60
ASK DR. SHARON
doctorotis@nextgenmagazine.org
Keep Responsibility
On Your Kids!
-Denise, Bradenton.
Erma Bombeck was a writer and
comedian for over forty years.
Her titles included, If Life is a Bowl
of Cherries, Why am I in the Pits? and,
At Wit’s End. Erma claimed she had six
children - but we know she actually only
has three.
She said: “I have my three away from
home children - and my three at home
children.” So, you are not the only
mother to pose this question. Be glad the
behavior is not the other way around. You
are doing something right. Your child has
learned to respect authority and follow the
rules in public.
My son would hit the doorway at 3:45pm
and have a tantrum on most days. The
reports I received from the teachers
were not only was he well-behaved, but
he was their favorite student. What was I
doing wrong?
I was a school counselor, so this was
alarming behavior and tore at my selfesteem.
I finally realized he did work hard
to keep his active little body on task, and
when he got home, he was letting out his
pent-up energy. He was usually tired and
had had a hard time focusing for the long
school day.
I learned, though, that I had to quickly
give him my full attention for about twenty
minutes to help with the transition from
school to home. I had to make my “yes”
be “yes”; and my “no” be “no” because I
was too empathetic.
link