Looking to connect with a Parenting Specialist? Click here. Share messages of love openly and often. It may be corny, but anything parents can do to practice communicating and reaching out frequently is good. Texts are something kids will always read whether they admit it or not. Download these ideas here.
Squid Game: A Parent’s Guide Popular Netflix Show Squid Game Is The Hottest Thing on TV Right Now. Should Your Children Watch It? Squid Game is a Korean television show that became the biggest series launch ever for Netflix and has gotten a lot of attention since its release. You may have seen children dressed in the colorful uniforms of the participants of the titular game or in the garb of the masked enforcers this Halloween and wondered ‘what was that kid supposed to be?’. Social media and other outlets are flooded with clips, comments, memes, and other discussions about the show. It’s likely your child has encountered these memes and perhaps has even asked you to watch the show. Should they? Here’s what our parenting experts have to say. In a word, no. While the show is similar in theme and concept to the television show Survivor or the popular YA novel turned worldwide phenomenon The Hunger Games, Squid Game amps up the tension, gore, and explicit content. The show is violent and disturbing even for many adults. The premise of Squid Game is that vulnerable participants are recruited to compete in a game with the potential of huge financial rewards to help them erase their current financial debts. What they aren’t told is there are sinister consequences involved in losing the game. Familiar childhood playground games are utilized which may heighten the appeal for young children because they can relate to the games being played. Spoiler Alert Losing participants in Squid Game are killed for losing or not placing high enough in the contests. The games and rules are randomized so success in one contest does not necessarily equate to success in the next. Viewing Squid Game can lead to fear, anxiety, and inappropriate behaviors in children who do not have the brain development or emotional intelligence to understand the layered dynamics that are occurring throughout. Unfortunately, your child may be begging you to watch the show because their friends/peers have seen it and are all talking about it at school or online. The reality is that kids may have secretly watched the show already. Talk To Your Kids About Squid Game and Make an Informed Decision If you are considering allowing your child to watch The Squid Game, consider watching it first yourself. Ask yourself if the show fits within your family values. You may determine that the show is not a fit and will choose to “hold the line” by not allowing your child to watch. If you find that your child has already watched The Squid Game, lean in with them and talk about it. Open communication about the challenging messages the show sends and the disconnect with your family values can be impactful. Ask powerful questions about what they saw and what they thought about the content. Reinforce that this is fantasy content and should not inform their behavior on the playground, at home, in the classroom, or online. There have been reports of kids potentially reenacting The Squid Game contests with some inflicting violence on those who “lose”. This is unacceptable behavior and has led to schools banning costumes and intervening when necessary for the safety of the students. As you know, kids desperately want to fit in with their peers and this is currently one of the “cool” things to do. Encourage your child(ren) to practice responding to their peers when this topic comes up. Some kids may pretend to have seen it to fit in. It’s up to you and your child to determine these steps to manage peer pressure. You are your child’s first and best teacher. You have the most influence over their values and decision-making. Lean in and make an informed decision about The Squid Game that you think is best for you and your family. We’re Here For You Want to talk to a Parent Coach about The Squid Game or other parenting challenges? We are here for you and can schedule a meeting quickly and confidentially through a virtual connection and from the convenience of your own home. Contact us – www.beechacres.org.
Our FY2021 Annual Report is now available to download here. Thank you to all of our generous donors who make this important work possible. Consider making a donation to support our efforts this year.
The DEI Committee at Beech Acres Parenting Center is excited to announce a seminar, Engaging Diversity and Inclusion In Non-Profit Settings this Wednesday, August 11th from 3:00-4:30 pm with Dr. Anthony G. James. Dr. Anthony G. James is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Science and Social Work at Miami University (OH). His scholarly work uses an interdisciplinary approach to understanding social interactions and human development, with expertise in positive youth development, religion and spirituality, diverse family systems, family processes, and program evaluation. His works include publications in referred journals and book chapters, on topics in the areas of youth development and family processes, including an edited book on Black family life using a systems perspective. He is the current deputy editor of the journal of Family Theory and Review and a consulting editor for the Journal of Research on Adolescence. Dr. James is a certified relationship assessment facilitator through the PREPARE/ENRICH program, a certified family life educator through the National Council on Family Relations. He received his PhD from the University of Missouri. Register online here.
Beech Acres Parenting Center’s Kinship Connections is excited to host a Movie Day next week! Kinship families are invited to see Space Jam: A New Legacy. When: Thursday, July 29thPlease plan to arrive by 12:20 pm to be seated by 12:30 pm. Where: Milford 16/Milford Rave Cinema 5000 Rivers Edge Drive Milford, OH 45150 Seats are limited, so please contact Jerri Rednour at 513.315.2336 to reserve your seats. Please provide the folowing information: adult name, number of children and their ages. See you at the movies!
When we’re upset, we all need time and space to calm down – so do our kids! Here are some tried and true activities to help anyone in the family calm down. Once you decide to try an activity, it’s important to practice it when everyone is feeling good. This allows you and your child to use the activity more easily when you’re upset. For kids, this means they will also not see the activity as a punishment. When upset, you (or your child) may need to repeat the activity multiple times to calm down. Be patient and remember we all need time to calm down. Download and try these strategies with your child and let us know how they work for your family.
The Character Effect™ Characters have assembled AWESOME activities to keep your family busy this July. Download the tips here, hang them on your refrigerator, and stay busy all month long building your child’s strengths!
Using strengths, mindful, and intentional activities with children and families build resilience, teaches skills for self-management, empowers healing, and assists with forward growth. Directions Using strengths, mindful, and intentional activities with children and families build resilience, teaches skills for self-management, empowers healing, and assists with forward growth. Cut out the following “cards” to use for activities or provide them as a list to families, teachers, or children to strengthen understanding. You can also use your strength of creativity to come up with your own ideas, the possibilities are endless! Download this activity today!
Interested in hearing how the Beech Acres Parenting Center Continuum of Care is working for families? Need a bit of good news from foster families? We’ll be on TV this weekend to inspire families to ‘take a chance’ on foster care, educate on the term kinship, spread the power of Natural Strength Parenting™! Presented by General Electric Credit Union, Continuum of Care for Families is airing: Saturday at 10 am on Star64 Saturday at 12:30 pm on Local 12 Don’t miss this! Thank you General Electric Credit Union for your generous support!
Thank you. For 42 years, Jim Mason’s passion for children and visionary leadership has improved and saved the lives of thousands of children and families in our community. The Jim Mason Champion for Children Fund was established to honor the leadership and extraordinary impact Jim has made at Beech Acres AND to provide a strong foundation for the next CEO. We’re humbled and grateful to report we raised $235,059 in cash donations and $465,000 in estate gift commitments…for a grand total of $700,059 from 122 donors! This exceeded our original $500,000 goal by 40%!Thank you for your incredibly generous support and for your commitment to our mission; “Inspiring and equipping today’s parents, families, and communities to raise capable, caring, contributing children.” To make a donation to The Jim Mason Champion for Children Fund visit our website
