Tag: good parenting

Think summer is meant for goofing off, TV and computers? Not so for the Obama girls. No TV or computers during the day! During their 2 months off from school, Malia and Sasha are treated to Camp Obama – carefully planned fun interspersed with history lessons, healthy eating, exercise and volunteering.

In a recent article in the New York Times, President Obama and Michelle’s parenting style of using the world as a classroom was highlighted, emphasizing structure and discipline. Yes, the girls have gone on some fantastic trips with their parents – like Paris and Rome – but along the way they have been taught many a lesson by their parents.

My personal favorite lesson was brought home when the girls went to Ghana where they discussed the slave trade. Not only did they engage in imaginative play about being snatched away from Mom and Dad (a horrible thought) but they also talked about being the slave merchant – discussing the importance of treating people fairly and how their behavior affects others. I love the idea of bringing history alive and applying it to teaching our children life lessons.

No matter what side of the aisle you sit on politically, I think a report like the one in the New York Times is a great reminder to all of us parents to look to the world around us as a classroom.

photo credit: Wikimedia

Does the order in which your child was born affect their personality and achievements? Despite numerous studies on birth order, there is no consensus from the experts on this. However, a new survey shows that mothers think birth order matters, which may, in effect, perpetuate the stereotypes.

According to the survey of 9,326 mothers by Netmums, a U.K. parenting group, mothers are concerned that they innately treat their children differently depending on their birth order, which may in turn effect that child’s personality and outcomes in life.

Moms think the oldest child will do well in school, but may be more likely to be anxious and depressed. The youngest child is viewed as the one most likely to be happiest.

Interestingly, the study discovered that women who were oldest children themselves were more likely to become demanding mothers. In contrast, moms who were middle children tend to be more laid back in their parenting while those who were youngest children are more likely to heap praise on their kids.

So what should you take away from this study? Try monitoring yourself to make sure you’re not treating your children stereotypically. Are you placing too much responsibility on your oldest child? Are you treating the youngest like a baby? Are you ignoring the middle child altogether?

As parents with little time to step back and reflect on how we’re parenting, this can be a difficult task. But I know from experience that taking a few minutes every so often to get some perspective on how we treat our kids makes me a better parent (hopefully!).

To read the full Netmums report, click here.

photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt