Healthy Parenting and Healthy Children
I regard (parenting) as the hardest, most complicated, anxiety-ridden, sweat-and-blood-producing job in the world. Succeeding requires the ultimate in patience, common sense, commitment, humor, tact, love, wisdom, awareness, and knowledge. At the same time, it holds the possibility for the most rewarding, joyous experience of a lifetime, namely, that of being successful guides to a new and unique human being.
Virginia Satir
The New Peoplemaking, 1988
No matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventually produce bizarre behavior, and I’m not talking about the kids.
Bill Cosby
Fatherhood, 1986
Many writers have likened the creative process to parenting, and I can certainly understand the parallel. Sometimes my characters feel very much like willful children who won’t cooperate! But a parent’s frustration and worry when he or she doesn’t know what to do with a difficult child is exponentially greater than what a writer encounters.
My work with parents and children is very important to me. I find it challenging and rewarding to help families learn new and healthy ways to cope with their problems. Parenting is one of the most important responsibilities a person can take on—a responsibility with which we can all use a little extra help from time to time.
I’m happy to say that many excellent resources exist to provide parents support and information. The sites below are a few that I think are particularly good ones. They offer answers to some common parenting and child development questions. I hope you find them useful.