Sunday

can we talk?

Hi there -

I am working on my new book, which will be published by SOFT SKULL PRESS in 2007.

It's a book about parenting, although most definitely NOT a parenting "how-to" book. It's called "Let Them Run With Scissors," and it's about "over-parenting," and how it's bad for kids and families. (Just to be clear, I don't really advocate anyone running with any pointy, sharp objects. The title is satirical ;-)

I am going to be interviewing parents from all over the country as I write. So if you are a parent of a child of any age - birth to college age - and you would be willing to let me ask you some questions about how you parent, please e-mail me at:

scissorsbook - at - yahoo.com

Just drop a note letting me know how old your kid(s) are and what area of the country you live in.

And please pass this message along to any and all parents you know who might be willing to let me interview them.

Thanks!

Katie Allison Granju
Author of "Attachment Parenting: Instinctive Care for Your Baby and Young Child" (Simon and Schuster)
www.katiealisongranju.com

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Katie,
Becky here. mom of Willie. I would be glad to help you in any way I can.
becky

Anonymous said...

Katie.
Here i am
Mom of two:
Mathias 7
Colin 5
We are a UU family.
We are an attached family
Living in "The OC"
Really!
Our kids go to a Waldorf School...
You can ask me anything, I am an open book
Or blog if you prefer!

Erika
http://uumomma.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Hey Katie,
I am a mother of a 3 year old..just a feel what's right parenting style. I live in CO.
Do you have an email address to reach you more directly?
send info through the Boulder Rockn moms site. Thanks.

ned said...

Sounds interesting Katie--I heard about your book/post/blog from NashvilleIsTalking.com.

I believe that what you have termed "overparenting" may be more of imbalanced parenting which almost without exception tips in the direction of an overly-cautious, more domineering (less-passive) parent; I see too many dads who would be more than willing to let their child fall off a one-foot-high balance beam/rotten log yield to the protective mom.

It's natural for a mother to nurture; it's natural for a dad to allow risk-taking; unfortunately, it's also natural for a dad to defer to a mom in all parenting decisions. My wife and I constantly deal with this "tension" of parenting inclinations.

For what it's worth . . .

Anonymous said...

I'd be happy to help in anyway I can. I'm a Counseling Graduate student in favor of balanced parenting which is in opposition to some of the parents around me.
JANELLE
Westminster, CO

Anonymous said...

The term "helicopter parents" is a pejorative expression for parents that has been widely used in the media; however, there has been little academic research into the phenomenon. Although the term seems to have originated and been in use among schoolteachers as far back as 1991, it only gained wide currency when American college administrators began using it in the early 2000s as the Millennial Generation began reaching college age. Their late-wave baby-boomer parents in turn earned notoriety for practices such as calling their children each morning to wake them up for class and complaining to their professors about grades the children had received. Some of these parents had, in fact, chosen the child's college, and hired consultants to help fine-tune the application process.

Today some parents of students in the primary and secondary grades have attempted to neutralize the term by openly referring to themselves as helicopter parents and wearing t-shirts sporting the logo "helicopter parents."

Jennifer Yoakum said...

I'm interested in your questions as I'm curious about my parenting style - very hands-off, no micromanaging here. My goal is to raise self-reliant, capable women (3 girls) who are confident in their own skins. So far so good, though I sometimes wonder if they'll someday resent me for making them take care of themselves so much. Ask away! Jennifer