Tag Archives: tolerance

Can We Have More Tolerance?

We have talked before here in the Parents Blog about the role and importance of patience in parenting, but we have not spent as much time talking about “tolerance.” I am not talking about tolerance on a societal or community level–but tolerance and ability to show acceptance in our own homes with our own children. Some parents can get confused about the difference between tolerance and leniency. There is a difference between healthy and reasonable tolerance and having loose boundaries. It is one thing to allow our children to misbehave and disobey rules and curfew, and another to accept their … Continue reading →

Help Them Trade Opinions, Not Insults

Telling other people what is what seems to come quite easily for children. I don’t know about yours, but my three have always been rather forthcoming with their opinions and ideas about things. Of course, they also have a tendency to be rather opinionated, intolerant of others’ opinions and downright rude at times when it comes to sharing their ideas so I have found that part of my job as parent is to help them learn how to express and claim their opinions without insulting others or telling them they are “dumb,” “stupid,” or worse… One thing I will ask … Continue reading →

How Much Crying Can You Handle?

All parents are not created equal when it comes to our crying capacity—whether it is the woeful wails of a new baby, or the screams of a frustrated toddler, or even the moody crying of an adolescent—some of us can tolerate it far better than others. How much crying can you handle? And has your ability to tolerate crying from your child actually increased or decreased over the years? I can handle a fair amount of crying from my children—although it has diminished quite a bit now that they are older. What I have noticed, however, is that my ability … Continue reading →

Cocaine: Tolerance, Dependence and Withdrawal

Cocaine is often taken in conjunction with other drugs to offset the negative side effects of the former. Hence tranquillizers, alcohol, marijuana, and heroin are often used to bring the user “down” and to help them sleep. This unfortunate situation means that the regular cocaine user who is dependent on the drug now finds him or herself dependent or a raft of other legal and illegal medications. Use of cocaine during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, or if the baby is carried to full term, may result in a low birth weigh baby, premature delivery, and signs of cocaine … Continue reading →

Tolerance or Boundaries?

My children sometimes accuse me of having “over-developed” boundaries. While they have no idea that I have developed those personal limits and boundaries over the years in response to all sort of life events, I do see how sometimes my boundaries can seem like I am lacking in tolerance. My children are not the only ones who have taken issue with my boundaries–there have been a few others (coworkers and friends) who have wondered where my boundaries stop, and intolerance begins… I think this can be a hard one–both personally and as a parent trying to model both healthy boundaries … Continue reading →

Roll With the Punches

I have a couple of Buddhist friends and one of the things they have taught me is that struggling and fighting with life often just makes things worse. When I read business books, there is an awful lot of war and battle talk—fighting, struggling, and defeating the competition—sometimes, learning to roll with the realities and roll with the punches is the best way to get through a challenging time in your home business. Even the most gifted business people have tough times. Donald Trump has had a bankruptcy or two, for goodness sake. A friend of mine pointed out to … Continue reading →

What Can Be Done to Encourage Tolerance?

“Tolerance” has become a buzz word in recent years in regards to children and diversity. But, as parents, there are every day things we can do to help our children learn to be more tolerant people and incorporate tolerance into their very characters. Learning to tolerate and appreciate people who are different than us is important and necessary in this modern, global world. There are natural, developmental stages that children go through where they are just not inclined to appreciate anything or anyone that seems different. The mid-elementary-school years, and again during the middle-school years are prime times when differences … Continue reading →

Children’s Literature – Stories of Acceptance for Toddlers and Preschoolers

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Odd Velvet By Mary E Whitcomb Illustrated by Tara Calahan King Chronicle Books, 1998 I feel a deep sense of connection to Velvet, the title character of this story of acceptance and uniqueness by Mary E. Whitcomb. I was (and still am) a bit of an odd ball. Like Velvet, I never felt a strong connection to the masses, although, also like Velvet, I never seemed to be too bothered by this fact. Odd Velvet is a modernly illustrated and charming tale representing a childhood utopia, of sorts. Certainly we who are oddballs ourselves, or are parents of oddballs, would … Continue reading →

How Much Drama Can You Handle?

While I have a very high tolerance for chaos and unpredictable upheaval, I have a very low tolerance for drama. It may seem like a paradox—especially for someone living in a houseful of teenagers—but in my mind; there is a big difference between life’s natural chaos and the creation of big drama… What is the difference? Well, for me, chaos seems more organic—like the natural result of family life and just being a person alive on this family. Drama feels like something that is created—either as a distraction, or to fill some psychological need or desire. In my mind, drama … Continue reading →

Words have Meaning

For readers who believe in defending traditional marriage, don’t worry. You have every right to think, feel, and yes, say what you believe. Don’t feel obligated to comment here. Just know it. Look, even Heather says you’re entitled to your opinion: “First and foremost, understand that I respect the rights of everyone to have an opinion and a position.” Yet, there is a caveat. You have that right, but if you don’t agree with gay “marriage” then your opinion is just prejudice and bigotry and that’s all it is. There is no other word for it, in Heather’s opinion. It’s … Continue reading →