Parenting can be tough these days given how far technology has come, but is it really so different than it was a generation ago? To see if they can answer this question, the mother-daughter pair of Anne-France Goldwater and Samantha Goldwater-Adler sat down to discuss motherhood. The two share tips and tricks, and maybe a few tears, as they look at how parenting has evolved between the time of Samantha’s birth, and the birth of her own children.
The two each had some key pieces of advice for parents: For Samantha, she suggests getting down to the level of your children. “It never ceases to amaze me how much just empathizing with our kids tends to help them ride through a lot of the difficulties, and hence tends to minimize a lot of the conflict,” she said. “Saying ‘I know that’s tough,’ or ‘I know that’s frustrating.’ and really mean it.”
Anne-France, meanwhile, has a straightforward suggestion. “Mine is simpler: sit down have supper with your children and talk with them, not at them,” she said. “Know who your child’s friends are, what your child’s interests are. And let your child learn who you are, and you’re thinking about, and what’s on your mind.”
Further Reading:
Samantha Goldwater-Adler: No-Drama Discipline by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson — She said the book is especially good for parents with young children. “It has a really nice way of explaining what state our kids are in, and giving a nice model for being able to handle their ups and downs,” she said.
Anne-France Goldwater: The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller — “It was quite the seminal book in sensitizing me to the subtle ways we dimish and undermine out children,” Anne-France said. She does have one caveat, however, you can’t shelter your children from everything. “You’ve got to start [with the book]. And then, after that, figure out how to find that reasonable balance between supportiveness and not undermining your child, and at the same time having your child suffer a few bumps and knocks along the way.”
Daniel Goldwater was on vacation this episode, and will return for the next edition.
PHOTO CREDIT: Nathan Rupert/flickr