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Life Should Get Better Than it is When You Are Seven
Nationally Recognized Psychologist and Parent Educator Dr. Wendy Mogel Visits St. Margarets Episcopal School

"You don't want your kids to think that life doesn't get any better than it was when they were seven,"" Dr. Wendy Mogel, author of the best-selling parenting book The Blessing of a Skinned Knee said as she spoke to St. Margaret's Episcopal School parents during her visit on Tuesday. She explained that if children are used to getting everything they want with little effort and are continually praised by their parents, they will not be prepared for dealing with failures in life as adults. Dr. Mogel was at St. Margaret's to talk with parents as part of the Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) education series.

In her discussion Dr. Mogel gave thoughtful, practical, inspiring and guiding insights to how to raise children to be good people, not just people who feel good. She explained to parents that it is important to identify their children's nature, talents and passions and help them develop these interests. "Kids are like snowflakes, no two are alike - they are going to develop at their own pace," she said.

PTF Parent Education Chair, Bahara Stapelberg said, "It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm of the parents during Dr. Mogel's visit as they waited in line to meet her." She says that Dr. Mogel has a "unique familiarity and understanding of the obstacles we face in raising emotionally healthy children in an affluent community like southern Orange County...her principles are teachings that are faith-based and trustworthy."

Dr. Mogel spoke to parents about her own personal experiences as well as with those she has discovered through her counseling practice. She offered tools that would allow parents to say "no" to their children when appropriate and encouraged parents to say "yes" as well. She said, "Children need privacy, junk food, fun, downtime and they especially need strong parents."

As parents eagerly asked questions, Dr. Mogel shed light on questions like how a parent should help a child who is being bullied and how to deal with siblings who are constantly fighting. She said, "parents should let their children solve problems on their own...step back, pick out the big weeds in life and sometimes may have to wait a long time to see what they have been given." Dr. Mogel ended her speech with the thought that parents should take a long view of their children and help them to develop compassion and self-reliance rather than focusing on materialism and competition.

Dr. Wendy Mogel is a nationally known clinical psychologist and parent educator. Publisher's Weekly gave her New York Times best-selling parenting book, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, a starred review saying, "Impassioned, lyrical and eminently practical, this volume is a real treasure."

Dr. Mogel has been a keynote speaker at annual meetings for the National Association for Independent Schools, the National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls, the Education Records Bureau, the National Association of Episcopal Schools, the American Montessori Society and the American Camp Association.

Contact:
Anne Mack
949.661.0108 x252
949.400.2055 (mobile)
anne.mack@smes.org