Parental Elasticity and other links

Some interesting reads I've recently come across:

1. Are you an elastic parent? The writer's son has recently left on an around-the-world trip with his grandma, prompting the mother to reflect on the need for parents to push their own boundaries as well as their kids'.

2. The Real Problem with Helicopter Parents - This author is a member of the Cato Institute, so, you know ... read it with your libertarian glasses on, I guess? And while I think there's some conflation of correlation and causation going on here, I do think the race/class perspective is sorely lacking in the vast majority of what gets published on parenting in general and helicopter parenting in particular. So this essay is a good reminder that not everyone is parenting in the same cultural context, and what's problematic in one socioeconomic stratum isn't necessarily problematic in another.

3. Laurie Berkner on balancing work and motherhood - we LOVE Laurie Berkner in our family, so it's nice to see her tackling a more adult topic than she usually deals with.

Have a good week!

Link Dump

Here are some interesting links I found in the last week:

1. Pink is awesome.

2. This Scottish researcher thinks that "Strong Silence," a new kind of quiet time, is the key to improved behavior, focus and concentration in schools:

‘Weak silence’ has been used in the classroom for a long time, but traditionally this weak form harnesses silence as an oppressive tool, whereby children are punished or controlled through the process of enforced noise cessation.”
Instead, she advocates techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, pausing, silent reading, silent moments, and quiet spaces.
She claims new “quiet rooms” could be seen in schools in the next five to ten years and it is even possible the same principles could be applied in prisons to try and calm inmates and young offenders.

3. Laughing at Chaos shares some thoughts on parental self-care. This one really resonated with me, because you hear all the time about the importance of self-care, but nobody tells you how to do it or where it's supposed to fit on your schedule. This writer includes a good list of self-care practices, but does it with a sense of humor:

“You can’t pour from an empty cup.” “Adjust your air mask before helping others.” It is easy to tell a parent that she must care for herself first, but insanely difficult to be that parent when you know what you’re up against. I was doing so well caring for myself, and then we moved. And then school got ugly for A. And then I homeschooled. And then my husband took a new job. And then the stress of the previous three years plus a bunch of other crap smothered me like old laundry until I saw my breaking point (it was ugly and scary), and I finally saw my doctor to ask for help (family, please do not call, I am fine). I’ve had insanely low blood pressure my whole life; seeing numbers that are technically pre-hypertension was not good for my mind.

More Sleep Info

Here are a few more links on sleep that might be useful. Also be sure to check out the links list on the left - it's got links to all the stuff we read for class, plus more. Email me if you have additions!

NurtureShock blog: How Much Sleep Does My Child Actually Need?

NurtureShock blog: Naps and Other Make-Up Sleep

Sleep Training: It's All Good

I thought this was a heartening - and unusual - finding: according to a recent study published in Pediatrics, your kids will be just fine if you sleep train them. And they will also be fine if you don't. This summary also includes a lot of other useful links (actually, his whole blog is a great resource for sleep issues). Check it out and let me know what you think!