Raising Terrific Kids in Terrifying Times

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Are you looking for practical strategies to help your kids face the challenges of a scary world? Join us for a conversation with Melinda Wenner Moyer. She is an author, contributing editor at Scientific American, a regular contributor to The New York Times, and a former faculty member at New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Her new book is titled Hello, Cruel World: Science-Based Strategies for Raising Terrific Kids in Terrifying Times.

In this episode we discuss:

Why is raising kids in today’s world is so challenging and potentially terrifying for parents.

What are the fears kids are feeling in today’s culture?

What are some of the clues parents and caregivers should look for to tell us our kids might be struggling with fear or anxiety?

How does a parent or caregiver’s fear impact our ability to raise our kids in what feels like a terrifying world?

How do we balance protecting our kids from the world with equipping them to handle the hard things about today’s world?

• When and how do we start “lifting the shield”?

The book’s framework for raising kids in these challenging times includes these three pillars: coping mechanisms, connection techniques, and cultivation practices.

• Coping Mechanisms
  • How to manage anxiety and fear.
  • Self-regulation
  • Emotional literacy
  • Examples of coping strategies for one or two ages
• Connection Techniques
  • Parent-child attachment as a protective factor
  • Importance of being emotionally available and validating
  • Routines, rituals, and conversations that build trust
  • Examples of fun and playful connection techniques
• Cultivation Practices
  • How to practice optimism, gratitude, curiosity, and moral reasoning
  • Encouraging healthy risk-taking and autonomy
  • Examples for how we parents can model ethical and resilient behavior

What additional or special considerations for those of us raising kids impacted by trauma? How can we adapt some of these strategies?

Examples of how a parent’s approach should evolve as their child grows in age or ability by age/stage:

• Infants & Toddlers (0–3)
• Preschool (3–5)
• Elementary (6–11)
• Tweens & Teens (12–18)

Resources for Parents & Caregivers:

• Practical Tips to Help Your Kids Manage Stress
• Practical Ideas to Boost Your Child’s Social-Emotional Learning

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