Contact Us
Visit The Character Effect website
The
Character
Effect
Visit The PCX website
PCX
App Coming Soon!

Beech Acres

Go to the home page
Click for information about our recent cyber security incident.
Facebook Linkedin Instagram
Click for information about our recent cyber security incident.

Parent Connext™

Parent Connext™, Parenting, Parenting Tips

But I’M BORED!

/

“BUT I’M SO BORED! I have nothing to do!” Here’s what you can do when you hear that dreaded statement… Invariably your children are going to get bored. Boredom can strike at any time and anywhere. It’s not even August yet, and your kids may be coming to you to let you know they have “nothing to do.” This can happen despite the ready availability of toys, video games, smartphones, and all of outside. Do you feel like a cruise ship director for your children and family? Do you constantly feel like you have to fill their time with activities and fun? It is exhausting trying to entertain our kids, but the good news is… you DON’T have to. Lean In To Their Strength Of Creativity Kids learn about creativity and imagination through boredom! It may be painful at first hearing the whines about how bored your child is, or how there is absolutely nothing to do (in a house full of things to do). If you can step into the discomfort as a parent and avoid the need to fix, it can allow your child’s strength of creativity to shine. First, empathize with their boredom, “You are sooo bored and have no idea what to do! It’s hard not having any plans.”  Next, step out of being the cruise director and encourage your child to take the lead, “Sounds like you want me to find something for you to do, but I’m confident you can figure out something that you are interested in”, “I’m happy to provide options of things to do, but I know you can use your strength of creativity to figure something out.” If they keep coming to you, then you can provide choices, “You can play Legos or help me clean the kitchen?”  Boredom doens’t have to ruin their summer, or yours. Focus on their stregths, take a breath, and if you need more help schedule a coaching session with one of our parenting experts.

Parent Connext™

Introducing Parent Connext® Problem Solving Packages

/

Parenting is challenging…like really challenging. From potty training to phones, it’s not getting any easier. Parent Connext® from Beech Acres Parenting Center works with you to find a parenting path that works for your family. The Challenge Children face more complex issues today than at any other time in history. Depression. Bullying. Social media. School shootings. Peer pressure. And parents are struggling to keep up.   The Solution Introducing Parent Connext® Problem Solving Packages! Each $150 package includes a 45-minute virtual individual session with an experienced Child Development Expert, plus additional materials & tools to use immediately. Problem-solving package options are: Minimizing Screentime Battles, Big Emotions, Big Behaviors, Co-Parenting Through & Beyond Divorce, Supporting Your Child with ADHD, and Sleeping Through the Night… please! Where Do I Begin? Ready to get started? Fill out this form, indicate which package you are interested in, and someone will reach out to you to schedule your coaching session. About Parent Connext®? Parent Connext®’s goal is to connect families to resources plus provide one clear next step for their parenting journey. Our Child Development experts have worked with thousands of parents on various challenges. Why google when our specialists can help you strengthen your relationship with your child in just three sessions with compassionate, judgment-free ideas grounded in science.

Photo of a parent's hands over their child's hands as they help them cut cookie shapes out of cookie dough on a floured table
Natural Strength Parenting™, Parent Connext™, Strengths

Use Your Strengths to Navigate the Stressful Holiday Season

/

Many families feel stressed around the holidays. There are additional expenses, commitments, and expectations. Many of us have very specific expectations of ourselves and others that are difficult to fulfill and may even be conflicting. The season can be hard for children, especially very young children, or those with sensory and attention issues. Seasonal decorations may be overstimulating, and changes in routines of eating and sleeping can be disruptive. Perseverance One way your family can cope with seasonal struggles is to plan some quiet activities that all family members can participate in. Some families enjoy crafts or cooking. These can be terrific as long as they focus on the process rather than the finished product. It’s also important to understand what children are capable of at their developmental level, so the adults have realistic expectations. For example, baking cookies as a family is a beloved traditional holiday activity. Children of all ages love to help bake! Even the youngest kids can help organize, measure, and stir ingredients. They may not have the ability to roll dough out or use cookie cutters to make shapes. They may also lack the attention span to complete this task. However, they might be able to roll some dough into a ball and place those on the cookie sheet. By carefully considering the abilities of your children and matching your recipe to those, baking cookies can be a family-friendly activity that will create fond memories for everyone. Creativity There are a variety of craft kits available for the holidays to create special ornaments and decorations. These are good activities for older children. You can find these kits at craft stores such as Michaels or JOANN. Make decorations for your use around your own house or make gifts for family, friends, and neighbors. Fun tip: Using a cookie cutter on a potato makes a fun “stamp” to use with tempera paint and decorate plain gift bags with stars, bells, drills, or other seasonal figures. Save money by checking Pinterest or other craft sites for ideas that match your children’s interests, strengths, and abilities. Kindness Many families want to focus on giving rather than receiving during the holidays. A simple way to do this is with a Kindness Chain activity. Cut strips of colorful paper and keep them in a basket with a glue stick or stapler. Every day, ask each family member to think of an act of kindness they did. Have them write it on a strip and then make it a loop with glue or staples and attach to their chain. Each family member can have their own individual chain or maintain one chain for the family with each person having their own color paper. This activity is not a competition, the links are to represent the acts of kindness. The activity works even better when linked to your family values. At the end of every week, take some time to reflect on how the chain has grown. Be sure to ask if anyone wants to share a kindness given or received from a family member, and how it helped them.

Photo of a mother opening a present with a surprised look on her face as her husband and two kids smile and cheer
Holidays, Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips, Parents

December is National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month

/

December is National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month December is National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month. Yeah, right. A stress-free family holiday may sound like a fantasy. In fact, for many families, the additional stress of the holidays can feel overwhelming. We can help your family navigate this unusually stressful time. Set An Intention to Have a Stress-Free Holiday Season Setting intentions helps you manifest what you want to accomplish. By simply agreeing as a family to work towards a stress-free holiday season, you’ve already changed your family’s mindset and decreased your chances of becoming overwhelmed. Use Your Strengths to Navigate the Stressful Holiday Season Start by using your family’s strengths to help you navigate the busy holiday season. Leaning into your family’s strengths can help mitigate stress. Perseverance, Creativity, and Kindness can help you unlock a stress-free holiday. Find something for the whole family to do together. Bake some holiday treats. Find and complete a holiday-themed craft or puzzle. Sign our Kindness pledge and start spreading kindness in your family, your community, and the world. Practice Mindfulness Practicing mindfulness is a proven way to reduce stress. Mindfulness can be implemented in easy ways. Subscribe to our YouTube page and watch our short mindful minute videos. These brief exercises can help calm your mind and your body and help you release stress during the busy holiday season. The holidays can be stressful. But by setting intentions, leveraging your family’s strengths, and practicing mindfulness, your family can survive the busy holiday season and maybe even have a little fun. Need more support this year? Contact us today to schedule a parent coaching session with one of our Parent Connext® Parenting Specialists.

Graphic of a family sitting together on a couch with text that says "November is National Gratitude Month! How Can You Celebrate Gratitude With Your Family? More on our blog..."
Gratitude, Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips, Parents

November Is National Gratitude Month!

/

A child’s gratitude naturally grows from a loving, mindful connection to their parents. When you listen and actively engage with your kids, you are planting the seeds of gratitude. The message is that they matter and that you are grateful for the love and time that you share. What is Gratitude?  Gratitude, as an individual character strength, is defined as “I appreciate the good things that happen to me.” Appreciating the good things that happen to you, both big and small, can have an exponentially positive effect on your mood and your life. How can you celebrate Gratitude with your family? Begin by modeling Gratitude. Your children are always watching you and, more importantly, looking up to you. The things you do and say will impact them and influence how they behave. An easy way to model gratitude in your daily routine is to tell your kids “Thank you” any time they cooperate or do something you ask them to. Really reinforce this by thanking them if they do something without being told.  Next, notice any time your child expresses gratitude. When a child says “thank you,” they are expressing their gratitude. Whether they are saying it in response to a gift, a hug, or picking them up from basketball practice-make, note of this. Try saying, “I love what a grateful spirit you have,” or, “thanks so much for always remembering to say thank you.” It will make a difference. You may even hear them say thank you more often! Wouldn’t that be nice? Show gratitude for who they are as a unique individual and all of the wonderful strengths and personality traits they exhibit.  Focus on what they are doing right much more than what they are doing wrong. Make gratitude part of your family’s routine. This can be daily, monthly or annually. An easy way to do this daily is to have everyone share one thing they are grateful for at dinnertime. Too busy to have dinner together? We get it. Set an intention to find time each day to share what you are grateful for. From breakfast to bedtime, there’s always time for a moment of gratitude. You can further integrate gratitude into your family by planning a day each month to volunteer for a cause that is important to your family. Helping others deepens your feeling of gratitude as it makes you more grateful for the things you do have. Go even further with a big annual gesture; run a 5k as a family that supports a cause you love, volunteer at a food bank during the holidays, find something BIG to give back to the community. What If My Child Struggles To Express Gratitude? When children seem ungrateful, it is most important to get curious about the need and feeling underneath their behavior. Addressing the root cause of their feelings compassionately will usually resolve the issue.  Need more help? Schedule a parent coaching session today!

Orange graphic with a black and white photo of a mom and dad with their daughter in a pumpkin patch with a text box beside it that says Happy Halloween
Parent Connext™

Parenting Does Not Have To Be So Scary

/

Happy Halloween! At Beech Acres Parenting Center, we understand that being a parent in the workforce can be scary. Children face more complex issues today than at any other time in history. Depression. Bullying. Social media. School shootings. Peer pressure. And parents are struggling to keep up with all that and their boss’ requests. But parenting doesn’t have to be so scary. Our Parenting Specialists are uniquely equipped to provide expert support for these challenges and more with prompt, practical advice based in Natural Strength Parenting™. We can even help your business provide Parent Connext® as a unique benefit for your employees who are parents.

Photo of a woman looking down at the person on video chat on her laptop screen
Parent Connext™

Parent Connext From Beech Acres Parenting Center: Connecting Parents To Resources And Providing One Clear Next Step

/

Parent Connext® from Beech Acres Parenting Center connects parents to tools and resources and provides one clear next step on their parenting journey. The Problem In our 2016 study, 58% of parents reported parenting was VERY or EXTREMELY challenging. Yet parents often don’t know where to turn for help. Often parents turn to their trusted pediatricians, who may be able to share their own personal experience but are not typically formally trained in parenting. Today’s parenting challenges are more complex than what their parents faced. Our Solution Started in 2016, but based on 170 years of offering support & services to families, the Parent Connext® team offers resources from blogs to family activities to mini-classes delivered via text. But if the self-paced content is not enough, a parenting coach can be connected with a family within 48 hours, and after just 3 sessions, parents have reported an improvement with (1) parent/ child relationship, (2) self-care, (3) self-confidence as a parent, and (4) self-satisfaction. What Services Are Offered? • Individual sessions for families with a parent coach• Parenting: A to Zoom Lunch ‘n Learns• Curated Content Want to learn more? Download more information here or call 5132316630 today to see how Parent Connext® can make a difference with your family.

Orange graphic with an image of a little girl hiding her face with bullies standing behind her with a text box with information about bullying
Bullying, Cyberbullying, Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips

Information on Bullying From Parent Connext

/

Bullying is a Common Parenting Concern Most parents say that one of their greatest fears is that their children will experience BULLYING by their peers. With information and support, parents can take steps to decrease the likelihood of their child being bullied, as well as help their child if they do experience bullying. Bullying is defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. – stopbullying.gov Types of Bullying:•Physical – hurting a person’s body or possessions. Includes hitting, kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping, pushing, taking or breaking someone’s things. •Verbal – saying or writing mean things. Includes teasing, name-calling, taunting, or threatening to cause harm. •Social – hurting someone’s reputation or relationships (also called relational bullying). Includes leaving someone out on purpose, telling other children not to be friends with someone, or embarrassing someone publicly. •Cyberbullying – Bullying via the internet and social media. Talk to Your Child Talk to your child about bullying and what to do if they experience or witness bullying. Ask them to name feelings that come up when bullying happens. Develop a Plan Read a book or watch a show or movie together that addresses bullying. Discuss it as a family. Determine how your family will deal with bullying. Talk to your child about what it means to be an Upstander. Role play situations that might happen and try different responses. Encourage Positivity Encourage positive friendships. Arrange play dates & encourage your child to reach out to a friend to get together. Building strong, positive social connections helps prevent bullying and helps build resilience. We’re Here For You! Parent Connext® provides parents with prompt, practical support for a variety of parenting challenges that families face every day. Contact us today.

Graphic of a doctor listening to the heartbeat of a baby sitting on its mother's lap
Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips, Parents, Pediatrician

Tips For New Parents on Selecting a Pediatrician 

/

Becoming a parent is such a huge life-changing event. Everything about becoming a parent can be overwhelming; from choosing the right pediatrician to selecting a name they may live with forever; parenting is full of tough choices.  One of those choices includes selecting the right pediatrician for your child. This can be overwhelming and stressful. Here are some things to look for when considering pediatric offices.  Location, Location, Location Choosing a convenient location may seem simple, but choosing a pediatric office that is easy to access for your family is important. This does not necessarily mean you should select the pediatric office closest to your home; there are other factors to consider but knowing you can easily and quickly get your sick child to the doctor is important.  Consider that in the first year of your child’s life, you will regularly visit your pediatrician for well-child visits. As your child gets older, these regular check-ups will likely be annual if your child is generally healthy. Still, there are sick visits, scheduled vaccinations, clinics, and sports medical forms-you may be at your pediatrician more often than you realize. And if you have multiple children, these visits increase.  Office Logistics  When looking at the location of your pediatrician, make sure you also understand their hours and availability. Here are some questions to consider; What is your and your partner’s work schedule? How do they schedule appointments? How long does it take to get in for sick and well visits? What is the off-hour schedule? What about weekend and evening availability? Do they offer on-call access to a physician?  Other things that may be important to you may be online scheduling and online access to your child’s medical records. Newsletters or social media presence with updates on the office, parenting tips, and other information may be something you are looking for to research a pediatrician or stay connected with the office.  If you have private insurance, make sure the office accepts your insurance, and you understand their policies on payments, co-pays, and prescriptions. These office logistics are just as important as the location of your doctor.  Culture  Trying to gauge the culture of an office may be more difficult, but if you visit this office at least once a year for 18 years, you want to make sure it’s a good fit for your family. Does the staff seem friendly? Are there indications that the practice’s values align with your family’s values? Parents should intentionally sit down to identify your family’s values and use those to help guide you in important decisions like this. This could include your point of view on healthcare and whether the provider aligns with those values.  Does the practice have specific philosophies on things such as parenting, sleep, circumcision, feeding, vaccines, potty training, and antibiotics? You may find philosophical differences between your family’s values and the pediatricians’ philosophies that may be indicative that this may not be a good fit.  Credentials, Certifications and Reputation Where did your pediatrician attend medical school? How long have they been practicing? Are they up to date on certifications and the latest science as it relates to child development? It’s ok to ask these questions and confirm their authenticity. You may think that a seasoned doctor who has been practicing medicine for years will have the experience to make the best decisions and recommendations about the health of your child. Or you may believe a new physician, fresh off their rotations, may bring a fresh and modern perspective to raising a healthy child. Look for degrees, certifications, and other documentation around the office.  Everyone has an opinion and the ability to share that online. Parents are likely to be vocal if they love their pediatrician, or if they have specific issues with a practice. While you certainly should not base your decision just on online reviews, checking out the practices online reputation and simply talking to people in your community can help you better understand the experiences parents before you had with this practice.  Other Important Considerations  We’ve covered some if the major considerations you should think about when selecting a pediatrician, but there are many other things that may be important to you or influence your decision. Are sick patients separated from well patients in the waiting room? Are virtual visits an option? Does your doctor have plans to retire soon? What hospitals if any is the practice affiliated with? There are so many questions to ask to make sure you make an informed decision about your child’s healthcare.  Listen to your gut—if the provider isn’t really listening to your concerns or questions, or you just don’t feel like it’s a good fit, trust that intuition. This person will likely be caring for your child for at least 18 years, so you want to make sure it’s a good fit & that you feel comfortable not only with him/her but also with other staff as well.  Finding the right pediatrician can be a stressful proposition. Proper planning, asking the right questions, and thoroughly vetting each practice will help ensure you make the right decision for your family.  Download this resource here.

Orange graphic with a black and white photo of a a father and daughter on their phone and a white textbox that provides information about screentime solutions
Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips, Screen Time

Simple Screentime Solutions from Parent Connext® 

/

Parents, pause and take a look around you. What is your family doing right now?  Chances are, everyone is looking at their phone, tablet, laptop, or game console. It can be frustrating when everyone is constantly staring at their screens. While technology is certainly a big part of our lives now, you can find ways to manage screen time and increase face-to-face time with your family.  Start With You Start by assessing your own relationships with screens. It’s very easy to get caught up checking email, doomscrolling through social media, looking at photos, texting your friends, or watching TV. Are you modeling good screen hygiene to your kids? Decide if this is a good use of your time right now or if you have an opportunity to put your phone down or close your laptop and be present in the moment with your family.  Call a Family Meeting Not another family meeting? Your kids may groan about it but setting an intention to talk about screens is the best way to open a productive dialogue on the subject. Work together to set guidelines and expectations about when it is and is not appropriate to use screens. No screens at the dinner table may be a good place to start. Including your children in this conversation will help them feel like they are part of the solution. Revisit Your Family Values  This conversation is a great opportunity to revisit your family’s values. They can help you inform any decisions about screentime you may have. For example, is it important for your family to have dedicated time to discuss your day? Are screens infringing on this important time? If so, this is an opportunity to lean into what’s truly important to your family. Need a refresher on identifying your family’s values? Click here https://beechacres.org/find-your-familys-purpose-values-vision-and-goals Now, make a pro/con list about screen time and internet usage. Take this opportunity to discuss internet safety with your child. https://beechacres.org/revisiting-screen-time-and-online-safety-with-your-kids/. Next, discuss the positive aspects of screens; unwinding with a video game, staying connected with friends and family, as well as the negative; cyberbullying, exposure to unrealistic body images, and negative impacts on mental wellness. This conversation can help you decide on realistic changes to your family’s screen time habits.  Consider the safety and convenience technology affords families. Within 48 hours of getting their first iPhone and being part of Family Sharing, one mom received a message from her daughter… “I can see on Find My Phone you are still sitting at your desk and NOT on your way to pick me up. Love you!” Knowing where your kids are and having a way to contact them when necessary is a big benefit of technology. No more searching for quarters and payphones when your kids are ready to be picked up from the mall.  Finally, decide as a family what are reasonable consequences when someone is not following the family’s plan. The threat of taking away the Xbox, iPad, or Galaxy Note may be enough to keep everyone on the same page.  Establish Realistic Guidelines Some decisions will be easy; no screens at the table, no games until after homework, while others may be more complicated to navigate; when is it ok to get your child a phone, when should they get on social media, should they have their phones at school. Finding a balance here is important. Set priorities based on your family’s values and goals, then set aside appropriate time to be online. Work together as a family to establish these guidelines in order to build consensus and avoid problems down the road. You may want to lean in to your family’s strengths of creativity and teamwork to create a schedule or contract to personify the guidelines you agree upon.  Both Apple and Google offer ways to utilize software to help you enforce rules and monitor your child’s screen use. For example, children of any age can be added to Family Sharing and have parental controls added, including forced downtime, blocking inappropriate content, and enforcing specific limits on apps. Limiting access to web browsers can also help you control and monitor what your child can access on the internet.  For your younger children, you may be hesitant to even give them a screen. This can be difficult especially if all of their friends have a phone or tablet. You can still have these conversations with younger children, just make sure they understand that you have their best interests in mind, whatever you agree on. A good place to start for younger kids getting a phone or tablet is to have them ask permission before they can download an app. You’ll receive a notification when they want to download something and then you can approve, deny, or have a conversation about what the app is and what it does.  Screens dominate our lives. Whether we’re social media addicts, binge-watching streamers, hard-core gamers, or budding influencers, it seems everyone is on their phones all the time. Your family has the power and ability to decide on appropriate screen time for everyone, balancing fun, work, and most importantly, quality time together as a family. 

Scroll to Top