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| Dr. Michael J. Bradley |
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Dear Reader, In the past month I've been to 10 cities all around America (and to Toronto as well--I always considered Canada as being American but I was politely corrected there). I've been talking with parents of teenagers about--you guessed it, being parents of teenagers--and I've had a fascinating time. The best parts for me were sitting after hours at book signings and listening to the animated discussions among the parents who initially came to hear me talk, and who then discovered the wonderful wisdom and comfort of their compatriots. You'd think these folks were in the Marine Corps together. The "war" stories, empathy and advice just poured out of these people for one another. One parent would outdo the next: "You think that was embarrassing? Let me tell you about the time that my Johnny..." The instant bonding of these folks was wonderful to see. In Dallas two parents were apparently in too much pain and/or fear to share anything. Yet the other parents seemed to instinctively know that these quiet folks had just gone through a bad time with their child, and they softly rallied around the downcast folks with words of hope and support. In Toronto, there were tears in the eyes of parents who asked me to carry their messages of love, support and prayers to the families of New York City (where I was headed next). In Chicago, well-off parents shook their heads in humble admiration of an impoverished mother who spoke passionately of trying to raise her son in a homeless shelter. There is gold in this sharing! I could feel the sense of relief among these parents in knowing that they were not alone, that others were there to help. This one thing seemed to boost the spirits of everyone in the rooms, lifting them up to better meet the incredible demands of parenting in the new millennium. So then, I want to welcome you all to my extended family. Since my real living room isn't nearly big enough for so many of us, I invite everyone to get together for virtual discussion in my Parenting Forums--the next best thing to sharing in person. You can get to the Forums at join_a_forum.html. It is my sincerest hope that the Forums and this eNewsletter will help to spread wisdom and hope while giving you a place to share with other parents. Hope to see you there! |
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 Editor’s Note: To share your parenting issues, or to get Dr. Bradley's professional advice, please click here to visit Dr. Bradley’s Online Parenting Forum. |