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Beech Acres, Cyberbullying, Online Safety, Parenting Tips, Parents, Screen Time, Social Media

Six Tips For Online Bliss

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Here are six quick tips to help you and your children get on the same page about screen time. Establish Some Simple Ground Rules Start by setting up some simple rules for everyone to follow. These can include no phones during meal time, no screens a half hour before bedtime, or no computer time until after homework is complete. These basic rules should reflect your family’s values and correspond with any established routines. Utilize your family’s strength of teamwork by working together to establish these rules. Doing so creates a sense of ownership and accountability in the process Choose Quality Over Quantity Rather than set a specific number of hours your children are allowed to be online, try starting a conversation about what they love and why they love it. Not only will this help you get to know your child better, but it can encourage their strengths of curiosity and love of learning by letting them spend time with something they really enjoy. If your child likes Harry Potter, for example, set them up on Pottermore or find some games related to the books. This way they are engaging with something they enjoy rather than spending mindless time scrolling through Netflix or YouTube.  Find Appropriate Time To Spend Online  Be intentional and mindful in setting aside time for your kids to be online. Sit down together as a family to develop, discuss, and create these rules. Discuss with them your daily schedules and routines and make sure screen time isn’t interfering with homework, family time, or extracurriculars. Remind them that screen time right before bed may interrupt their sleep. Reinforce the importance of completing their homework before jumping into a game of Fortnite. This will help them be more responsible about the time they choose to be online and develop their strength of self-regulation. Understand What Is and Is Not Appropriate Discussions about social media and screen time provide a great opportunity to reinforce your family’s values and to build on their strengths of judgment and social intelligence. While the internet is an awesome repository of all of the world’s collected knowledge and cat pics, it is also home to some pretty dark stuff. Empower your child to have fun and discover, but make sure they are equipped with the knowledge to avoid things like cyberbullying online predators, or malicious software. Utilize tools such as Google Safe Search Kids, a custom search engine that uses Google’s SafeSearch features along with additional filtering to block potentially harmful material. Establishing a relationship built on trust will let your child feel safe coming to you with any concerns that they have about inappropriate things they may see or encounter on the internet. Model Appropriate Screen Time Yourself Kids are observers of their world. Remember that. When you are having a conversation with your child make sure you are present and fully engaged. Put your phone on silent and put in on a table or desk. Being intentional about this will encourage your daughter or son to do the same. Make sure you comply with the ground rules you established. No phones at dinner or before bedtime. If your kids (or you) need a little help in this department check out the app Moment. It helps you track how much time you spend on your iPhone or iPad. You can set limits and even connect to and monitor your entire family’s usage. It can be eye-opening to see just how much time is being spent online. And most importantly, make sure to never text while driving!  Have Some Analogue Fun The internet has had a profound impact on our lives. It has made many things easier, more convenient, and even more fun. It allows us to connect and stay connected to friends, family, and the world around us. But, don’t forget the time before the iPhone, before AOL, or before that first PDA or dial-up connection. Approach some non-digital activities with zest. Read paperback books together. Take a walk, hike, or bike ride. Dust off the old board games and have a family game night. Check out our Parenting Resources page for more fun things to do. Value balance in your life between the internet and IRL. 

Photo of a family at the table for dinner time while they are all on digital devices
Cincinnati Parenting Survey, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips, Parents, Screen Time, Social Media

Parenting In The Digital Age

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Parenting in the digital age has added a significant layer of complexity to an already challenging job. With everyone’s heads buried in a screen all day, it can seem impossible to spend meaningful moments together as a family. Together, let’s tackle some of the challenges related specifically to parenting in the digital age. Screen time, social media, and cyberbullying are all important topics that today’s parents are faced with. While many parents fall back on the routines and techniques their parents used, these digital scenarios are new and unique to this generation of parents.  In today’s rapidly changing world it can be difficult to stay current with reliable, effective information on parenting. We may not have all of the answers, but we will try to help you navigate these new modern parenting challenges. Bookmark our blog, connect with us on social media, and sign up for our parenting newsletter for fresh perspectives from our parenting experts based on Natural Strength Parenting™, our unique, strengths-based approach to raising kids.  Check out these posts for more resources on parenting in the digital age. Parenting In The Digital Age Help! My Kid Might Be a Cyberbully! Apple and Google Address Concerns Over Screen Time Monitor Your Child’s Online Activity  Six Tips To Online Bliss But Mom! All Of My Friends Are On Snapchat!

Photo of a group of teenagers looking at mobile phones
Beech Acres, Cincinnati Parenting Survey, Mental Health Month, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parents

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Every day millions of people live with a mental illness. This including one in five adolescents, 13-18 years-old. Last year we surveyed over 600 parents in the Greater Cincinnati area and discovered that their #1 parenting concern was “understanding kid’s mental health issues”. During the month of May, we have the opportunity to raise awareness of mental health and work toward removing the stigma associated with it. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter and be sure to sign up for our quarterly parenting newsletter.  

Photo of a little girl using a tv remote as a boy sits beside her
Beech Acres, Parenting Tips, Parents

How To Talk To Your Children About What They See On The News

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Parents, teachers, schools, or other organizations, you can download this information to share with parents in your community.  Bad, scary, or negative news can be traumatic for children of all ages. “Bad” news can be anything; natural disasters, local or global political strife, mass shootings, the fallout from the drug epidemic, or even a fire in your neighborhood. It is important for parents to be prepared to talk with their children about things they may see and hear on the news. Here are some tips to help you get started. First, Take Care of Yourself Process your own feelings related to the event. Then you can model appropriate expressions of sadness, worry, or anger that will normalize those feelings experienced by your child. Children often look to their parents to make sense of how they are feeling. This is a great opportunity to build empathy for others. Next, Be Honest with Them  A truthful approach will help them better understand the facts about what they are hearing. Frequently our children are already hearing about events through social media or what they hear from friends. Listen as they tell you what they already know and try and separate facts from rumors and embellishments. Always Listen to Their Questions and Address Their Concerns Younger children may need reassurance that they are safe, while your older kids may have more in-depth questions to help them understand and process. Be patient. It is completely normal if a child doesn’t have much to say in the beginning. Let your child know that you are there whenever they have questions or want to talk more. It is important to address their concerns as they arise and offer your perspective based on your family’s values. Finally, Offer Them Hope Reassure them that they are safe and talk through their feelings. Develop a plan for your family in case they encounter dangerous situations. Unplug from media for a while and spend some quiet time together as a family. Physical comfort such as a hug can go a long way to a child developing a sense of inner security. You can also research ways your family can help families affected by these tragedies. Look for the stories of the helpers and the heroes in these events to balance to reinforce that there is so much good even in times of tragedy.

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Beech Acres, Parenting Tips, Parents, Raising Positive Children, Strengths

Don’t Miss Lea Waters: Raising Strong Children Tomorrow Night at Mayerson Academy!

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Don’t miss the first event in the Raising Positive Children: Global Author Series tomorrow night at Mayerson Academy! Mayerson Academy and its partners Beech Acres Parenting Center and Children, Inc. are pleased to bring luminaries in the field of positive psychology to our region to share the best in current, applied science for building positive parenting capacity. Raising Positive Children: Global Author Series begins tomorrow as Dr. Lea Waters presents Raising Strong Children January 11th from 6-8 at Mayerson Academy. Lea Waters Ph.D. is an Australian psychologist, academic, researcher, author, and speaker who specializes in positive education, parenting, and organizations. Lea is the 2017-2019 President of the International Positive Psychology Association and serves on the Council of Happiness and Education for the World Happiness Council. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, son, and daughter. Get your tickets now!

White "The Strength Switch" book cover with various colors of playdough in the background
Beech Acres, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips, Parents, Strengths

Book Review: The Strength Switch, By Lea Waters; A Busy Mom’s Perspective

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Guest blogger, Nikki Zellen, Director of Marketing Book Review: The Strength Switch, by Dr. Lea Waters As a busy Mom working at Beech Acres Parenting Center (behind the scenes), I am fortunate that sometimes my ‘homework’ helps me with my own kids! I had the pleasure of reading Ms. Waters’ book in advance of her appearance in Cincinnati for Raising Strong Children, part one of the Raising Positive Children: Global Author Series on January 11th at Mayerson Academy. The Strength Switch is laid out in two parts: Laying the Foundation and Building Strengths. In reading the first half, I recognized many of the same academic studies that our social workers casually talk about in the hallways and reference in meetings. However, Ms. Waters breaks them down for parents to understand. The references to the science and studies help the reader develop a belief that this stuff works! Once you start to embrace the opportunity to flip the switch, Ms. Waters provides many activities for different ages to test with your family. My personal favorite was The Praise Puzzle chapter. Ms. Waters provides detailed examples and phrases of how to celebrate your child in a way that builds on their strengths. If your child brings homes a good grade, there are a variety of ways to respond (which I had never really thought about before), which she outlines: Generic Praise: “Good Job!” Process Praise: “You prepared for this test by spending extra time each night reviewing material.   And it worked!” (praising child’s strategy) or “You pulled up your score by a full grade! What do you think you did that helped you improve? (praising child’s improvement) Praise for Character: “Thanks for opening the door! You are a helpful person!” (will internalize moral strengths are within him) Her recommendation: Strength-based Praise, linking a strength with an action. “You’ve used your persistence [strength] to stick to the task of reviewing for this test every night last week [action], even when you were tired and wanted to play computer games.” “…strength-based praise encourages both achievement and good character by connecting kids with the positive forces they unleash through the combined power of their strengths and their actions.” – Lea Waters The book forces parents to stop and think about their word choices and the profound impact they have on our children. Ms. Waters summarizes the book best for us… “Attention on the negative helped us survive. Attention on the positive helps us thrive.”   And we all want our kids to thrive! My one wish, which may be all Moms’ wish, is for more time. The Strength Switch was a little dense to get through, but if you are lucky enough to be near a Beech Acres Parenting Center location… in one hour you will be able to get a taste of Natural Strength Parenting™ with a parenting coach. Our strengths-based approach to parenting is based on many of the same studies mentioned in the book. Set an intention to focus on your parenting this year by reading The Strength Switch and seeing Lea Waters live in Cincinnati on January 11th. Tickets are available here!

Graphic about gratitude with a photo of a mother and father standing with their child in the kitchen
Gratitude, Mindfullness, Parenting Tips, Parents

Gratitude

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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.

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Beech Acres, Bullying, Cincinnati Parenting Survey, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parenting Tips, Parents

Discussing Top Parenting Concerns from the Cincinnati Parenting Survey on WVXU

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Today, Beech Acres Parenting Center President and CEO Jim Mason, Vice President of New Business Development Jill Huynh and School-based Services Supervisor Cheryl Riley joined Mark Heyne on WVXU Cincinnati to discuss the results of our Cincinnati Parenting Survey. In the survey, 44% of parents identified Understanding kids’ mental health issues as extremely or very concerning. This was the single biggest concern identified. Here are some highlights from the show: “Our goal at Beech Acres Parenting Center is to shift the stigma from ‘I have to go to Beech Acres’, to ‘I get to go to Beech Acres.’ We are delighted parents want to get help with their children’s mental health.” -Jim Mason “Parenting is one of the most rewarding and challenging jobs we take on in our lives.” -Jill Huynh “We customize our care to our clients and meet them where they are.” -Cheryl Riley “Everyone has innate strengths they were born with; in knowing those strengths parents can understand their kids better, but also understand their own parenting.”  -Jill Huynh “Let’s look at the strengths and resiliency of the family and focus on amplifying that.” -Cheryl Riley “If we can intervene early enough we can build a positive foundation. Our approach is to promote what we want to see, not what we don’t want to see.” -Jill Huynh “Let’s look at the strengths and resiliency of the family and focus on amplifying that.” -Cheryl Riley “We have a saying. Hurt kids hurt kids. We have compassion for people doing the bullying because they are a hurt person.” -Jim Mason “Beech Acres will work with the parents to remove barriers to get them the help they need.” -Cheryl Riley Parents who participated in our survey also identified discipline, drug use and bullying among other top concerns. What parenting concerns do you have? Discover your strengths and unlock your power as a parent today with Natural Strength Parenting™, our unique strengths-based approach to intentional parenting. Call today to learn more. 513-231-6630. http://wvxu.org/post/top-parenting-concerns-among-cincinnati-families#stream/0

White graphic with the red, yellow, and blue cincinnati edition logo
Beech Acres, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parents, Strengths

Listen Live On WVXU!

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Tune in this Thursday as Jim Mason, President and CEO, Jaimi Cabrera, Director of New Business Development and, Cheryl Riley, a Supervisor from our School-based Services team join Mark Heyne live on 91.7 WVXU Cincinnati to discuss top parenting concerns uncovered by our Cincinnati Parenting Survey. Stream or tune in this Thursday, November 9th, at 1:00! http://wvxu.org/post/top-parenting-concerns-among-cincinnati-families

Photo of three girls bullying another girl
Beech Acres, Bullying, Cyberbullying, Parenting Tips, Parents, Services

Help! My Kid is a Cyberbully!

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You’ve recently discovered inappropriate treatment directed at other children on your child’s phone. What will you say? Cyberbullying, a form of bullying or harassment using digital contacts such as texts, email, or social media, is a growing concern for parents. The influence of technology on our culture has never been greater. Kids are using digital devices at an earlier age and are spending much more time in front of them. The ubiquitous use of digital technologies has made them an easy platform for bullying to thrive. According to Stopbullying.org, 15% of all U.S. high school students were cyberbullied last year. Sadly, that number is dramatically higher, a staggering 55%, among LGBTQ students. We’ve recently explored ways to address bullying when your child is the victim, but what if your child is the bully? Here are some things to ask if you have discovered inappropriate treatment of other children on one of your child’s devices. Ask your child if she knows what can happen to kids that are cyberbullied. They can get depressed, become anxious, or worse. Ask your child what her intention was. What were they hoping to accomplish? Ask your child what the other child did to prompt their behavior.  Ask your child how else she can manage her feelings towards other children in acceptable ways. Listening to your child and understanding their behavior and their motivations are key to addressing this issue. Working through intention and consequences can lead to better decision making in the future.

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