Author and family physician, Dr. Leonard Sax, will headline a local event titled “Beyond Resilience – Improving the Odds for Our Children.” The event will be held from 6-9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 29, at Bunsold Middle School in Marysville. (Photo submitted)
A group of local individuals and organizations is working together to bring a national parenting event to Marysville.
The program — “Beyond Resilience – Improving the Odds for Our Children” — will be held from 6-9 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 29, at Bunsold Middle School in Marysville.
According to a release from the local group, Power of Parenting Alliance (POP), the goal of the event is to, “help area parents, guardians and youth advocates seize the extra day in February and learn practical tactics to help raise healthy, happy, productive young people.”
“In an effort to help our young people and their parents with the trials and tribulations of growing up in this crazy time, several corners of our community came together to create an impact,” said Evie Collins, from Memorial Health, a member of the Power of Parenting Alliance. “We all recognize that issues like mental health, youth suicide, bullying, and social media are areas that have developed out of new societal norms, culture shifts, the passage of time and more.”
Internationally known author and family physician, Dr. Leonard Sax, will headline the event.
“Based on his 30 plus years as a family medicine physician and psychologist, Dr. Sax was chosen to join our community and share his expertise on helping our children become unfragile,” Collins wrote. “Anyone who has a passion for making our corner of the world better for our young people and our families is invited and should attend this evening.”.
Local officials said the program is geared towards parents, grandparents, guardians, teachers, counselors, coaches, youth group leaders and the many other professionals who “surround youth to support their upbringing.”
Officials said Sax has built “an international reputation as an expert in issues of child and adolescent development.”
Sax says there has been “a major shift” in the last 30 years. He says there has been a “transfer of authority from parents to children.”
He has said activities with peers often displace family activities.
“Children today often choose what’s for supper; they choose which social media they will engage; they often choose their bedtime and sometimes even their school,” Sax wrote in announcing a recent book.
He says these factors and related influences have, “led to children and teenagers being less resilient, less physically fit, and more likely to become anxious or depressed – and far more fragile – compared with kids from the same demographic 30 years ago.”
Sax also talks about the idea that throughout the country, it has become, “cool for children and teens to disrespect parents and adults generally.” He said this behavior is both “pervasive and destructive.”
He said every generation challenges the authority of their elders and it happens in other countries, but adds that, “here in the United States, the culture of ‘live for now’ has become our native culture.”
“It is the default culture which American kids encounter if we set them loose to navigate without adult direction,” Sax wrote. “Without authoritative guidance, it is the culture which they will adopt as their own.”
POP officials said Sax will discuss why so many kids today are so fragile; how parents can build grit into their child’s upbringing; why American kids are so much more likely to be anxious or depressed compared with American kids from just twenty years ago; what one thing parents can do to greatly improve the odds that their child will grow up to be healthy, happy and successful; the most important virtue American parents must teach their children; tips for parents in planning a family vacation in order to strengthen the family; what age it’s OK for a child to have a smartphone; which video games are OK to play, which are not, and how we know; the pros and cons of parental monitoring apps for a teen’s smartphone; and the effects of social media for boys and girls.
“Participants will walk away with facts and a deeper understanding of practical tactics that can be applied to raising, mentoring and educating young people,” according to a release about the event.
Seating is limited and reservations are required. Tickets can be found at http://bit.ly/beyond_resilience.
The Power of Parenting (POP) was established as a community collaborative to provide group seminars, programs, and interactive experiences that build up families in Union County with particular emphasis on parenting, youth mental health support, and risk behavior aversion tactics.