Conversations Concerning Sex and Sexuality

Posted by: Asa Don Brown on November 28, 2012 2:56 pm

The mind of a child is a precious thing. Parents frequently struggle with knowing when, why, and how to discuss sex and sexuality with their child. Parents may have a wide range of questions themselves pertaining to the timing, the nature, and appropriateness of such conversations.

When is it appropriate to discuss sex and sexuality with a child?
Should a parent inform a child of sexual acts? Or, should a child learn about sexual relationship on his / her own?
How old should a child be when he / she learn of sexual relationships?
Is it ever appropriate to discuss sex with your child?
Should the mother or father discuss the sex and sexuality with their child? Or both?
When is it not appropriate to converse about sex and sexuality?
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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

Bullying

Posted by: Asa Don Brown on October 24, 2012 11:22 am

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Bullying is in simple; hate or loathing of one’s self or life projected upon the life of another. Rarely have I had a patient / client who bullied that felt “good” about his/her bullying. If so, I found that this individual had such an unawareness of his/her own person that the “goodness” being experienced was a perverted happiness rather than a real joy or adulation.

The grave effect of bullying in our youth lasts long into adulthood. Bullying acts as a cancer of the mind, soul, and spirit. It is one of the greatest depravities of the human condition. Bullying corrupts not only the mind, thoughts, and spirits of its intended victims, but moreover, it has an equally dire effect on the perpetrator enacting it.

Bullies are neither happy nor content with their lives. Bullies are reconciled that “life” will not improve, thus there is an awkward sort of coexistence between the bullies and their instrument of hate. Bullies are most certainly victims themselves.

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

The Effect of Hate on Children

Posted by: Asa Don Brown on September 28, 2012 4:16 pm

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“I have decided to stick to love…Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Webster’s Dictionary (2012) defines hate as an “intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury. It is an extreme dislike or antipathy (and in most cases, there is) an object of hatred.”

Children who are exposed to hate are prone to a world of disorder, conflict, turmoil, strife, and an array of injustices. Hate is the catalyst for human depravity and personal decay. The typical foundations of hate begin in adolescence, they begin to blossom in the early life of a child. Hate is rarely founded and always based on an indifference between peoples.

DEFINING HATE CRIMES

The National Association of Social Workers definition is: “Hate violence crimes are those directed against persons, families, groups, or organizations because of their racial, ethnic, religious, or sexual identities or their sexual orientation or condition of disability.” (Barnes & Ephross, 2012, Online)

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

Managing Disruptive Behaviors in the Classroom

Posted by: Asa Don Brown on March 13, 2012 9:49 am

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The classroom is a rapidly shifting and volatile environment. “It is essential to this learning environment that respect for the rights of others seeking to learn, respect for the professionalism of the instructor (teacher), and the general goals of academic freedom are maintained. Occasionally, faculty members find that they can not provide effective classroom instruction because of disruptions.” (Butler University, 2012, Online)

When a child is disruptive in the classroom, this can cause other children to perform poorly, as well as, igniting other children to become agitated, emotionally distraught, and insecure in the safety of their classroom. Unfortunately, disruptive behaviors act as a bong vibrating throughout the learning environment.

Disruptive children may or may not recognize the repercussions of their behaviors, attitudes and perceptions. “Children who have habits of behaving in hostile and aggressive ways are almost universally disliked. They are disliked by their peers, siblings, neighbors, teachers and not infrequently by their parents.” (Braman, p. 149, 1997) Regrettably, disruptive children are often lost to their own negative behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions. Leaving an impression upon the child that they are worthless, underserving, and alone. “The habitually hostile child learns early that his (her) behaviors is not going to earn him (her) the love and affection he (she) so desperately wants.” (Braman, p.149, 1997) Continue reading →

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

Back to School

Posted by: Asa Don Brown on October 13, 2011 11:09 am

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At this point-in-time, your child has probably been in school for two-to-four weeks. They are beginning to acclimatize to being back in the school routine. For many children, returning to school ignites insecurities, anxieties, and feelings of apprehension.

For others, they return to school feeling jubilant and expressing great happiness.

Why the dichotomy of emotion? There are many reasons children develop these mixed emotions. For children who are dreading a return to school; it is often one singular negative experience that ignites their imagination. Why would a child allow a singular event to damper their academic pursuits? Children need to feel, experience, and ultimately be included. Inclusion is the heart and soul of personal acceptance and worth.

What are some of the causations of such dread? Children may avoid or dread school because of a history of being bullied; they may find the academic process personally challenging or overwhelming; they may have failed or performed poorly in a class; they may have had teachers who were focused on their own personal matters, allowing the child to become lost in the academic cycle.

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

Developing A Relationship With Your Child’s Teachers And School

Posted by: Asa Don Brown on June 27, 2011 2:17 pm

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Parental involvement is the key ingredient to developing and maintaining good rapport within your child’s academic endeavors. As parents, being involved can be a balancing act, because voicing too many opinions can be seen as overbearing. Yet, avoiding voicing your desires or opinions can be a detriment to the needs of your child. We must remember that teachers are people too. They have feelings, emotions, and personal needs, thus it is important to show your child’s teachers respect and dignity.

In many circumstances teachers are being overworked, underpaid, and overburdened by their classroom sizes. Schools are being forced to cut costs and reduce their financial obligations. The financial burdens play a role in the lives of the parents, teachers, school administrations, and the individual student.

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

The Significance of a Smile on the Life of a Child

Posted by: Asa Don Brown on June 13, 2011 1:11 pm

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What is a smile? A smile is a nonverbal expression of emotion. Smiling can indicate a host of emotions including joy, happiness, sorrow, sadness, cheerfulness, tearfulness, and lightheartedness. Smiling can be accompanied by other nonverbal communication including body language, posture, facial expressions, eye contact, physical artifacts (clothing or apparel), and voice and speech inflections.

Harwood (2006) discussed how the very gesture of a smile within the first developmental years has a significant role in the development of a child’s ability to empathize and self-regulate his or her own emotions. Therefore, if a child is unable to self-regulate, it is a possibility that the primary caregiver did not show a proper amount of affection. Research seems to indicate that if a child is traumatized during childhood, it is especially important to have such a connection with a primary caregiver.

During my own doctoral research which focused on “The effects of childhood trauma on adult perception and worldview,” it was discovered that a parent’s smile played a significant role in the life of a child. My research used a number of instruments including the Parental Bonding Inventory, which looked at an adult’s memories associated with the role of their parents on their own childhood. “The PBI provided clarification that smiles or a lack of smiles are significant in the relationship between parent and child. Twenty-three of the participants recalled receiving smiles from their mothers as children, and 17 of the participants recalled receiving smiles from their fathers as children, whereas only 11 participants recalled that their mothers had not smiled at them during childhood, and 15 recalled that their fathers had not smiled at them during childhood. The significance of a smile arose when considering comforting and reassurance following a traumatic event. Furthermore, it is significant when considering how one’s perceptions of one’s parents frequently are reflected on one’s own feelings of acceptance, self-worth, self-image, and the essence of one’s self-esteem.” (Brown, 2008, p. 84-85)

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*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

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