Show #57: Dr. Robert Brooks- Raising Resilient Children
I can’t think of a better way to help celebrate the 1st Anniversary of the LD Podcast, than my conversation with Dr. Robert Brooks. I met Dr. Brooks almost two years ago now, when he gave a lecture at the Centreville School. He was kind enough to read a book proposal I gave him, and indirectly, our conversations and his encouragement gave me the confidence to start the podcast. So a personal thank you to Dr. Brooks for helping me find my own voice.
Dr. Robert Brooks has lectured nationally and internationally to audiences of parents, educators, mental health professionals, and business people on topics pertaining to motivation, resilience, self-esteem, family relationships, the qualities of effective leaders and executives, and balancing our personal and professional lives.
He has also written extensively about these topics. He is the author of a book titled The Self-Esteem Teacher and co-author with Dr. Sam Goldstein of the following books: Raising Resilient Children; Nurturing Resilience in Our Children: Answers to the Most Important Parenting Questions; Seven Steps to Help Your Child Worry Less (with Kristy Hagar); Angry Children, Worried Parents: Seven Steps to Help Families Manage Anger (with Sharon Weiss); Seven Steps to Improve Your Child’s Social Skills (with Kristy Hagar); Understanding and Managing Children’s Classroom Behavior: Creating Sustainable, Resilient Classrooms, and The Power of Resilience: Achieving Balance, Confidence, and Personal Strength in Your Life (the latter focuses on resilience in adults). In addition, Dr. Brooks is co-author of a book with Drs. Mel Levine and Jack Shonkoff titled A Pediatric Approach to Learning Disorders and has written a sex education book for the young child called So That’s How I Was Born! Drs. Brooks and Goldstein co-edited a textbook titled Handbook of Resilience in Children; they also prepared a parenting video and curriculum about resilience and have produced a documentary “Tough Times, Resilient Kids” that was a finalist in the 23rd Telly Awards.
Dr. Brooks received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Clark University and did additional training at the University of Colorado Medical School. He is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and has served as Director of the Department of Psychology at McLean Hospital, a private psychiatric hospital. His first position at McLean Hospital was as principal of the school in the locked door unit of the child and adolescent program. He has a part-time private practice in which he sees children, adolescents, adults, and families and has appeared regularly on television shows in the Boston area as well as on national cable television.
Dr. Brooks and Dr. Goldstein also have a new book coming out at the end of the summer, entitled The Self-Disciplined Child- something I know we all want for our kids and for ourselves.
In this first part of our two part conversation, we talk about what it takes to be a succcessful adult. Many kids with LD have a hard road to travel down, but their approach and attitude towards these difficulties can make all the difference in the world. We talk about LD being not an excuse, but an inderstanding of where a child is coming from; holding kids accountable for their actions, finding those Islands of Competence, and taking a strength-based approach to your child.
In part II, we’ll talk more about changing negative scripts, strategies to get desired results, Listening to your children to understand what’s really going on, and knowing how your children would describe you versus how you want them to describe you.
Dr. Brooks has an excellent website where you can find out more about his writings, subscribe to monthly articles, read past articles, and even find out if he is speaking in your area. You can purchase his books through this link to our LD Podcast Amazon Bookstore, where you’ll find links to books we’ve discussed.
We’d like to put together a show all about you, the listeners, so please call into the voicemail line at (206) 666-2343, or send your emails to ldpodcast@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!
Click Here to listen/download Dr. Robert Brooks- Raising Resilient Children Part I
Show #56- Anne Ford and John Richard Thompson
This is the last of our three part conversation with Anne Ford and John Richard Thompson about their new book, On Their Own: Creating an Independent Future for Your Adult Child with Learning Disabilities and ADHD, published by New Market Press. We talk about how we need to help kids develop self-advocacy skills, in order to help them succeed in the workplace. We also talk about life coaches, accommodations and estate planning. Many thanks again to Anne & John for their time and their truly wonderful book!
Congratulations to our book winners so far – Kim, Tracey, Sue, Terry, Shelly and Patty!
Thanks to Joey and Patty for their audio comments- I will include them in an upcoming show. Please keep those comments and emails coming- I’d like to have enough to do an audience -participation show, answering questions, playing comments, and making you part of our growing community.
Please send an email to ldpodcast@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at (206) 666-2343 !
I’d also love it if any listener would take a moment and leave a review of the show on itunes- it will help the show break into the top 100 featured shows- even if you don’t listen through itunes!
Subscriptions: There is no charge for subscribing to the show through any “podcatcher” or through itunes- subscription just means the latest show will be automatically delievered to your computer once it is posted.
New Free Reading Material!
I’ve also recently added a chapter from my book-in-progress, in PDF format, if you are interested. You’ll have to go to the main website at www.ldpodcast.com to get it, though. It’s about the basics of brain and cognitive development in kids, presented in a “Bill Nye The Science Guy” way for parents. For me at least, it always has been helpful to know what part of a child’s issues might be developmental (They’ll get better over time as they get older) and which parts are hard-wired (this is something in their basic makeup and unlikely to change much). I am eager to hear what you think- if you do read it, please send you feedback to me at ldpodcast@gmail.com. Any and all feedback, positive, negative, indifferent- is all valuable and helpful, so please be honest!
Upcoming shows:
Dr. Robert Brooks- All about Raising Resilient Children and Raising a Self-Disciplined Child
Jan Olsen- Handwriting Without Tears- a great handwriting program used in many schools that you can use easily at home!
Click here to download or listen to Anne Ford & John Richard Thompson- Jobs, Self-Advocacy, Life Coaches & Estate Planning