go until morning.
Teach boundaries. Set limits before you explode. There’s a time to say, “Enough!” “That’s it…you’re in bed for the night.” “Don’t come out again or there will be consequences.” “Stay in your room and there will be a reward in the morning.” And then, most importantly…follow through!
Here are two key ingredients to setting those boundaries:
KNOCK: Teach your kids privacy from a very early age. A closed door should mean, “Do not come in without knocking and getting permission to enter.” If this is simply another rule in your house, like turning off lights or washing your hands, then it will become ingrained and just taken for granted. Teach your kids to knock. Model that and show them the same courtesy. If you don’t want to have to knock, then keep their doors open. Respecting a closed door will give you more privacy and help prevent kids walking in at inopportune times. Locking your door is also permissible to teach kids to knock.
HAVEN: Make your bedroom a haven for you and your spouse. Leave all the kids toys, bottles, school papers, whatever, outside the door. That actually goes for paperwork and cell phones for business. When you shut your door at work, it means you are in a meeting and basically shouldn’t be disturbed. So it can be at home. When you shut your bedroom door, you are having private time with your mate and basically shouldn’t be disturbed. Talk about the kids in other rooms of the house. Let your bedroom be a place that’s your private space, whether you are passionate or not. Because being together, just the two of you, with your other roles left outside the door, is very intimate all by itself.
Enjoy your kids…but first enjoy each other!
Happy Valentine’s Day all year long!
Stay tuned for tomorrow! Parenting and Passion…Not Mutally Exclusive: What to do with the kids?
Tags: adapting, boundaries, child, children, dad, families, Family, follow through, intimacy, kid, kids, limits, mom, parent, parents, passion, passionate, priority, romantic, time
Posted in Child Development, Communication, Family, Parenting | Add a Comment »
Friday, February 12th, 2010
 - Your kids learn how to love by watching you love each other
Valentine’s Day is upon us—the one day a year we are supposed to profess our love for our mate. One day a year? What are the other 364 days for? Well, I’ll tell you what they are for…
Lots of affection, intimacy and passion!
So, why is a child psychologist giving marital advice? Because over the past 25 years, I have worked with 100’s and 100’s of children and families. And here’s what I know…
Parents who take care of their marriage, tend to take better care of their families.
Here’s why:
The marital relationship is sacred. It is the foundation of the family, the roots of the family tree, if you will. The healthier the roots, the stronger the tree and the sweeter the fruit. In other words, taking care of your relationship provides a loving basis for raising your kids. It seems that many families have children and end up focusing all their attention on the fruit that they bear. But without attention and nurturing of the roots, the tree becomes weaker and the fruits can turn to mush.
Kids learn from example. They watch you like a hawk. And, no…I am not suggesting that passion and intimacy become a spectator sport. However, when you and your partner maintain a loving, passionate relationship, you like each other more. Let’s face it—it’s much more enjoyable to be with each other with your kids, when you love the intimacy you have when you are alone.
Here’s what your kids learn: How you treat your wife is the example they learn of how a man treats a woman. Conversely, how you treat your husband is a direct lesson of how a woman treats a man. If you want your kids to have loving relationships, then you need to set the example. It’s OK to show affection in front of them. In fact, it’s a wonderful model for them, giving them permission to be affectionate with their future mate. It also can be very comforting to kids to see their parents having a warm, close relationship. It provides a sense of security for them, as they learn that affection is related to togetherness and commitment.
Furthermore, when the passion is alive in the bedroom, the sense of closeness and oneness is carried throughout your relationship and the many roles you need to play. Liking each other and enjoying each other also helps you support each other when parenting. It is much easier to get on the same page with someone you like standing next to…and forming a strong united front is key in discipline, communication and teaching values. When your passion ignites at night, your parenting will shine all day!
Enjoy your kids…but first enjoy each other.
Happy Valentine’s Day all year long!
Tags: affection, affectionate, children, commitmentdiscipline, families, Family, happy child, husband, intimacy, kids, love, loving, man, parent, Parenting, parents, partner, passion, relationship, security, unconditional love, valentine, values, wife, woman
Posted in Child Development, Communication, Family, Parenting | Add a Comment »
Saturday, August 29th, 2009
 Nighttime Space Shuttle Discovery Launch The midnight sky suddenly lit up like a fire ball; white, billowy smoke was exploding from the horizon and the ocean waves appeared to sparkle like fairy dust. I stared up at the sky as the Space Shuttle Discovery launched into space, the sky so clear that we could actually see the two rocket boosters separate from the rocket and descend toward the sea. I was totally in awe…others were fast asleep in their beds.
Asleep? Uninterested? Inconvenienced? No way! Like me, many of us go through life excited about little things like a bird’s nest, puddles and indulging in chocolate, knowing that the miraculous events such as a space shuttle launch happen less often. Others become so bored and blasé, they say, “Oh, I’ve already seen one,” “Been there, done that,” and are therefore no longer interested in watching another shuttle light up the sky by night, sail into the clouds by day nor experience the delayed rattle and shaking of the earth about a minute or so after the bird takes flight.
Sad, really. These folks are letting life pass them by, sucked into the drudge of autopilot and missing the opportunities to celebrate, be joyful or fulfilled by the daily miracles called their children.
Many parents I have seen in my office fall into a state of autopilot, seeing parenting as another obligation rather than an inspiration. They are so overwhelmed and burdened, that they find themselves angry, inconvenienced and frustrated with their kids more than they revel in the little things…like runny noses wiped on shirt sleeves, a 10-second non-speaking part in the school play, a handful of weeds thrust at them with pride. Or, how about the teens who are ’in love’ and get their hearts broken, grow out of their athletic supporter, or beat up their younger siblings but fiercely defend them when others try to bully.
The Space Shuttle launch had three days of delays, bad weather and malfunctions. Folks at NASA waiting for launch probably felt aggravation, frustration and inconvenience. However, they continued to express a great deal of determination, pride and awe of the magnificence of their creation. Then they literally cheered as Discovery headed upwards.
Like the Space Shuttle, your kids will have malfunctions, delays and stormy days. However, they will also become ready to blast off from the launch pad and follow their own course. I encourage any of you feeling on autopilot to downshift into manual drive. From there you will still become aggravated, frustrated and inconvenienced at times. And yet downshifting will help you slow down enough to really notice and enjoy the multitude of facets during prelaunch…
Knowing that the clock is ticking and the countdown has already begun.
Remember: Kids are gifts…Enjoy their Presence!
Enjoy your kids!
Tags: child, children, Family, kids, love, nasa, parent, Parenting, parents, space shuttle, space shuttle discovery, space shuttle launch, unconditional love
Posted in Communication, Family, Parenting | 2 Comments »
Friday, March 27th, 2009
Although all parents want to able to talk with their children, poor communication or no communication is the way of life for many families. Now yelling, nagging, criticizing, ordering, lecturing, etc. don’t count. Those are ways you might talk at your children, not with your children. And it’s the talking with that constitutes true communication. Actually, ‘communication’ comes from the word commune, meaning to be in touch with. So, if the words you speak to your children are not creating a sense of being in touch, then true communication is not taking place.
Top 10 Tips for Effective Communication Part 1
- Listen.
- Listen to what your children say.
- Listen to the way they say it.
- Listen to their body language.
- Listen to their behavior.
- Listen to what they don’t say.
- Listen to their feelings.
- Listen to their opinions.
- Listen to the way they perceive things.
- Listen.
Top 10 Tips for Effective Communication Part 2
- Listen. A basic problem with parent/child communication is a lack of listening. True communication is a two way street, a dialogue, an interchange. However, when one person is talking and the other doesn’t get a word in edgewise, then it’s a lecture. When one person talks and the other discounts what is being said, it’s a dead end. When one listens while the other talks, then the chance for understanding is in sight!
- Respond, don’t react. What’s the difference? When you react, you reflect your own experiences and feelings onto what you have just heard. When you respond, you get in touch with the thoughts and feelings of what your children tell you. When your children are trying to tell you something, it is crucial that you respond and not react. When you react, you lose the opportunity to communicate. Because, when you react, you tend to talk; when you talk, it’s hard to listen.
- Try to see things from your child’s perspective. You and your children view the world through very different eyes. The way your children interpret a situation and the way you do can be light-years apart. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that you and they were even in the same room at the time! However, their different stories are indications of how they experienced the particular event. And that’s really all they have…their own perspective. Listen to your children’s perspective, because this is their reality. And realities can differ dramatically
- Let them know that what they have to say is important. Giving undivided attention, and allowing them to talk without interruption, or judgment, shows that you really care about what your children have to say. Thanking them, or expressing your pleasure in their talking with you will go a long way in making them feel as though you care.
- Talk with them on their level. It is important to use language that your children understand, and the same respectful tone of voice you use with friends. Literally come down to their level if they are young or little, and look directly at them while they talk.
- Keep the lines of communication open. Open-ended questions and inquiries of clarification can keep communication going. Express a desire to know more. Not in an interrogatory way! Ask questions that show interest and desire to really understand their experiences. And if you are trying to continue a conversation and your children become frustrated, tell them that you are really interested in what they are saying, so please help you understand. Oh, and overreacting is a sure-fire way to close down communication instantaneously.
- Find opportunities to have conversations. There are different times and places that communication can occur. If your children know that you are available to them, they may feel more comfortable approaching you, and visa versa. Time alone in the car, tucking in at bedtime or after the younger siblings go to bed may be opportune times to talk. If your child wants to talk at an inopportune time, be sure to explain why you need to postpone, and make a time to get back together when you are able to give your full, undivided attention.
- Agree to disagree. Not every conversation, argument or discussion needs to have a victor. The purpose of communication is to exchange ideas and understand perspectives. If the purpose is control or a power struggle, then you both lose. Outside of debate club, communication should not be a competitive sport.
- Recognize the power of words. Depending upon your tone, volume and body language, anything you say can take on numerous meanings. These variables can convey very different messages. For example, an otherwise neutral sentence like, “Oh, you cleaned your room,” can take on dramatically different meanings depending upon whether it was said in a sarcastic, teasing, judging, minimizing, praising, analyzing or interrogating manner.
- Laugh together. Parents tend to fall into the trap. You know…the one that grabs you and makes you take everything so seriously. When your children are trying to tell you something, sit back and just listen. You don’t need to don your serious parental persona all the time. Laughter can lighten the load, and create great opportunities to communicate with your children. When’s the last time you had a good belly laugh? When’s the last time you heard your children laugh? And when’s the last time you laughed with them?
Tags: behavior, body language, child's perspective, Communication, effective communication, laugh, listen, listening
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Sunday, December 7th, 2008
At some point in a parent’s life, they all do it. And in this case, “they” means the kids.
Set on pushing the limit—and every emotional button possible—children will pull items off a store shelf. They’ll argue with their siblings, fight in the backseat or talk back.
And then, after asking them to stop a million times, threatening to turn off the television or pull the car over, the parent simmers, reaches a boiling point, then explodes.
The parent loses control.
“When I ask parents how they handle their own anger, they get a wake up call and say, ‘Oh, I yell or slam doors,’ said Dr. Vicki Panaccione, a Melbourne child psychologist and parenting specialist.
“These parents are bringing their children in to see me for things the children aren’t allowed to do, but the parents are doing the same things,” she said. “Parents have to understand they are the role models, and if they don’t want children to yell and curse, they can’t do it, either.”
Panaccione agrees when parents lose their tempers, they end up on the same playing field as the child.
“Now you have two children sticking their tongues out at each other,” she said. The child is feeling out of control and now the grown-up is not in control.”
When parents need to gain composure, a time out to cool off (is advised). Or count to 10 before addressing the situation. Or, in a calm voice, simply outline the child’s choices and consequences and follow through with it.
Yet, realize that different approaches work for different children.
“There is no book to read or no one way to do it, because different things work for different people,” Panaccione said. “The main philosophy is to keep your self under control.”
Parent Tips for Staying Calm:
• Remember that parents are role models. If you vent anger by yelling or slamming doors, most likely your children will do it, too. Children copy what they see.
• Take a breath and count to 10 before doing anything. You are in control.
• Don’t get into a screaming match with children. Dealing with a child’s behavior, parents need to remain calm and in control. By losing control, parents lose their authority and respect.
• When a situation erupts, tell the child, “I’m going to think about this and get back to you,” which can cause children to think about what’s happening. It also allows you to settle down before making a decision.
• It’s important for parents to take timeout for themselves or utilize outlets for their own stress. Often parents are already stressed and as a result, over-react to a child’s behavior.
• Be sure your children have their own outlets for venting anger and frustration, such as shooting basketball or writing in a journal. Children typically act out because they have no other way to relieve their stress.
As published in Florida Today.
© MMVI Vicki Panaccione, Ph.D.
Tags: composure, emotional button, frustration, loses control, stating calm, staying calm, venting anger
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Thursday, September 18th, 2008
Though the case can be made that we are regressing intellectually, like it or not, people’s love for movies is not likely to lesson anytime soon.
Licensed psychologist Dr. Vicki Panaccione often suggests that parents have ongoing discussions with their children about the images they see and ideas they encounter while viewing movies.
Panaccione sometimes finds that the discussion of film can be a great ice-breaker in getting kids to talk about their fears.
“Movies, even children’s movies, deal with a lot of serious developmental issues,” she said.
As published in Florida Today.
© MMVI Vicki Panaccione, Ph.D.
Tags: development issues, discussion, fears, movies, therapy
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Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
Until recently, boys teasing girls in school was something that girls usually had to chalk up to experience. Complain and they often got a “boys will be boys” response.
But these days, as young girls become more attuned to their rights, chronic name calling, hair pulling, pinching and other forms of taunting are being perceived as sexual harassment.
Dr. Vicki Panaccione is a licensed psychologist in Melbourne who specializes in (working with) children, adolescents and parents. She said she is not comfortable with attributing sexual harassment to young children.
“I don’t think that 7-year-olds have the capacity to comprehend what they are doing as (sexual harassment). To use the term, you have to have sexual knowledge, and I don’t think young kids grasp that concept,” Panaccione said.
However, sexually harassing behaviors could show up in preadolescence and adolescent stages. Adults can play a key role in prevention by not contributing more powerful behavior to boys, Panaccione said.
“That is when we set up the expectations that boys can exploit girls and men can exploit women,” she said.
How boys are taught to respond to girls at a young age can determine whether they become sexual harassers. Teaching young children to look at males and females as equals is a good start, Panaccione said.
“You are not going to exploit those that you feel are equal to you. You are going to exploit those that you feel are not as good as yourself,” she said.
Times are changing though. Panaccione cites how the heroines in Disney’s animated movies are in more control of their own destinies.
“I think we are starting to teach girls that they are powerful, capable, confident,” she said. “We can teach girls how to be assertive and give those messages back rather than submit themselves to harassment.”
Dr. Vicki Panaccione offers these suggestions for preventing harassing behavior in children:
1) Ensure confidence in girls by telling them that they can do and be anything they want.
2) Encourage the same talents and attributes in both girls and boys.
3) Teach girls to be assertive and stand up for their rights if they are teased by boys.
4) Model respectful treatment and attitudes toward women and young girls.
5) Avoid teaching girls that they are weak, defenseless and need a male for protection.
6) Discourage boys from thinking girls are their subordinates.
7) Teach children the do’s and don’ts about invading the personal space of others.
 Counter images in the media of women as sex objects with positive reinforcement that male and females are equal. Also, expose children to female role models in powerful, successful and contributing positions.
9) Avoid teaching young boys that they are better than women.
As published in Florida Today.
© MMVI Vicki Panaccione, Ph.D.
Tags: adolescents and parents, assertive, children, equal, exploit, respectful, sexual harrassment, taunting, teasing
Posted in Child Development, Communication | Add a Comment »
Friday, February 11th, 2005
Well, it’s the middle of February, and I’m finally getting around to unloading the boxes so hastily packed before evacuating from the hurricane—OK, make that three hurricanes. Anyway, as I unpacked box after box, it struck me: the only things I thought to take were my most precious possessions…my memories. I’m sure you did the same. I packed scrapbooks, piles and piles of pictures I keep meaning to scrapbook, home movies, awards, and cherished preschool artwork. It really is amazing to realize when push comes to shove, how easy it is to leave most of our ‘stuff’ behind; the material possessions are just really not that important. It is the cherished moments we have captured in some way that matter most of all.
Glancing through the photos brought back all kinds of wonderful memories…. Like the time my son and I pet the giraffe before it was in vogue and were scolded by the zookeeper. Or the time that he ran down the soccer field pointing a crooked thumbs up toward us after he scored a goal. Or the times we walked along the beach collecting seashells, making sure to leave the live ones alone. There are so many wonderful memories….little things that mean a lot. And while some of these moments of long ago are times my son does not remember; I do. And they matter. They are special moments in time to cherish forever.
The middle of February can be an opportunity to create special memories, with the coming of Valentine’s Day. You know, the day set aside to receive chocolates, flowers and if you’re really lucky, jewelry. While gifts are nice, they are just ‘stuff.’ Just like the ‘stuff’ we so easily left behind when there was limited space in our cars, these gifts are usually not meaningful enough to create a lasting memory. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great to be pampered, and made to feel special and loved. I just don’t think we should have to set a day aside to remember to do this or, for that matter, just do this only one day out of the whole year. Nor do I think that ‘stuff’ is necessarily the only way to show our feelings. It is, however, a wonderful opportunity to reflect upon the special people in our lives and make sure our loving message is being conveyed throughout the year. This is true for spouses or significant others, family members, friends and especially our children.
On Valentine’s Day when my son was younger, I would put red food coloring in his milk, make heart shaped pancakes with red heart smiley faces, and stick Valentines and chocolate kisses in his lunch box. These little acts conveyed a great deal of love and his little grins and red-milk kisses were the memories that would last, for him and for me. And what could make us happier than a hand made heart-shaped card that read, “I luv u Mommy.”
But throughout the days and months, we tend to get busy; and expressions of love can get overshadowed by baths, homework, jobs and finances. We may forget to tell our loved ones how we feel, and more importantly, we may forget to show them. Remember it is the little things that create cherished moments and special memories.
When it becomes too embarrassing to get a Valentine from your mom, it’s time to find new ways to create those memories. Young children are easy; the older they become, the more difficult the task. In my mind, time and attention are two key ingredients for building special moments. Alone time with your child is very important. And for those of you with more than one child, it is particularly special to them to have you all to themselves. Setting aside time lets your child know that s/he is important to you; and no matter how busy you are, time together matters. One-on-one opportunities, just you and your child, can create a wonderful moment to capture in your heart. It could be a movie, dinner out, an ice cream cone or a walk on the beach. It could be throwing a ball, swinging at the playground, or baking cookies. The activity is not what’s important; the time together is what counts. And even now, whenever he comes home from college, having a chance to spend time alone with my son is still my greatest pleasure.
So, as Valentine’s Day approaches, be grateful for the special people in your life and set your mind to show them how much you care about them throughout the year.
I wish you love, happiness and opportunities to create new special moments to cherish forever.
As published in the Hometown News.
© MMVI Vicki Panaccione, Ph.D.
Tags: cherish, memories, scrapbooks, special memories, special moments, Valentines
Posted in Communication | Add a Comment »
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Internationally recognized as a passionate and dedicated parent/child specialist, child psychologist "Dr. Vicki” Panaccione has spent the last 25 years helping thousands of families strengthen what she calls the "CaringConnection", the emotional bond between parents and children.
“Dr. Vicki is the author of Discovering Your Child: Parent Guide, and CaringConnections, her weekly online newsletter, helping parents find joy and fulfillment in their relationships
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