Note to Readers: Well, I just did my first ever Twiterview this week-a live interview on twitter about my book, The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries. I’m always up for a new experience, and this proved to be not only interesting but fun. My interviewer was Dr. Megan Bradley, an associate professor of psychology at Frostburg State University. We met on twitter (I’m @micheleborba and she is @DrMeganBradley).
Dr. Bradley is the co-director of the Center for Children and Families at FSU whose purpose is to promote education, research, and community service in the area of child and family psychology. Her interest in my book was because it is science-based. (Check out her website, resume and valuable work she is doing at DrMeganBradley).
The interview was on September 11, the anniversary of the terrorist attack which is why a few questions dealt with how our kids are faring and special advice for parents about TV coverage that evening.
9/11/09: Twitterview Interview with DrMeganBradley (Thanks Megan!)
DrMeganBradley I’m live with parenting expert @micheleborba for a Twitterview. She just published Big Book of Parenting Solutions http://bit.ly/9MCIk
DrMeganBradley I’ll be asking her questions about #parenting. Follow us both to see full interview: @DrMeganBradley & @micheleborba. Welcome Michele!
micheleborba I’m doing a live twitterview with @DrMeganBradley Follow us both to see all Q’s and A’s on #parenting advice & solutions
DrMeganBradley Michele-as I ask you questions, feel free to take up more than one tweet to answer.
DrMeganBradley Q1-Ur new book certainly is big, packed with tons of detailed parenting advice across a range of topics. What inspired you to write it?
micheleborba Total inspiration for writing this book was parents from all wkshops who wanted one big reference of all the solutions I offered.
DrMeganBradley Q2-What I like best is your focus on science. Why is a scientific approach 2 parenting helpful compared 2 non-scientific parent advice?
micheleborba The science approach to parenting means you’re going to get faster results – & that’s exactly what we want – right? …
That doesn’t mean dropping common sense parenting tips but fad/new research is out – best in 10 yrs that counters much of old parenting ways
DrMeganBradley Faster and more reliable. Makes sense.
DrMeganBradley I’m live twitterviewing @micheleborba, author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries.
DrMeganBradley Ur book talks about how stressed parents and kids R today. What R some immediate changes parents can do to decrease family stress?
micheleborba Decrease that family stress: 1 Look over that calendar and drop one thing… one thing alone will reduce stress… more
DrMeganBradley How very true!
micheleborba 2 TEACH kids stress reducer- kids say they are stressed but don’t know ways to relieve – best idea DEEP breathing, yoga, blow your stress away
micheleborba BigBk Parenitng Solutions has dozens of stress reducers pg 303 trick is find just one and make it into a family routine
DrMeganBradley Turning it into a family routine should help make it a new habit for all.
micheleborba As to habits remember whatever you try new habits take a min. of 21 days of repetition – so 1 minute a day 21 days = new family habit
DrMeganBradley Q4-2-parter: What do U think are the biggest problems facing today’s families compared to 2 yrs ago and 10 yrs ago?
micheleborba Biggest problem facing families today is RECESSION – UCD study shows it has long-term impact on our kids – 30 yrs following families who lost
micheleborba everything and found it wasn’t loss of job or money but constant bickering and conflict in home. WATCH the bickering – affects our kids
micheleborba From 10 yrs ago major youth changes: Eating disorders, depression, stress, peer pressure, bullying, aggression all INCREASED & at younger ages
DrMeganBradley I can certainly see how the recession is affecting so many families.
DrMeganBradley Q5-A unique aspect of Ur book is the 3-step process for major issues. What is the purpose of each step?
micheleborba I wrote 3 steps to change in BigBkParenting Solutions because we’re missing those 3 steps if we WANT lasting change in our kids… more
micheleborba Step 1: PREVENTION: get educated about best parenting practices that curb those bad behaviors, depression, stress, etc. and implement
micheleborba Step 2: TRIAGE – you know there’s a problem don’t think it’s a phase – roll up your sleeves & start parenting – before it escalates (big mistake
micheleborba Step 3. TEACH REPLACE BEHAVIORS (passionate about this one – you have to teach the child WHAT TO DO INSTEAD.. to replace the whine…backtalk, tantrums
DrMeganBradley I can see step 3 being really important for long term change.
DrMeganBradley Q6-Why is it important for parents to help children learn healthy behaviors in place of unhealthy ones?
micheleborba You want a resilient, caring, strong child who can one day live without you? We have to teach strong habits now. They’re learned 3-13 yo.
micheleborba Key reason I wrote BigBkParentingSolutions was to provide all the new habits for 101 issues parents are concerned about… they’re all in book
DrMeganBradley And the parents will need new behaviors too.
DrMeganBradley Q7-last Q It’s a somber day in the US. What lasting effects, if any, do U think #9/11/01 has had on parents & families?
micheleborba9-11 has had major ramifications on families starting w kids -research shows an influx in “Mean World Syndrome” – kids see the world as meaner
micheleborba 9-11 parents – we hold onto our children tighter – and we’ve become a bit too protective – the world as we knew it drastically changed
DrMeganBradley Mean world syndrome – very interesting.
micheleborba I strongly suggest parents start “GOOD NEWS REPORTS” – find the good things in the world – cut out those news stories about goodness & share
DrMeganBradley Very good idea.
micheleborba Tonite watch news coverage carefully – young kids see planes going into the towers & can’t separate real from fantasy think it’s reoccurring
DrMeganBradley Excellent point.
DrMeganBradley Thank you @micheleborba! Learn more by heading to her website (http://bit.ly/9MCIk), checking out her new book & following her on twitter.
DrMeganBradley Thanks to everyone for following along today. I’ll post full transcript soon and tweet the link.
micheleborba@DrMeganBradley thanks for a great interview – really enjoyed this – I’m learning to type faster (don’t know about spelling!)
DrMeganBradley Me too. This was fun.