Resolve parenting challenges with Carla Naumberg’s self-help book

Carla Naumberg

Being a parent today is not easy. Every age group claims that their ordeal is harder than that of the previous generation, and obviously, I cannot comment on the challenges that my parents or grandparents faced. I can, however, attest that, today, and at least for me, it is not easy. To paint the full picture, you should know that I am a full-time working mother of two and do recognize the expectations that come with that, both from a professional and personal standpoint. As result, I have a hard time ensuring that I am truly present in all that I do and find myself continually multitasking to be sure that everything gets the attention that it needs. Yet, it might also be fair to say that, through all that multitasking, everything doesn’t fully get the “real” attention that it needs, especially my children.

Now I could probably also make the case that being a child today isn’t as easy as it was when I was young. Children seem to have a lot more responsibilities than they did years ago; these include numerous extracurricular activities, increased school standards and testing, and sadly, heightened security measures the adults expect them to take. So, as parents, how do we navigate our own busy lives and those of our children, while also working hard to raise them with the care and responsiveness they need to become self-sufficient, compassionate adults? How do we make sure we are doing right by our children?

If you, like me, are looking for some guidance or validation, join us on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. as Shalom Family welcomes author Carla Naumberg, Ph.D. at the Dwares JCC, for a discussion about her book “Parenting in the Present Moment: How to Stay Focused on What Really Matters.” The parent committees of the David C. Isenberg Family Early Childhood Center and the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island, as well as Camp JORI, are also co-sponsoring this event. As part of the Jewish Book Council, Naumberg has been touring the country sharing various excerpts of her book and practical, simple tips to use in your own situations to ensure that you are connecting with your children in meaningful and effective ways.  “Mindful parenting – or whatever words you want to use to describe connected and effective parenting – isn’t about whether or not or even how often we get it right. It’s about noticing when we have strayed, and getting reoriented,” Naumberg states.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Michelle Cicchitelli, 401-421-4111, ext. 178.

Shalom Family is a program of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

MICHELLE CICCHITELLI is chief programming officer for the Jewish Alliance.