Tips of the Month — Families

Morgan is at home, typing an email for work, when all of a sudden she starts to shake. She feels heat rising up through her body, and before she knows it, her heart is racing, she feels pain in her chest, and she breaks into a sweat. “Am I dying?,” she asks herself as she starts panicking and debates going to the emergency room.

In honor of Women’s History Month, let us briefly ponder the extraordinary history of womanhood. Transcending centuries and generations, women have continued to face infinite obstacles and prejudices, with women of color experiencing a disproportionate amount of discrimination and limitations as it relates to fair and equal rights. 

Ask women what core value they recall their families emphasizing as they were growing up. A majority are likely to say: be nice. It’s a message especially conveyed to girls. What does it mean to be nice? Children easily understand it to mean, Don’t make others uncomfortable by asserting yourself — your needs, thoughts, and feelings; people might not like what they hear.   Be nice shapes girls to be people-pleasers. 

If the thought of adolescence is enough to turn your stomach, here's something to chew on: eating meals with your teenager may enhance his or her well-being.  Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that the more often adolescents ate with their families, the less likely they were to perform poorly at school, feel depressed or suicidal, and use tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana.  

Here’s an easy way to boost your child’s emotional intelligence (EQ): teach them about the loss-sadness connection. 

Classes are resuming this time of year, and so are... mistakes.  Mistakes? 

“Our ability to hurt each other is enormous, but nowhere is it more powerful than in families, so nowhere are apologies more frequently needed — and resisted."1 

 Scrolling through social media takes up a significant amount of time in the lives of our tweens and teens — whether we like it or not. While conversations with our sons and daughters about some of the ill effects of social media have never been more important (see Toxic Comparisons), talking about online risks and safety should be part of your family chats.