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Health & Fitness

Tackling the Tough Stuff

The toughest topics to talk with your kids about are also usually the most important to talk with your kids about! Weston Youth Services wants to help parents tackle the tough stuff....

 

The toughest topics to talk with your kids about are also usually the most important to talk with your kids about!  Just the thought of discussing sex, alcohol, drugs, violence, divorce, and death may fill some parents with angst.  Parents often worry about what to say, when to say it, and how to say it, and their own feelings (and fears) may send stronger messages than their words.  It’s natural to want to shield children from the harsh realities of the world, and feel uneasy discussing the facts (and especially the fatalities) of life.  However children need reliable information from responsible sources, and it’s crucial for families to find some common and comfortable ground to tackle the tough stuff. 

Weston Youth Services is pleased to present a series of conversations to help prepare families for those conversations.  We will address diverse topics of (dread and) interest such as how to initiate conversations with children about sex, drugs, and alcohol; how to talk with children about tragedy (including illness, death, divorce, or violence); how to tailor details for children of different ages; how to navigate media coverage and internet information; and how to manage feelings of unease and awkwardness during difficult discussions.  Each month we focus on a particular theme and host several interactive sessions co-led by guest speakers to highlight social, psychological, educational, and legal information and issues.  The Youth Services website (www.westonyouthservices.org) will also feature corresponding resources including articles, book recommendations, and suggested organizations and websites. 

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By participating in this series, parents will gain awareness regarding how their own beliefs and behaviors influence children; knowledge about developmental theories, current research, and educational and legal mandates; as well as practical and effective strategies to enhance parent-child communication and relationships.  And most importantly, we hope to give parents the tools and the tenacity to tackle the tough stuff (and maybe even see that it doesn’t have to be so tough after all).

Join us this month as we focus on some of the toughest of the tough - Sex, Drugs, and Rock-and-Roll. 

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Thursday April 4th
7-8:30 pm
Weston Public Library Community Room
Let's talk about sex: A frank discussion with Dr. Bob

Often "the talk" about the birds and the bees is the most dreaded of all, but it doesn't necessarily all get covered in one talk, and it doesn't necessarily need to be so dreadful.   Bring your partner or spouse to this evening event, and bring all the questions you always wanted to ask or were uncertain how to answer.     
Guest speaker: Dr. Bob Selverstone, a licensed psychologist in private practice in Westport, CT, and a retired veteran of 35 years as a public school teacher, counselor and administrator.  He has written for numerous professional journals, been featured in a dozen award-winning educational videos, and has appeared on many radio and TV programs. 

Tuesday April 23rd
12-1:30 pm
Weston Public Library
Discomfort and Dialogue

Conversations about sex, alcohol, and drugs can often be uncomfortable for both parents and their children.  In this interactive seminar we will discuss how particular topics stir particular emotions, and how to deal with such feelings of discomfort when trying to have an open dialogue with children. 
Guest speaker: Jaqueline Lapa Sussman, MS, LPC, a psychotherapist, author, and lecturer and one of the foremost practitioners of eidetic image psychology.  She has delivered lectures and seminars worldwide, and is a longtime Weston resident.  She is the author of several books (including Images of Desire and Freedom from Failure) and numerous articles, and writes a monthly self-help column for Total Health magazine.

And coming in May…..

Mothers as Models and Father Figures  Maternal mindsets and paternal perspectives: Nurturing the next generation of comfortable, confident, and caring men and women 

Coming in June….

Camp, college, and coming of age  Encouraging independence and discouraging indiscretion: How parents can promote growth and good even when they aren’t around

For more information about the series please visit www.westonyouthservices.org.

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