2023 year in review: parenting advice from #askalyson
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a look at how to ease the burden that comes with bringing up kids while working from home.
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parenting is a wide spectrum of happiness, sadness, fear, hope, confusion and so much more. luckily, healthing’s parenting expert alyson schafer has been there throughout the entire year (and then some) to address key topics and issues we face every day as parents.
here are some of our favourite #askalyson parenting articles in 2023.
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#askalyson: how do i manage the fears and challenges of a child with a disability?
dear alyson,
my son was born six weeks premature, which was already challenging enough, and was diagnosed with a neurodivergent condition shortly after birth (down’s syndrome). hearing the doctor outline the signs of the existing condition was a blur, and confirming the diagnosis weeks later was an overwhelming experience for me and my wife. certain fears set in about the future: how we would treat our son in comparison to his older sister? how would other children treat him? how would the school system treat him? as parents, how can we manage the uncontrollable fears and realities of raising a child with a lifelong condition?
sincerely,
wandering dad
it’s great to make friends with parents who have experienced the same journey but are further up the road than you. listen to their stories and ask for advice.
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#askalyson: how do i get my child to take their medicine?
dear alyson,
my seven-year-old son hates taking medicine. it’s a nightmare whenever he gets sick. i don’t want to traumatize him by forcing him, but what else can i do to encourage him to be more co-operative and just take the meds without the tears and fighting?
signed,
worried dad
kids who need needles can benefit from an analgesic skin cream, or putting ice on the area first.
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#askalyson: when should i stop financially supporting my kids?
dear alyson,
my daughter is taking a gap year and living at home. she has the same allowance she had in high school, but there are always things she claims to need. for example, we are paying for her phone, but then she needs something for her hair and nails. she uses our uber account to go party with her friends. she doesn’t have a job, although she says she is trying, but i don’t think she is trying very hard. what bothers me most is her attitude. she expects to be supported, telling us that it’s our job and obligation, but what about her obligations? she doesn’t help around the house, and i am feeling resentful. when do i stop supporting a deadbeat?
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kids who have a free and open supply of food, funds and free time without the reality of the actual demands of life have no motivation to go out and fend for themselves, writes alyson schafer. getty
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#askalyson: our kids need a sense of meaning too, just like we do
dear alyson,
my 11-year-old son keeps saying worrying things like, “what’s the point,” “no one cares,” “i give up,” and “what if the pandemic is still going on in five years?”
i don’t know what to say to these comments and i am not sure if these are signs he is depressed or worse. such as suicidal. how should i be responding?
signed,
concerned dad
human beings need a sense of meaning and purpose as a fundamental pillar of mental health. getty
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#askalyson: parents, stop the technology hate
dear alyson,
we are a year into the pandemic, and my kids are on their devices for more than i care to admit. i have to admit, i have a bit of a like/hate relationship with the massive presence that youtube and tiktok seems to have in my family, but it’s becoming clear i need to embrace it — i just don’t know how.
telling parents to play with their children seems so obvious, but i often have to remind them that online gaming together can be just as fun.
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