SEPTA Event Encourages Positive Communication Between Parents and Children

Dr. Robert Brooks, author of "Raising Resilient Children," presented information from his new book to Commack parents in a special event held at  on Tuesday night. 

The event was attended by almost 200 parents and was sponsored by Commack Union Free School District's Special Education Parent-Teacher Association and the Children and Adults with Hyperactive/Attention Deficient Disorder of Suffolk County. Brooks used the opportunity to explain many of the key concepts in his new book. 

"If you come home and ask kids automatically, 'Did you do your homework?' think about the reverse," Brooks said. "What if you came home from work and someone automatically said, 'Did you finish all your work today?'"

Instead, Brooks encouraged parents to simply ask their children to tell them about school.

The presentation also focused on the idea that though many parents have certain hopes for their children, the areas they would like their kids to excel in may not always be activities in which they actually do.

"Most kids don't live up to what we hoped," said Brooks. "It's tough to say, but some kids' strengths aren't honored by parents and teachers."

Through a series of personal anecdotes, as well as a few stories of patients he's seen, Brooks reinforced the idea that the strongest deciding factor in the development of a child can be the presence of a charismatic figure.  While noting that every child is different at birth, he said that studies have shown that children who have even just one person to look up to show better developmental growth than those who don't. Simply using the right tone can have a tremendous effect.

Brooks took questions from parents on a range of topics, including corporal punishment and pursuing a child's dream. He also encouraged parents and teachers to ask for children's help, in order to make them feel important. Above all else, Brooks ended on one statement, "Know your child."

Shannon Veitch Storms, the SEPTA coordinator for the event, said they chose Brooks for his entertaining and informative manner.

"We feel self esteem is so important," Veitch Storms said. "With all the drug use these days and everything else going on, we care about the well-being of all children."

While many parents were hesitant to speak up at the end of the night, the audience as whole was very receptive to Brooks.  Throughout the presentation Brooks was met with both laughter and applause, and as things wrapped up his final anecdotes left many parents reflecting on how they interact with their children.