Author: Thoughtful Parenting

Losing It: Those Lovely Family Moments

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The second in a series of Mindful Parenting posts by Bidi McSorley, MD, beloved Philadelphia pediatrician:

You know those moments – the ones where your child loses it, has a tantrum, and you react and lose “it” too. Afterwards, you seriously question why you wanted to be a parent. These are the times when it’s very difficult to stay present in the moment with your child. It is so hard to react not with anger, but with equanimity. These are the moments when it is difficult to catch yourself, take a breath, and stay calm.

A short explanation of neuroscience will help us understand what happens in these moments. Continue reading →

NYT Article on Temperament

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Grandmothers and mothers with more than one child have always known that babies come into the world with their own personalities. But first time parents often suffer, wondering if it’s their fault that their baby cries easily, or seems too sensitive, or is slow to walk, or…

See the recent New York Times article below for more on the importance of temperament in understanding your baby:

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2016/03/14/some-babies-are-just-easier-than-others/?referer=

 

 

Tree Change Dolls

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tree change dolls

Sonia Singh is an artist living in Tasmania and giving new life to discarded dolls. From her Etsy shop:

“My sisters and I grew up playing with second-hand dolls and home-made toys in the beautiful Tasmanian natural environment. I love the satisfaction of repairing and reusing discarded items to give them a new lease on life.

My Tree Change Dolls™ have been rescued and rehabilitated from op-shops and tip shops around Tasmania. These little fashion dolls have opted for a change of lifestyle, swapping high-maintenance glamour for down-to-earth style.

I hand repaint the dolls faces, mold new shoes, and my Mum sews and knits their clothing.”

There’s a lot to love about this project! For a closer look at Sonia and her work, check out this video:

A Valentine’s Day Treat

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imageHappy Valentines Day everyone!

Here’s a fun treat to make with your little Valentines: delicious, healthy-ish and easy!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

You will need:

Part of 1 bag chocolate chips, flavor of your choice
Fresh strawberries, washed and dried
Pound cake or other fruit – optional

1. Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips in the microwave or on the stove top in a double boiler
2. Place melted chocolate in a child friendly bowl.
3. When it is not so hot that it will burn small fingers, have your children dip strawberries – or small pieces of pound cake into the chocolate. Try to dip in just half of the strawberry or cake….but chocolate fingers are part of the fun…
4. Place dipped fruit or cake on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes – if anyone can wait that long to try these yummy treats!

Mindful Parenting

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Bidi McSorley, M.D. is a wonderful pediatrician and teacher of mindfulness for parents in the Philadelphia area. Dr. McSorley has been a pediatrician for 30 years, a meditator for over 10 years, and an instructor for the Penn Program for Mindfulness. She has kindly agreed to be our guest blogger this month!

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Mindfulness is the awareness that arises from paying attention in the present moment, on purpose and without judgments. It is being with whatever is (good or bad, desired or not wanted), and not pushing the experience away or holding onto it. It is having equanimity.

So, how does this apply to being a parent? Continue reading →

#HellNoBarbie Campaign

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We’ve been following the debate about Hello Barbie since we first wrote about the doll’s debut. Last week, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood launched a petition and #HellNoBarbie social media campaign to voice concerns about the threat to children’s privacy. For more information about how children’s conversations with the doll will be stored and analyzed, check out this article from NBC News. If you’d like to read more about CCFC’s campaign and petition, click here.

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Gun Violence in Schools

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Dr. Corinne Masur

This week Philadelphia got the double whammy.  On Sunday, an e-mail alert went around to staff of local colleges and universities. A message had been posted on social media threatening an act of violence on an undisclosed college campus in the Philadelphia area on Monday morning.  Tuesday, a gunman was reported to be on the campus of Philadelphia Community College and the campus was put into lockdown. Masterman, a public magnet school for junior high and high school students across the street and Friends Select School, a Quaker k-12 school in the neighborhood also went into lockdown.

My son attends Friends Select.  As I was leaving for work that morning, I received a recorded message on my cell phone saying that due to the presence of a gunman at the Community College, Friends Select faculty, staff, and students were locked in the school until further notice.

I was shocked.  I was frightened.  But more than anything, I was angry. Continue reading →

Support Group for Philly-Area Parents of Picky Eaters

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Picky Eater FlyerKnow a family struggling with their picky eater?

Milestones Psychology and Wellness is offering an 8 week support group for parents who have picky or restrictive eaters. The group will be run by a feeding specialist and will be a place for families to share ideas and explore emotions around meal times and feeding.

The first group session begins on Wednesday October 14th from 7-8:15 PM. Contact Dr. Margot Burke for more information: drmargotburke@gmail.com