Thomas Ramey Watson

happiness

The opportunity to fail–the best gift we can give our children

Mo Issa writes: My parents gave me love, and lots of it, but often faltered in giving me direction. However, the best gift they gave me was the opportunity to fail, and then learn from those failures. That opportunity not only made me stronger, but also instilled in me a sense of responsibility and independence …

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Surviving the holidays after we’ve broken up with our mothers.

This article is by Justin Haley Phillips and centers on a woman’s view, but I know from personal experience that men sometimes have to break up with their mothers too. If a parent is so toxic that you can no longer have contact, then you must distance yourself, female or male. –Thomas Ramey Watson Phillips …

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How To ‘Break Up’ With A Narcissistic Parent

“Realizing and accepting that you have one or more narcissistic parents is a long and intensely painful road,” Julie L. Hall told HuffPost. “That’s because children, even adult children, continue to desire love and approval, often against all reason.” Ultimately, asserting low or no contact with a narcissist parent can be a healthy, liberating choice. …

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Dads Who Are Staking A Claim In The Parenting World

While our culture still often treats dads like bumbling babysitters, American fathers are taking a larger role in parenting responsibilities. A Pew Research study indicated that, in 2014, American dads reported spending almost triple the time watching their children than fathers in the 1960s. And millennial dads have been helping to shift workplace culture because …

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Who Gets to Choose Which Childhood Experiences Are ‘Appropriate’?

Fom Christina Berchini’s thoughtful article: Hard as some parents and guardians might try to shield their children from life’s difficulties and cruelties, other students bring adult issues to our classrooms. I certainly did. My students certainly did. An “appropriate” text, then, is also a text that honors this reality. Students who see their experiences ― …

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8 Underrated Qualities To Look For In A Spouse, According To Experts

There are certain important qualities we’re taught to look for in our romantic partners: Are they honest? Are they strong communicators? Are they good at handling money? And the list goes on. But what about the less obvious signs that someone will make a great husband or wife? We asked relationship experts to tell us …

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