What We Were Never Taught: Relationships, Marriage & Family — From Parenting Doctors

Happiness is a choice.  What about health?  Absolutely, research shows there is a correlation between poor health and unhappiness.  However, I show an example of a man I met recently with a lot of physical problems but still maintained that happiness is a choice.  

Check out this week's parenting podcast on how happiness is a choice.

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

There are so many lessons to learn from Mr. Rogers.  This movie is outstanding and I recommend it for all families.  There is so much to talk about.  While the late Mr. Rogers was no saint (as pointed out by his wife), he has left us with so many life lessons.  

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

We need strategies to diffuse tantrums.  I provide a number of acronyms that can help give us tools and perspective to maintain poise in the middle of chaos, noncompliance, defiance, tantrums, anger, and refusals to name a few of the emotional reactions and teen behavior.  

Maintain your poise parents!  

Love with all you've got despite the hormones and emotionality.

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

Have you ever taken the time to reflect on your failures?  Have you ever taken the time to go down the road of your life and identify failures at different times in your life.  

I know, in my life, I have failed often.  I failed during an important spelling contest when I was young.  I failed trying out for my eighth grade baseball team.  My dream of playing college basketball was crushed with two failures.  I failed in two personal relationships in college.  I failed at different aspects of my career.  I laugh talking to colleagues about a study I worked on for two years and received rejections from four different journals with the fourth journal editor writing me that this "paper has nothing to offer to the field."  That my friends, is a beautiful failure.  If you are going to fail, go down like that my friends!   

More recently, I have experienced significant personal failure.  I have realized that as I long as I breathe, the failures will continue to come.  In this social media obsessed digital world where it's all about putting our best foot forward, this exercise will cleanse you from the personal marketing gunk that can stick on you.  Let's get real!  We all fail.  One of the best gifts we can give our children is an honest reflection on our failures and an explanation of how we didn't let that stop us from getting back up and moving forward.    

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

Are parents more happy?  Put another way, is parenting a happy endeavor?  Certainly, parents experience less pleasurable moments.  Parents are inconvenienced more.  

But parents experience more meaning.  Check out this week's parenting podcast on happiness and parenting. 

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

On this week's parenting doctors show, our parenting doctors podcast is an interview with Dr. Patricia Price.  She is an expert on eating disorders.  She provides some of the keys that parents can be aware of related to disordered eating, treatment, family changes, and nutrition.  Dr. Price is a Parenting Doctor and renown for the treatment of eating disorders.  She is author of No More Screen Time.  Check out this book at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/More-Screen-Time-Patti-Price/dp/1504918606

For More information on Dr. Price, treatment in Minnesota on eating disorders, or for follow up questions, she can be reached at www.drpatriciaprice.com 

A huge thank you to Dr. Price for joining us on today's show.  

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

Today's parenting podcast is more of a reflection podcast.  What is your parenting style?  It is helpful to take a step back, push pause, and take perspective on our type of parenting.  What is your parenting style?  

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

During and after divorces, secure parents don’t take anything personally.  Kids are allowed to express their preferences.  Parents validate feelings, encourage expressions, and provide a two-step process to help kids navigate the difficult changes. 

• What is your motivation?

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

Have you ever dealt with tremendous negativity?  Have you ever been cursed with the most vile hate and nastiness?  Have you been told how toxic you are and repeatedly had negativity and nasty statements said about you over and over and over again?  

Friends, this is the kind of the thing that young people will face via cyberbullying, nastiness at school, or the junk at home.  We need to prepare young people not only for the emotions (grief, sadness) but for the messages.  We can help them overcome, overlook, and defeat so that they can stand on their firm foundation without wavering from who they are. 

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20

Families establish token economies with reward charts, star charts, and a system of rewarding desired behaviors.  These reward systems can provide structure and consistency.  Some issues to consider at home life include the value of encouraging personal responsibility (i.e. rewarding all work takes away from the value of being a family contributor), the problem of using affection as a reward, and the problem of undermining intrinsic motivation when parents reward interests.

See Dr. Dan’s new book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1935576062/?tag=medrounpublic-20