Category: Health with Peter Brooks

A recent study from Cornell University concluded that the vast majority of parents today want to be “intensive parents”.  According to USA Today, “moms and dads want to be involved with their kids at all times. And they do it whether or not they realistically have the time or money to do so”. Researchers described the intensive parenting style as helicopter parenting on steroids, in which parents are defined as hovering, setting their child’s schedule and mitigating risk and failure.

Dr. Randy Carlson instead recently offered some suggestions on becoming an “Intentional Parent”:

1. I will not do for my children what they can do for themselves—when I do, I disrespect them.
   Therefore my son, be strong in the grace of Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1)
2. I will not over-react when my child over-reacts—when I do, we both lose.
   And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. (Colossians 3:15)
3. I will not rescue my children from life lessons they need to learn—when I do, I weaken them.
   We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-4)
4. I will not treat my teenager like a child—when I do, I create resentment.
   Speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)
5. I will not be dissuaded from doing right, despite anger, tears, cursing or threats—when I do, I am an irresponsible parent.
   Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21)
6. I will pick my parenting battles carefully—because it’s more important to be the right parent than to be right.
   Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life. (Proverbs 4:23)
7. I will give lots of encouragement—because it will help my child to succeed.
   We urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1)
8. I will provide training, instruction and support as needed—because that’s my job.
   Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. (Proverbs 4:13)
9. I will pray daily for my children—because my children belong to God.
   So I never stop being grateful for you, as I mention you in my prayers. I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God’s people. (Ephesians 1:16-18)
10. I will be an Intentional Parent—because my children need to feel secure in my love for them.
    Instead, I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother’s arms, so my heart is quiet within me. (Psalm 131:2)

© 2016 by Randy Carlson

Some interesting research coming out of one corner of Family Life Nation!

If you (or a loved one) have been affected by mental decline, check this out and #experienceHOPE

 

From AP:

“The excitement in the Alzheimer’s field right now is prevention,” said Dr. Eric Reiman, executive director of the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute in Phoenix, which is leading the work.

Science so far has failed to find a drug that can alter the progression of Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia; 146 attempts have failed over the last decade, a recent industry report found. Even drugs that help remove the sticky plaques that clog the brains of people with the disease have not yet proved able to stave off mental decline.

It may be that they were tried too late, like lowering cholesterol after someone has suffered a heart attack whose damage can’t be undone, Reiman said.

Scientists so far have been unable to find a treatment to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s in people who already have some mental decline. So two large studies are trying to prevent Alzheimer’s by targeting the very first brain changes. (Oct. 2)

“What we have been learning, painfully, is that if we really want to come up with therapies that will modify the disease, we need to start very, very, very early,” said Dr. Eliezer Masliah, neuroscience chief at the National Institute on Aging.

His agency is funding the prevention studies with the Alzheimer’s Association, several foundations, and Novartis and Amgen, makers of two experimental drugs being tested.

 

The goal is to try to block the earliest steps of plaque formation in healthy people who show no symptoms of dementia but are at higher risk for it because of age and a gene that makes it more likely.

To participate, people must first join GeneMatch, a confidential registry of folks interested in volunteering for various Alzheimer’s studies who are ages 55 to 75 and have not been diagnosed with any mental decline.

They are checked for the APOE4 gene, which doesn’t destine someone to develop Alzheimer’s but raises that risk. About one in four people have one copy of the gene and about 2 percent have two copies, one from each parent.

The goal is to try to block the earliest steps of plaque formation in healthy people who show no symptoms of dementia but are at higher risk for it because of age and a gene that makes it more likely.

 

To participate, people must first join GeneMatch, a confidential registry of folks interested in volunteering for various Alzheimer’s studies who are ages 55 to 75 and have not been diagnosed with any mental decline.