If you want to stay up-to-date on parenting issues, from kid-ceilings to imaginary friends and empty nest, or problems that affect family size, costs of raising children, or stereotypes linked to only children and much more, you’ll want to read Susan Newman’s Psychology Today blog. Below are a few examples of what you’ll find. There’s a new post every week to ten days. When visiting, sign up for the "Stay Updated" feed so you don’t miss any posts.
One Attack Missing in the Assault on Tiger
I'm shocked that no one has pounced on the fact that Tiger Woods is the only child of his parents' marriage. He has two half-brothers, but to my knowledge (please correct me if I'm wrong) their being roughly 20 years older, they had little involvement with or influence on Tiger.
In the months of media frenzy over Tiger's transgressions, commentators, ...
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Mothers With One Child Are Happiest
Having an only child is desirable from a wide range of viewpoints and practicalities, but that doesn't make decisions about family size any easier. Going from one child to two (or two to three or more) is a dilemma single parents and couples wrestle with, sometimes for years.
The mother of a three-year-old child talked to me about whether or not she really wants ...
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Mom and Dad Love(d) Me Best. Are You Sure?
Although their messages are laced with humor and both daughters are married with children of their own, being the favored child remains front and center. As a parent, I made a huge effort not to show partiality. A somewhat futile effort: No matter how hard a parent works at equality, children have their own perceptions. You can say, "I treated you all the same," but in reality, it is impossible. They are different ages, have different needs, and exhibit unique personalities that call for, at ...
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Everybody Wins When Children Play Less
In his post, Stop That Runaway Train!, Jim Taylor, writes to parents, "Your challenge is to recognize how this runaway train called family life is hurting your family." His advice is well-founded and helpful. There's one important message I want to add: The real risk of injury and burnout to child and adolescent athletes is far more prevalent than most realize, and...
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"What's the last thing people want in a recession? More kids, apparently."
Asked and answered in a Time magazine article earlier this year, "What Sells in a Recession: Canned Goods and Condoms." Of course, this doesn't apply to the Duggars.
They had...
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Who is the Most Violent Person in Your Family?
You may be surprised.
Last week twenty-year-old Jim told his mother that he has always been leery of his younger, but larger brother, Andrew. Jim's cautiousness around Andrew dates back to the time Andrew shoved him off a dump truck breaking both of Jim's wrists. The boys were six and five-years-old. The brothers have rarely seen eye-to-eye and as young...
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