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Tales of the Parenting Experience

  “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll kvell” Tuesday, January, 26 @ 7:00 PM   A fundraiser for the The Jewish Community Center, Sonoma County’s teen education program, Chaverim A one man show of humorous and heartfelt situations, stories and anecdotes about parenting, grandparenting and general dealing with kids of all ages (even the ones that never grew up).             Rick states: “As a parent, grandparent, teen educator, social worker, camp director and parenting coach and one who loves children of all ages, I have many heartwarming and humorous stories to tell which embrace parenting issues that come up on a daily basis.” Does it ever feel like an ongoing battle between “us” and “them”(the kids) Do you say things to your kids that you regret later? Has that sweet, precocious, adorable child morphed into an irritating, challenging, negative human being? Do you find … Read entire article »

Filed under: Jewish Community Events, parenting advice, Parenting Classes, parenting help, parenting teens

Bad Behavior Thrives on Results

Your 6 year old is demanding a cookie before dinner.  It starts with a request and escalates to a demand and all the way to a temper tantrum and a fit, screaming, yelling, threatening, holding the entire family hostage to the tirade.  Everyone is angry and upset because this situation disturbed dinner,  A situation like this often leads to going to bed without resolution.  The whole house is turned upside down. It has worked before many times! And it will work again! The child has gotten his way. Your 10 year-old makes everyone late for school or work every day.  He dawdles, reads, plays on his computer, teases his older sister and the dog intermittently or goes back to bed instead of getting ready.   When asked, told, ordered or threatened, he acts … Read entire article »

Filed under: parenting advice, Parenting Classes, parenting help, parenting teens, parenting tips

Stop “Parenting from Exhaustion” and Learn How to Recharge

Two hours on Wednesday evening, November 5, from 7-9PM at the JCC, can make parenting easier and more joyful! I have been leading conversations on parenting for the last several years and have had consistent feedback that attendees came away with at least one or two new strategies that helped.  This class is open to parents of children of all ages, and promises to be engaging and worthwhile. Bring your friends because everyone is welcome!   Please see the attached form, and if you would like to come, you can bring the registration fee with you. Let me know you will be there by emailingrickc@jccsoco.org.     Stop “Parenting from Exhaustion”  and Learn How to Recharge  Wed., Nov. 5 JCC, Sonoma County 1301 Farmers Lane, Suite 103 Santa Rosa, CA 95405 Rick Concoff, MA rickc@jccsoco.org 823-3916 … Read entire article »

Filed under: Parenting Classes, parenting help, parenting teens, parenting tips

Hold On to Your Kids–Workshop! March 30th, 2014

  “Hold On To Your Kids” is named after the book of the same name by Gordon Newfeld and Gabor Mate. Learn about a blending of traditional Jewish parenting values with a revived concept of the importance of “healthy attachment.” Appropriate for parents of all age children and teens. Do your children think they run the show? Are you unhappy with your children’s peer group choices? Is there an endless loop of circular arguing, negotiating with your children?  Is your child lost behind media and ear buds? Has your sweet child turned into a ball of anger, frustration and emotional outburst? Are you doubting the effectiveness of your “parenting skill and style”? How much of your parenting a reaction the way you were parented? Do you think you are the only parent with challenges? How are your actions and modeling affecting the development of your children?   By Rick Concoff … Read entire article »

Filed under: parenting advice, Parenting Classes, parenting help, parenting teens, parenting tips

Boundaries vs. Barriers

Boundaries mark the healthy space we put in between ourselves and other people in normal daily social interaction.   We share an understanding of our boundaries with other people we encounter by giving them verbal, nonverbal and visual cues.  Shared and communicated boundaries enable us all to feel comfortable within the definitions of our particular relationships. People who do not learn to set, share and express boundaries often have problems with other people overstepping, taking advantage and literally walking all over them.   People who are reluctant or reticent to set their own boundaries often invite into their lives just the kinds of people who can be invasive, inappropriate and even abusive.  It is good to be a door-opener, but not a door mat! Some people are challenged by being unable to detect social … Read entire article »

Filed under: Blessings, Featured, gratitude, parenting advice, parenting help, parenting teens, parenting tips, Relationships, self confidence

Trust is Something you Give

A clean and sober alcoholic reaches out to save a homeless alcoholic who later breaks into his house, attempts to rob him, and ends up stabbing him to death… A long time trusted  church bookkeeper is found to be stealing hundreds of thousands from the church that trusted her…. A “benevolent” man approaches a homeless mom and her children begging for money outside of a department store.  The man befriends the family, takes them inside the store, buys them all kinds of things they need, and wins their trust. During shopping spree he offers to run out for some burgers for the whole family. The naïve and innocent daughter offers to go with him and the desperate mom has a moment of ill-fated trust.  The child is later found dead, the registered … Read entire article »

Filed under: Featured, parenting advice, parenting help, parenting teens, parenting tips, Relationships, self confidence

Dear Mom

Dear Mom, I am so grateful you are my mom, and that you are still on the planet with us. I love you. I appreciate your wisdom, and respect your deep intuition and care. Thanks for giving me life, caring for me, walking me through the stages, getting me a toy after each of the many shots the doctor gave me. Thanks for helping me to be an individual by dressing me in cute and awkward clothes. Thanks for rescuing me from my bad dreams and night terrors. Thanks for unconditionally accepting me. Thanks for all the thousands of chats on the phone, and for still being able to give me a pep talk in a moment of adversity. Thanks for all of my birthday parties. Thanks for grandma and grandpa and … Read entire article »

Filed under: Blessings, Common Ground, Featured, gratitude, parenting advice, parenting help, parenting teens, parenting tips, Relationships, self confidence

Parenting a Child with Bad Behavior

Your 6 year old is demanding a cookie before dinner.  It starts with a request and escalates to a demand and all the way to a temper tantrum and a fit; screaming, yelling, threatening, holding the entire family hostage to the tirade.  Everyone is angry and upset at each other.  You’re having a disturbed dinner, often  going to bed without resolution.  The whole house is turned upside down. It has worked before many times! And it will work again! The child has gotten his way. Your 11-year-old makes everyone late for school or work every day.  He dawdles,  reads, plays on his computer,  teases his older sister and the dog intermittently or goes back to bed instead of getting ready. When asked, told, ordered or even threatened, he acts as if he doesn’t … Read entire article »

Filed under: Common Ground, gratitude, parenting advice, parenting help, parenting teens, parenting tips, Relationships

The Walk of Shame; Glamorizing Drinking

This morning while driving to teach on the first day of school I was listening to the local Pop hip-hop rap favorite station of the kids. You know, the one they listen to on the way to school every day. The morning DJ,  whose name I cannot remember, which is just as well, was being razzed by her colleague and accused of participating in a “walk of shame”.  I listened closely to try to understand what this meant. With clear and overt innuendos, the female DJ explained that last night she had stayed at the bar and was so intoxicated that some “gentleman” she did not know kindly drove her home.  She woke up with “smeared makeup all over”, tired and hung over remembering that when this happened before, she had to … Read entire article »

Filed under: parenting advice, parenting help, parenting teens, parenting tips

Parenting to Grandparenting

As my kids grew up, I remember lamenting the passage of each age, and the loss of the trappings that grace each phase; baby powder, car seats, booster seats, toys everywhere… then school winter concerts, fanciful birthday parties, school dances, the angst of adolescence and of course, my children’s perception that I was all powerful and all knowing. I said a wistful goodbye at each juncture… Well here I am…..again… toy box in living room, booster seat in car… telling goodnight stories to my granddaughter, her head on my shoulder… and moving again through the amazing, dramatic and unfolding lives of my dear teen-age stepchildren. My life with children is like the movie “Groundhog Day”. I cherish all these moments I thought I would never experience again, side by side with my lovely Heather, love of my … Read entire article »

Filed under: parenting advice, parenting help, parenting teens, parenting tips