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Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Parenting today: what matters to you?
The holidays are over, the kids are back in school and this mom is looking forward to a fresh start in 2011.
After taking a brief hiatus to travel with my family (that is a series of columns yet to come), I am hoping to not only write about the daily trials, tribulations, comical moments and surprises that come with being a mom of three, but to also address some issues and challenges parents are facing while raising children today.
Let’s be honest, things are different now - maybe even harder. Children are being introduced to things at a very young age and growing up way too fast (thank you, modern media).
While it may seem menial to some, I worry about the simplest of things, like: what age do you believe it is appropriate to allow girls to begin wearing make-up? (because if I so much as asked to wear mascara before I was 16, I was guaranteed the evil-eye and a lecture) to technical things like: what is an appropriate age to allow a child to have a cell phone and is texting a necessary feature?
So far, my 7-year-old has only asked for an iPod (and he’s still asking).
Bullying concerns me deeply. I was on the receiving end of a relentless bully and her clique when I was a child and it was … well, I didn’t like going to school much.
Children can be ruthless. I don’t want my children to suffer at the hand of another child or to think they can treat another child badly. So, how do we protect our kids from being bullied and convince them that is it safe to tell a parent or teacher what is happening?
Since I now spend most of my days as a “home manager” I wonder about the cleaning products I am using in my home (and wonder why I never thought to research cleaning chemicals before). If it kills germs, it’s a good product … right? Apparently not.
How do we protect our children from daily toxins? Is feeding them the “Clean 15” and avoiding the “Dirty Dozen” really better for their health?
These topics are just the tip of the iceberg. I want to know what concerns you about raising kids today.
Do you have helpful tips for other parents? Recommendations for kid-friendly destinations or activities? Maybe you know a mom or dad who is going above and beyond for their child or community?
If so, please contact me at the email address below and I’ll take it into consideration for a column topic.
Thanks and happy parenting to you in 2011!
Email this contributing writer at Motherhoodcolumn@yahoo.com.
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