Parenting in Divorce

As my son turned 10 3.5 months ago, I have moved ahead to chapter 6.  This chapter has a great deal to offer, but I think the most important point by far is that at this age it is absolutely key to be emotionally receptive to your child , even when it is hard to do so. Brooke and I see the difficulties Iggy has maintaining friendships and this is a time when friendships are increasingly important.  He wants to be accepted by his friends, however to do so he needs to be independent, whine less, not always strive to be at the center of attention, but learn to lay back, observe, consider where he fits and then insert himself thoughtfully. Whenever he gets upset, I try to engage in reflective conversation: Take a deep breath, try to relax.  A sensitive hug or rub of the back...  Then, how do you feel?  What exactly happened?  How could the interaction have been different?  I'm not sure if this is the right approach, but I do want him to feel that he c...

I have not seen much of Iggy's art lately, which hurts as I watching him create and reading or looking through the work that he loses himself into.  The last art work of his that I was able to appreciate is the comic book that he created with his friend Mason.  I have a scan of it - Kung Fu Granny.  It's pretty funny - an elderly lady - Granny was once a kung fu champion.  She is invited to compete in a tournament and doesn't have anyone to take, so she takes her mailman, but first she trains him.  They go off to China where the tournament is and they win.  As this is collaborative project, I'm not sure how much there is to analyze. Primary points that Helping Your Kids Cope with Divorce are: Context is everything.  Consider why Iggy is drawing what he is drawing. Look at how the work changes overtime, consider consistencies over time. The most important element that I can bring to reading Iggy's art is knowing him. Do not interrupt - let him l...