The Shouldstorm

A great idea from Dr. Alison Escalante: Sigh, See, and Start

"What if people found out that the pediatrician ...?" 

​If being a great parent only required us to read the right articles and follow the advice provided in them, more of us might consider ourselves great, or at least pretty good, parents. But most parents would probably agree that reading and following the advice provided doesn't alway produce the results we expect! No two kids are alike, and we've yet to find any advice that works for everyone who follows it. 

Many corporate leaders tell their employees, "We're paying you to think, not just follow instructions." Jobs that only require people to follow precisely defined instructions rarely pay as much as jobs that require people to think in the midst of challenging situations. And most parents would probably agree that if parenting were a paid gig, it would definitely be one of those jobs that requires a lot of thinking during challenging situations!

Dr. Alison Escalante's recent TEDx Talk called Parenting the "Shouldstorm" is very entertaining and uplifting. She describes how we can get caught up trying to do all of the things others tell us we should be doing, and she recognizes that the advice isn't always helpful. Often, as parents, we've got to think through unique ways of dealing with our challenges. In the TEDx Talk Dr. Escalante outlines a great process for engaging your brain during tough situations, and it might just change the way you parent. We highly recommend it! 

Dr. Alison Escalante is a mother, wife, and primary care pediatrician. ​She has a deep interest in developing children and helping them live rich healthy lives.