Parenting programs

past programs

Listed below are many of the programs and speakers that Parent to Parent has sponsored.

bullet  Raising Resilient Children and Adolescents. Dr. Robert Brooks, clinical psychologist and author, describes factors that help children and adolescents to deal more effectively with stress and pressure in today’s culture. Parents learn strategies for nurturing self-discipline, self-esteem, responsibility, caring, hope, and resilience in children.

bullet  Successful Transitions to High School. Eighth grade parents participate in small group discussions following the Winchester High School’s annual curriculum overview. The discussion groups are facilitated by high school students and parents and provide an excellent forum in which to learn about classes, homework, social life, and extracurricular activates.

bullet  A Community Dialogue: Parenting in an "Oversexualized, On-line, In-Your-Face World." This discussion features Sharon Maxwell, PH.D., clinical psychologist, and Rick Irving, LISCW, with an introduction by Superintendent William McAlduff; it addresses ways that parents can develop and maintain open lines of communication with their children and provides guidelines for creating safe on-line communication.

bullet  Who Are You Voting For, Mom?" Talking to Children about Power, Leadership and the Presidential Election. Dr. Hesse provides an overview of the development of children's political understanding from early childhood to adolescence, and makes recommendations to parents on how to handle political questions and emotions with their children during the election season.

bullet  Evening with Superintendent William McAlduff. Our annual discussion with the Winchester Superintendent of Schools provides an informal and interactive forum for parents to hear about a wide range of topics and issues in the schools.

bullet  Just for Women: Recapturing Balance, Gaining Perspective in a Frenzied Age. In this talk, renowned work-life author Maggie Jackson provides insights and ideas to help women combat the daily frenzy and find their new pace, frameworks and definitions of success.  

bullet  Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems: An Evening with Dr. Richard Ferber.  Dr. Ferber, Director of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Children's Hospital and world renowned expert on sleep problems, outlines the main causes of sleeplessness in the young child, helps parents to identify these causes, and offers ways to address the problems.

bullet  Successful Transitions to College: Surviving and Thriving. This program, for parents of high schoolers and first year college students, offers a unique opportunity to learn about navigating a successful transition to college. Rick Irving, LICSW, leads a discussion with recent Winchester High School graduates about the joys and challenges of this major transition, and what parents need to know.  

bullet  Whose Homework is it Anyway? Fostering Independence and Responsibility. This interactive workshop offers approaches to promote a positive attitude toward homework. Parents learn strategies to foster independence and avoid power struggles over school work from Susan Marx, a parent educator from Families First.  

bullet  The Pressured Child: Helping your Child Find Success in School and Life. Noted author, Michael Thompson, PhD., speaks to parents, describing the psychological journey that children experience during their thirteen years in school and provides valuable insights from the student perspective.

bullet  Helping Our Children Navigate Today's Culture. Sharon Maxwell, PhD., a licensed clinical psychologist, speaks to parents of children in upper elementary and middle school grades on how to empower their children to become critical thinkers.

bullet  Growing up and Letting Go: Parenting High Schoolers Toward Successful Transitions and Increased Independence. Author and psychotherapist, Madge Treeger, speaks to parents about the evolution of the parent - child relationship that takes place toward the end of high school and throughout the college years. She suggests ways that parents can encourage self-reliance and the development of their adolescent's own identity, interests and pursuits.

bullet  Balanced for Success: Foundations for Excellence in Sport and Life.  Dr. Adam Naylor, sport psychology coach and coordinator of the BU Athletic Enhancement Center, discusses ways to make sport a lifelong adventure and provides strategies to maintain a healthy perspective in families that leads to enjoyment, commitment, and excellence.

bullet  Parenting in a Sexually Charged Culture.   Author and Harvard Medical School Psychologist, Dr. Mark O'Connell speaks to parents about ways they can understand the notion of healthy sexuality, morality, parental authority and their role in shaping their child's emerging relationship skills.

bullet  Understanding Your Child's Learning Style.  Guest speaker, Ann Helmus, PhD, addresses children's learning styles, differences, and when to seek help. She explains how the brain processes and some of the more common issues we see today such as ADHD and Executive Functioning weaknesses.

bullet  Fostering Social Competence in Young Children.  Rick Irving, LICSW, talks to parents of preschool and early elementary aged children on fostering compassion and inclusiveness in children's play and interaction. Rick addresses early social and developmental issues: how to teach tolerance of differences; how to model social skills; and strategies on setting expectations and limit-setting for socially appropriate behavior.

bullet  Addressing Young Children's Questions about Sexuality.  Author and sex educator, Deborah Roffman, offers parents of preschool and elementary school children an array of communication tips and strategies for addressing sexuality with children of all ages.

bullet  Family Matters: Real Life Parenting of Children and teens in Challenging Times.  Nationally renowned author and clinical organizational psychologist, Dr. Rob Evans, speaks to parents of children of all ages in a straightforward, common sense way about raising children to be productive members of society in the face of current cultural challenges.  

bullet  Risky Behaviors: Understanding Risk Taking Behavior and When to be Concerned.  Beth Fredericks, a popular Families First speaker, facilitates an interactive two-part program for high school parents addressing adolescents' need to take risks and sometimes make bad decisions.

bullet  Let's Get Real.  In this jointly sponsored this program, parents and educators watch the film Let's Get Real on bullying behavior. Rick Irving, LICSW, and Hillary Turkewitz, PhD, lead a discussion after the film, addressing ways in which bullying impacts our children.

bullet  Parenting to Empower:  Helping Teens Navigate the Social Challenges of Adolescence.  Developed in conjunction with several community organizations, this program discusses today's social adolescent culture: cliques, teasing, bullying and other common rites of passage. Guest Rosalind Wiseman, well-known author of "Queen Bees and Wannabees," offers strategies and guidance on raising children who can navigate adolescence safely with strong friendships.

bullet  Discussing Diversity with Young Children.  Co-sponsored with the Multicultural Network, this program offers guidance to parents on how to discuss the subject of diversity with young children. Facilitators Rachel Wilson, of the Multicultural Network, and Jon Pfeifer, a K-1 grade teacher from the Lesley Ellis School in Arlington discuss issues such as race, religion, learning differences, sexual preference, and family structures.

bullet  Challenges of Adoption.  This program features Joyce McGuire Pavao, an international expert on adoption issues and challenges. She addresses this topic for all interested adults who are parents, family members, teachers, or friends of adopted individuals and for adults who were adopted themselves or are considering adoption.

bullet  The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness: Strategies for Parents. Best selling author and child psychologist Edward N. Hallowell, M.D., speaks about the ingredients for a childhood that leads to happy, responsible adults. He outlines a plan that all parents can use to foster trust, respect, and joy.

bullet  Understanding the Fantasy Factory: Counteracting Media Images of Women.  This program explores the impact the media has on our children's self image and interactions with one another. Guest speaker, Sut Jhally, Professor of Communication at University of Massachusetts at Amherst, focuses on what parents can do to counteract the negative impact of the popular culture's images of women and girls.

bullet  Weathering the Challenges of Adolescence: Effective Communication and Limit Setting.   Rick Irving, LICSW, offers a range of parenting strategies and addresses topics such as: how to avoid communication traps and maximize your child’s self reflection; how to avoid “taking the bait” and letting your child off the hook; and how to use consequences effectively.

bullet  Raising Responsible Children.  Michael Thompson, co-author of the bestseller Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys,  presents to parents and discusses parenting strategies to strengthen family relationships and promote competence in children.

bullet  Both Sides Now: The "Sandwich Generation" Parenting Children and providing Elder Care.  This workshop, co-sponsored with the Council on Aging, for both seniors and parents of young children, features Paul Marosy, President of the Massachusetts Gerontology Association. He discusses various stressors associated with care giving and offered strategies for coping.

bullet  Helping Our Kids Make the Right Choices: Talking about Drinking and Driving. Kate Schluter, Director of Prevention Programs in the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, leads this workshop. She discusses many of the current trends and statistics involving drinking and driving and shows a video on driving under the influence that is used in high school prevention programs.

bullet  Temperaments and Transitions.  This program, for parents of early elementary school and pre-school aged children, features Dr. Leslie Campis, a local pediatric psychologist. In a very interactive session, she addresses different temperaments and what parents can do to anticipate challenges and facilitate transitions, whether it's a trip to the dentist, attending a summer camp or returning to school in the fall.