With a name like Penelope Leach, you must be thinking the lady is from Great Britain, right?
Well, you're right.
But that fact is the least important for today's bit-o-truth. What's pertinent today is that she is one of the world's most respected developmental child psychologists, holds a PhD from Cambridge, has all sorts of research and child development society cred, and has authored several popular books on the subject of child-rearing.
In a recent interview published in TIME, there were a few questions that elicited answers from her that absolutely resonated with me...and so I share them with you:
Parenting is much more intentional than it used to be. Have we gone too far?
I'm sure there are situations where it goes too far. The tiger mom seemed too much - too much focus, too much attention, not enough room and space to grow and be.
At 77, what other trends in modern parenting alarm you?
We are really much too concerned with academics and testing for our 4- and 5-year-olds. We're cutting off both physical and social development that ought to be leading us at that point. Sitting 4-year-old boys down and expecting them to keep still and listen - it ain't in their nature. We'd do better with our boys if they were spending more time rushing about, pushing each other and shouting like boys need to do.
Are kids eating too much sugar?
Can I give you a phooey reply? The effect of sugar on children's behavior is nil. There's lots of reasons against eating lots of sugar, but your child bouncing off the wall isn't one of them.
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Truth is...this is all more a matter of opinion than truth, but it matches MY opinion and this IS my blog, after all.
So there.
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