As young children, we were kids on the receiving end of our own parents’ choices. We accepted that they knew best about what we needed. As teens we wondered if they had a clue about who we were.

After watching how it was done, and spending more than a decade of on the job training with kids of our own, what could we possibly not know about being a parent? We know it all, right? (Maybe yes, maybe no.)

How many of you are consciously trying to raise your children differently from the way you were raised?

On some level, we’re all probably trying to do that because there’s always room for improvement.

How many of you find yourself unconsciously saying and doing the same things your parents did?

This probably happens more often than we’d like—and most often when we’re stressed. But unconscious choices rarely improve situations. When we automatically do the same things our parents did, relationships may suffer. We are not our parents. Our children are not us. Our needs are different. Their needs are different. The times are different. We owe it to our kids and to ourselves to create a healthy parent-child relationship in the here and now.

Annie has a deep understanding of kids and the parent-child dynamic. She and her husband David have been happily married for 32 years. They have a 27-year-old daughter and a 21-year-old son.

Annie shares what she knows about parenting in a down-to-earth, non-judgmental way—with lots of compassion and humor. Her Parent Workshops are a great opportunity for parents of 5th-12th graders to:

• Tune in to your kids’ emotional/psychological development
• Explore the role stress plays in your child’s academic and social success
• Improve your own stress management skills so you can parent more effectively
• Broaden your view of success as a parent
• Practice the art of compassionate listening to transform parent-teen relationships from combative lectures into productive dialogues.
• Lighten up and enjoy your kid’s adolescence

Annie offers customized parent education presentation with topics including:

• Why 21st century teens need 21st century parenting
• What’s stressing out today’s teens? Email from the Teen Zone
• What’s love got to do with it? Helping kids understand the physical/emotional/psychological risks of teen sex
• How to keep your balance and your sense of humor when your kids drive you crazy
• Dealing with feelings (so teens don’t turn to drugs)