So far, Dr. Fran has answered questions about selecting a preschool, adolescent emotions, and toddler interactions on the Ask Dr. Fran page.
Do you have questions about parenting? Send them to:
AskDrFran@gmail.com
Author: Thoughtful Parenting
Constructing Play Exhibit
This winter, we’re excited to check out the Constructing Play exhibit at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture. Kids and adults can learn about the development of children’s building toys, engage in individual and group play, and participate in creative workshops led by local architects. If you go, let us know what you think!
Life Lessons from Legos
Dr. Fran Martin
I have always been a fan of children’s movies. This likely started when I was first taken to see Disney movies as a child. These were VERY special occasions for me – a real treat. Back then, they were only released every seven years which definitely heightened the excitement of seeing each new or old one. My personal favorite was Lady and the Tramp, a quintessential love story (in my mind/memory anyway). I loved taking my own children to animated films as well – all time favorites included Aladdin, Little Mermaid, An American Tail (with Feivel Mousekowitz) and The Incredibles. Continue reading
Holiday Gift Giving
Dr. Corinne Masur
When it comes to the holidays do we just go on auto pilot? Do what our own families did? Or do we try to think about what kind of holiday we want to provide for our children?
Parents often struggle over when to start giving gifts to their children and how to do so in a thoughtful way. Their own early experiences often influence what they want for their children at the holidays – whether this means following the traditions of their own families – or doing the opposite. Continue reading
Ask Dr. Fran
Check out our first Q&A on the Ask Dr. Fran page!
Submit your questions to AskDrFran@gmail.com and stay tuned for more thoughtful responses to your parenting questions.
Competent Children
Dr. Corinne Masur
This post will probably alienate everyone.
But here I go:
There seems to be an epidemic going on amongst middle and upper middle class parents – it involves not just hovering and helicoptering but also downright coddling and intruding. Children from 2 to 32 are being treated as incompetent people who can never do the simplest things – things their own parents – and certainly their grandparents did. Continue reading
New Mothering
Dr. Corinne Masur
A couple weeks after the birth of her first baby, one of the women in our mother-infant group came and in and immediately started to cry. “No one told me it would be so hard,” she said. The other women looked on, slightly horrified, as they were all still pregnant. And it was true. No one talks about how hard the transition is from non-mom to new mom. No one talks about the complete loss of autonomy, the feeling of being controlled by your baby, the dramatic change in the relationship with your partner, the extreme vulnerability you feel, how everything hurts your feelings and makes you cry, how hungry you feel for support and how you feel like YOU need nurturing while, in the mean time, you are expected to nurture your baby. Continue reading
Hyperactive Toddlers!?@#@#!!!!??? ADHD Unmasked
Dr. Corinne Masur
In 2011 more than 10,000 2- and 3-year-olds were taking medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
But how do you tell if a toddler has ADHD?
All parents worry about their children. And when they have very active children, these days they worry about whether their children may be “hyperactive.” But what IS hyperactivity and what is “normally” active when you talk about a two or three year old? Continue reading
Now for the Really Hard Subject: How Do We Talk to Children about Death?
Dr. Corinne Masur
Just before Halloween a mother came to our parent group with the disturbing news that a mom in her neighborhood had been killed in an automobile accident. After telling her 5 year old daughter about this, her daughter asked, “Can we still have Halloween? Aren’t we supposed to be sad?” Continue reading
The Battle Is On: E-Readers vs. Books
Dr. Corinne Masur
The New York Times reports that parents are increasingly using e-readers to read to their small children. While the American Academy of Pediatrics has advised that children under 2 use no screens at all, parents evidently feel that reading off a Kindle is different.
But is it? Continue reading
Thoughtful Parenting 