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The Innovative Parent: Raising Connected, Happy, Successful Kids through Art
200Overview
2019 National Parenting Products Award Winner
Even the best talk-based practices in parenting can be limiting. How can art help parents temper storms of emotion, defuse sibling conflicts, get teeth brushed, and raise happy, successful kids? In The Innovative Parent, Erica Curtis and Ping Ho integrate cutting-edge research, years of clinical expertise, and their own parenting experience into a revolutionary yet practical guide to creative parenting. Plentiful illustrations and anecdotes bring concepts to life and show art in action with kids and parents.
Together, Curtis and Ho let parents in on art therapy trade secrets to help children make sense of emotions, build connections with others, develop problem-solving skills, resolve day-to-day conflicts, process and retain information, confront fears and anxiety, and much more. These are complex tasks for something as seemingly simple as making art, yet therein lies the beauty of The Innovative Parent: its down-to-earth approach is simple, doable, and fun.
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9780804012157 |
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Publisher: | Ohio University Press |
Publication date: | 04/15/2019 |
Pages: | 200 |
Product dimensions: | 7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.60(d) |
About the Author
Erica Curtis is a board-certified art therapist, licensed marriage and family therapist, and internationally cited expert on parenting, relationships, and mental health, specializing in creative and cutting-edge approaches to psychotherapy and teaching. She lives in southern California with her husband and three children.
Ping Ho is founder and director of UCLArts & Healing, which offers training and community education in the use of creative expression for self-discovery, connection, and empowerment. She has master’s degrees in counseling psychology and public health, and an extensive background in the performing arts. She and her husband have raised two children and now have two young grandchildren.
Table of Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xi
How to Use This Book xiii
Chapter 1 Talk Less, Draw, Dance, and Sing More 1
Why art? 1
When words aren't enough 3
Keep parenting goals in mind 6
Find the fun 7
The not-so-artsy parent 9
Chapter 2 Why We Love to Hate Glitter Glue (and Other Struggles with Art) 11
Where limits meet freedom of expression 12
Messy, loud, and off-key 20
Destruction 25
Letting go 33
Chapter 3 Survive the Day 36
Creative cures to conflicts 37
Time to brush teeth, doo wop, doo wop 45
Behavior is communication (even with siblings) 49
Buyers beware 53
(Useful) praise 56
Chapter 4 Connect First 62
A hidden language 63
A doorway to talking 73
Rebuild lost connection 77
The ties that bind 84
When kids struggle to connect 87
Chapter 5 Raise Happy Kids 93
Tolerating challenging feelings 94
Releasing and containing feelings 102
A reflection of the self 111
De-Stress 120
Confronting fears 123
Chapter 6 Raise Successful Kids 130
Maximize the nutritional content of art 130
Why creative thinkers matter … a lot 132
From preschool to graduate school 138
But I am paying attention 148
Hidden barriers to academic success 154
Chapter 7 Tap Into Your Own Inner Artist 158
Develop a creative mindset 158
Find inspiration in the mundane 160
Use mental imagery to get unstuck 163
Access your inner resources 166
Relax and recharge 174
Epilogue 181
Appendix 1 Guidelines for Talking about Art and Life 183
Appendix 2 Supplies to Get Started 189
Appendix 3 Where to Put All That Art 191
Appendix 4 A Word on the Creative Arts Therapies 193
References 197
Index 211