Words of wisdom for a new year of parenting
Experts list the resolutions they’d like parents to make in the new year
December 27, 2011
Q: What should parents resolve to do in the new year? These parenting experts offer a few suggestions:
“Put down the smartphone/tablet, even for just a couple hours a day, and talk to your kids. Studies show that the greatest predictor of kids’ school success is their having a rich vocabulary; that the greatest predictor of a child obtaining a rich vocabulary is parent/child interaction and immersion with ample and varied language; that parents provide this key developmental support less when watching TV than when engaged in almost any other activity; and that parents provide this key developmental support even less when attending to their mobile devices.”
— Brett Berk, early childhood expert and author of “The Gay Uncle’s Guide to Parenting” (Three Rivers Press)
“Acknowledge, accommodate and accept. Acknowledge the things that our kids do…