"Smart, audacious and often hilarious. Takes everything you thought you knew about parenting and turns it on its ear." - Jennifer Jason Leigh

HAVE A PARENTING QUESTION?  INTERESTED IN MY 2¢?

“I feel better knowing you’re only as far away as the other end of my keyboard.” —Lea

My friends and I often share parenting “challenges” and ask each other for advice.  If you have a question and are interested in an opinionated RIE mom’s pov, e-mail me. I’ll tell you what I think, likely share my experience, I’ll quote from Magda Gerber and if I feel like it’s beyond me, I’ll ask some long-time RIE associates and experts for their words of wisdom.

DID YOU KNOW MAGDA?

I’ll be continually adding to my biography of Magda Gerber, if you knew her and have a story or more to share, I’m all ears. Email me.

“GOOD JOB!”: THE TALK FOR PARENTS
In her signature unflinchingly frank, funny and self-deprecating style, Jennifer Lehr deconstructs typical scenes in the lives of young children to show how parents and caregivers’ best intentions can have a harmful effect on children’s development. “GOOD JOB!”: THE TALK is a provocative, insightful and potentially life-altering eye-opener.
FIND OUT WHY:
  • Warning a toddler to “BE CAREFUL” won’t keep them from hurting themselves and, instead, can actually make them more accident prone.
  • Beseeching kids to “SHARE!” won’t make them more magnanimous and, in fact, may make them hoard their possessions even more.
  • Telling kids to “SAY THANK YOU!” and “SAY PLEASE” and “WAVE BYE-BYE” won’t make them more grateful and polite but can turn parents into very skilled ventriloquists.
  • A “TIME OUT” own’t make children rethink their actions but does give them plenty of time to think about who they hate for humiliating and isolating them.
  • “GOOD JOB!” is not only not confidence boosting but can create praise addicts afraid of trying new things.
  • “IT’S OKAY” is not remotely comforting and is actually just plain insulting.
  • “NO” just has to be the most overused and abused word of all time.

    • Lehr gives a fresh perspective and offers alternatives based in the RIE Approach all aimed at treating your child with respect.