Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 215

In this episode, Dr. Shaw once again takes the opportunity to share how positivity can be found as the silver lining of difficult situations.   Her home in Florida was affected by a recent hurricane and she discusses the fallout from that challenging event and how resilience remains an important trait.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 214

In this episode, Dr. Shaw presents a personal point of view regarding the feelings that some folks are having following the recent US Presidential election.  As an educator, Dr. Shaw focused on teaching humanity (just like with the title of this podcast), and for someone with her history it could be easy to be frustrated or scared or shocked by the recent political outcomes across the U.S. because teaching humanity involves teaching about kindness, inclusion, tolerance, respect and so much more... and those things seemed to be clearly missing from the winning team in this election cycle.  Her point of view here, however, is positive.  She offers advice on how we should all remain patient and positive because what happened had an element of inevitability.  She encourages everyone to stay strong and positive and keep focused on the best possible outcomes in the future.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 213

In this episode Dr. Shaw addresses the notion of having confidence.  She begins by noting that, often in life, individuals who have confidence will go further than those who possess actual talent but lack confidence.  Dr. Shaw shares that this is hot topic for her personally, and that in fact while she is working on a new book, she tends to ask the question, "Am I really qualified to create this book?"   It really comes down to being an internal battle with self-doubt, and that can often be the re-appearance of an old "muscle," one that lacks confidence.  The idea is to exercise a new muscle that exudes confidence.  She points out that we all need to recognize those habits that don't serve us and to transform those negative thoughts into the feeling that "yes, I can."  Additionally, if you are going to allow anyone to be a coach for you in life, make sure that they are the kind of coach that lifts you up and doesn't keep you down.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 212

In this episode, Dr. Shaw discusses how we overcome grief and how we allow ourselves to have the feelings that we have.  We cannot suppress certain feelings.. we have to feel them.  For her personally, self-observation followed by reflection on her own behavior leads her to her own transformation or adjustment from one mood to another.  She questions whether there is sometimes a need to be sad.  Sometimes there may be an unconscious addiction to feeling a certain way.  Sometimes depression feeds us.  Sometimes there are external forces that steer us to negativity.  Sometimes we are the cause of our own suffering.  Regardless of the causes, it's important to observe ourselves and recognize the state of our being in order to adjust and have the most fulfilling lives. 

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 211

In this very brief episode, Dr. Shaw introduces us to a new concept that she is developing as a program to assist families.   In schools, many students will be given an IEP or Individual Education Plan which is a document that identifies a given student's needs and outlines how those needs will be met.  Dr. Shaw believes that given the stresses and strains of life right now, many FAMILIES need a similar structure in order to have the best practices of family life come into play.  To that end, Dr. Shaw is beginning to offer her services in developing FEP's or Family Education Plans.  She briefly describes her new project on this podcast with more details to follow.   You can always learn more online about Dr. Shaw's history and her work and you can also contact her, all via her website at www.LearnWithMeRemotely.com.  

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 210

In this episode, Dr. Shaw takes a look at the need to balance the essence of a child with the developing personality of a child during a child's growth and emergence into being a person.  Their essence is that innocence and spirit that a young child has, the purity that enables them to be friendly and approachable and joyful about living and learning.  Their personality is that socialized side of a youngster where learned behaviors can inspire caution or the holding back of true expression.  Both are important ingredients for a child... you want your child to have an exuberance, yet they also need guardrails and boundaries in life for their own safety and protection and simply in order to fit in.  As with so many aspects of life and child-rearing, it's all about balance.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 209

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw puts forth the notion that it is important to see yourself as you are in order to effectuate change in your life.  While working on oneself, we need to be reflective and intentional and monitor our attention.  By doing so we build stamina and increase the muscle of patience and of having objectivity.  We all have blind spots, but when build up our attention we can eliminate those blind spots.  Also, much of the time that it seems as though change isn't happening, it actually slowly is.   The exercise of seeing oneself is actually the mechanism for change.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 208

This week Dr. Shaw follows up on her last podcast where she had discussed those moments when young children are experiencing anxiety.  She begins her parenting advice this week by suggesting that we tell our children that those feelings of anxiety are natural and part of life and that can be done by sharing one's own experiences of feeling anxious, but only if that sharing is developmentally appropriate.  It's also helpful to remind our children that all moments pass, both the happy ones and the negative ones.  The key is maintaining an inner sense of well-being.  Challenges are just an invitation to overcome them and learn from that experience and one can't live in the negative space of an anxious moment.  Additionally, letting young children know that you once went through difficult times successfully will help them not get bogged down by anxiety.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 207

In this episode you'll find a valuable conversation about something that has become more common among children, the experience of having anxiety.  Dr. Shaw begins by questioning whether not not there is a true and thriving and growing trend for children to experience nervousness.  She tables that discussion and then uses illustrative examples to lay out a real strategy for your children when it comes to dealing with anxiety... among the strategies are to be open and honest, to model or discuss your own anxieties with your child, and to consider counseling.  Anxiety among children is on the rise, and understanding the best possible approaches in parenting can be extremely helpful.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 206

In this episode, Dr. Shaw discusses how, while parenting, one must trust the process.  She begins by sharing an example of a parent who was in communication with their family's small private school about classroom assignments and how this one family didn't end up getting the path that they wanted for their child.  Dr. Shaw looks at that situation, evaluates the plusses and minuses of what happened and offers a perfect strategy for that parent, and it's a solution that gives the disappointed family full control of their destiny.  Her philosophy is that there are any number of situations in family life where trust in one's own gut instinct can be the most beneficial tool, 

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 205

In this episode, Dr. Shaw discusses how your perception, particularly about yourself, can impact the way in which you show up in life and manifest your place in the world.  Here she focuses on that notion by recounting a recent interaction she had with a young man with physical challenges.  As a long-time teacher, she made the comment while interacting with this young man and in some ways, everyone has special needs, but her comment landed on him a offensive.  The young man felt that his obvious impairments could not be compared to someone with fewer challenges.  They had a lively discussion and ended their interaction with hugs, but her philosophy is such that Dr. Shaw puts forth that if you see yourself as something.... disabled, angry, unlucky, negative... your perception will manifest your reality.  

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 204

In this very personal episode, Dr. Shaw reflects on a recent experience during which she participated in the celebration of an old and dear friend.  The friend was also a body-worker/healer who helped Dr. Shaw's family many years ago and through difficult times, and she talks here about what it was like to be included in that recent celebration and to experience the reciprocal exchange of love and admiration at that event.  Dr. Shaw always promotes the idea that a life well-lived is a life full of love, and that brings up an examination of how you get that kind of life.  She believes that it comes down to the choices you make.  Identify what you want in life, and decide how you will get it.  It's a lesson for all of us... for children and adults alike.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 203

In this episode, Dr. Shaw discusses the importance of learning from observing yourself.  In order to illustrate how that works, she shares a personal story about giving parenting advice to her own daughter who reacted by resisting taking her advice.  She watched herself feel somewhat hurt and offended and then feel embarrassed and disappointed in herself for being offended.   Her principles, however, include the notion that timing is important and that patience is indeed a virtue, and she was able to re-visit the situation with her daughter later in a manner that allowed for a peaceful "agree to disagree" scenario.   It was an important lesson in perception versus reality and it was also a lesson in how self-observation can be so beneficial.  Being mindful of how we show up in the world and modeling appropriate behavior is always a winning formula.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 202

In this brief but very useful episode, Dr. Shaw talks about the balancing act that parents must maintain with their children when it comes to making commitments that require time, energy, effort and more.   The key is balance... balancing the desire to have your child participate in something fun, healthy and/or productive but then facing the reality sometimes that the commitment you made has pitfalls.  How do you juggle not being a quitter with actually taking a path that is different that what you had planned for any number of reasons.   Dr. Shaw shares a personal anecdote about her own recent experience with this kind of dilemma, and she offers solid advice (as usual) for different approaches and strategies that you can use within your own family.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 201

In this episode, Dr. Shaw tackles the topic of what happens when we defend our positions during the course of disagreements.   Her discussion was spurred by a recent personal experience, and it has been Dr. Shaw's philosophy for a long time to not take things personally.  When confronted, most people get defensive, but when defending your position you are actually not being open to potentially valuable points of view.... plus, it's a waste of energy and disrespectful to the other person who is speaking with you.  Dr. Shaw also admits that in the recent case where she didn't defend her position that the person she was dealing with was not really in her inner circle, and there's an important lesson in that... we and our children can all "practice" not being defensive and not taking it personally when the situation and the relationship isn't emotionally charged.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 200

On this episode, Dr. Shaw celebrates the milestone presentation of her 200th podcast.  During this reflective installment of her series, she reviews a number of the concepts that she has discussed throughout the four years that she's been delivering a weekly message via this venue.  She enumerates many of the life-lessons that she has presented throughout this series and she lays out some of the axioms and guidelines that she lives by every day as an educator, as a member of a close-knit family, as a thinker and as a member of the global community.  We all need to take time to reflect, and this episode provides a lovely and earnest recap of Dr. Shaw's teachings.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 199

This podcast is an immediate follow-up to last week's episode in which Dr. Shaw speaks about her philosophy that timing is everything.... but she's not necessarily talking about the timing that you might assume she's referring to.... she's really focused on patience in life, not about coincidence and not about immediate gratification.   She's also talking about the kind of patience that allows the truth is revealed.   Dr. Shaw feels there's a connection between moments when one is full of ego, one can't be patient.   When an individual is full of ego they only care about convincing others that they are right.   When egoless, the experience is fulfilling enough.   There is also a practicality in this philosophy in getting things done with our children, and she offers valuable advice on how that can work.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 198

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw focuses on how, in life, timing can be everything.   She runs through several examples and scenarios to illustrate how waiting for the right moment can pay off... timing can deliver you the right relationship, timing can help students in school when a child needs an extra moment, patience can keep you centered or when you are waiting for word about a school application or a job or acceptance into a club or sports team.   Unanswered prayers need a moment to be answered, and often the answer can come in disguise.  Even having the right conversation with your child about anything from a temper tantrum to an awkward moment that we are navigating, may require just the right time to be effective.   Life ebbs and flows, and patience through the process pays off.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 197

In this brief but insightful episode, Dr. Shaw talks about teaching our children to be flexible.  As with other tenets of Dr. Shaw's philosophy, teaching flexibility begins with proper modeling for our children.  When an adult behaves in a frustrated or inflexible manner, which will happen, it's important to point out that behavior and also explore the situation that you are in for the learning lessons built into it.   When we react in a negative way, we should note and mark it and then strive to be better next time.  We need to show up in the best possible way, and we need to teach our children that it's ok to be different from one another as in our differences and our ability to be flexible with one another, that's how we demonstrate and learn true acceptance.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 196

In this very personal episode, Dr. Shaw shares her recent experience of having her adult son hospitalized with an serious condition and what her learning lessons were from that adventure.... and the lesson is that it's all about how you show up.   She discusses some of the ups and downs of advocating for her son Joshua in the hospital and how encountering different personalities among the doctors and nurses re-taught her that flexibility is often the key.   Sometimes you have to be assertive, sometimes you have to make peace, but all the time one needs to keep in mind that you are not likely to change the other person by your behavior.   All one can do is be themselves with honesty and integrity and that gets you through the negative as well as the positive.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 195

In this brief but important episode, Dr. Shaw discusses the need for setting boundaries for young children and her approach is always that children who, for example, have temper tantrums actually ARE ASKING for and know they need boundaries.  She begins by discussing an example of a substitute teacher who has temporarily taken over an unruly class and suddenly that class is well behaved.   In that case, it's not that the children have changed, it's that the person in charge is earning respect and treating the children with respect as well, and the mutual respect that they share leads to harmony.  Dr. Shaw also talks about the role of parents in setting boundaries and she acknowledges that parents have a different relationship with their children and that boundaries might be more challenging.  Still, if you don't display a high threshold for chaos and if you don't just act mean or demanding and if you simply have the correct boundaries that are respective and have give and take, you'll have positive results.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 194

In this episode, Dr. Shaw takes a look at the use of language and how it can cause misunderstanding or misinterpretation.   She uses the example of the phrase "the universe is testing me," and the framework of that phrase implies a zero sum game where the universe is either for or against us.   What we should say in that situation is the universe presents opportunities, and the manner in which we respond to that point of view becomes a demonstration of where we are as individuals and how we show up.  How we choose our words impacts our experience, and we don't want our words to turn us into victims.  What we need to do is see ourselves in each and every moment and if we can teach our children to do the same thing via modeling, we will be helping them tremendously.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 193

In this episode, Dr. Shaw discusses on one of her most important and frequently mentioned educational tool and that is "noting and marking" occurrences of success.   She shares some of her own experience from her decades of experience, and she then focuses on an illustrative example of noting and marking from her personal life.  She relates a recent story about how she dealt with some anxiety that her granddaughter was feeling and how noting and marking a successful experience in dealing with that anxiety.  She believes that learning is not a selfish experience, rather a generous one, and this story can help reinforce how modeling the right behavior goes very far in educating.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 192

In this brief but insightful episode, Dr. Shaw discusses and illustrates how we are often lucky in our lives when negativity strikes.   While that may seem counterintuitive on the surface, Dr. Shaw provides a few examples of how our challenging moments in life can lead to us being lifted up.   Her poignant conclusion on this topic is worth remembering.... that our moments of suffering are truly gifts because they lead us to the next moments of complete healing.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 191

In this episode, Dr. Shaw talks about the celebrations of the Spring Season.  The religious holidays and other celebrations of this season have a focus on re-birth, growth and freedom.  She relates a personal story about her recent experience telling the story of Passover to her young grandchildren and how she handles some of the scary parts of that story.  She talked at that dinner about how the Passover story allows a vision into the human condition and is very focused on the notion of freedom.   There are lessons in there about co-existence and it demonstrates different belief systems.  The conversation then turns to handling relationships that may not share the same point of view... her conclusion is that someone may not be a friend, but that doesn't mean one shouldn't be friendly with that person.  The understanding that comes from this is that in order to have peace in our lives, acceptance of differences is key.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 190

In this podcast, Dr. Shaw takes a very personal turn and shares an story from her own life in order to illustrate how we should celebrate the good stuff in life.  The story she shares is about selling a home and buying a new one, but the emotion runs deeper than just that transaction.  The new home felt perfect from the start, and much of that happened because the prior owners who built the house clearly created a home filled with love.  Then, not only did it feel that way, but the current owners have been very cooperative and downright sweet in helping access their property for planning purposes.  Their land is filled with fruit trees and they generously shared their homegrown fruit and gave lessons on the care and feeding of their garden.   The positivity of that exchange and that experience makes the exit from the old home feel very comfortable and welcoming. One can focus on one's struggle, and there can be valuable lessons in overcoming thing, but it's important to also keep a focus here on being present and open to positivity.  

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 189

In this episode Dr. Shaw addresses the need for empowerment and the ways in which we sometimes give up our power.   She poses the question of when we learn to give up or power and how do we stop doing it?    The way to reclaim power is to not blame anyone else.   As we teach our children to be empowered (while still at the same time keeping them on the track that we want) it is important to give them responsibility.   If we adults model being empowered for our children, it teaches them to understand how to hold on to their power.   Dr. Shaw gives a great illustrative classroom example of not giving her power away to a student who was being a bully, and then wraps by reminding the listener that her social-emotional children's book series address these kinds of issues directly... those books can be found here:  https://tinyurl.com/DrMindyBooks

 

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 188

In this episode, Dr. Shaw discusses and reveals some perspective on her own humanity in a way that can help parents, and all adults really, keep themselves in check regarding their own personal progress in life.   She begins with the notion that a moment is just a moment, and she points out that when we have dramatic experiences or we learn important lessons that we need to develop a new emotional muscle so that we don't fall back on old patterns.  For herself, she always attempts to be present so as not to respond habitually.  She then shares an important example of how this creation of stamina or new behavior came into play for her recently in an important interpersonal relationship.  The big takeaway is that we all tend to be our most self-important when we feel unimportant... we all feel our most controlling when we are actually out of control.   Knowing this can be incredibly liberating.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 187

In this brief and personal episode, Dr. Shaw talks about the parenting dilemma of being overly enabling versus allowing our children to have experiences that sometimes can be very difficult.   She shares an illustrative example from her own life and friendships as she describes a parent experiencing their child in an abusive relationship.  Her philosophy is that as a parent, we can't judge or intervene sometimes... we have to help our children navigate their situations, but all we can do is pick up our children when they fall.  Sometimes, in fact, when they fall, there are important and hard lessons learned via natural consequences.   Our children need real life experiences to build their own independence, difficult as that may be to witness.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 186

In this episode, Dr. Shaw examines the concept of not moving forward in life because we are defending our positions or defending our own limitations.   She uses some illustrative examples of how we defend our positions in order to set the stage.   Then we learn that what she feels we need first and foremost are good relationships, and a key to a good relationship is having communication that includes the views of our partners and not disregarding their opinions.   If we can learn to not defend our positions, we can teach our children to be better friends and not to sweat the small stuff.  Don't take things personally... that's an important axiom to live by. 

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 185

In this episode, Dr. Shaw shares a very personal story about a recent experience in her own life.   In this tale, she talks of a moment at which she felt like she needed a reprieve and she internally "cried uncle," and then within hours, the situation resolved itself.  The lesson of the situation was that she noticed that she momentarily forgot her aim of remaining optimistic and she actually fell into an old pattern.   What she was reminded of was that her new intention of being present and trusting that the universe will help work things out.  It was a reminder to remain vigilant about maintaining a vision and to live life in the moment.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 184

In this brief but important episode, Dr. Shaw discusses the concept of acceptance, and mostly from the point of view of self-acceptance.  Her belief is that if someone is not accepting them self, then the alternative is to be filled with desire, and that's a negative and potentially dangerous emotional space to be in.   We must teach our children to be satisfied with what we have.  That is not to say that we shouldn't be aspirational, but we need to move forward based on who we are with an attitude of gratitude.  We also want our children to have self-love, self-worth and self-respect.  From that position of accepting who we are,  we can begin personal growth from a positive point of view.   

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 183

In this brief but important episode, Dr. Shaw discusses the need to be true to ourselves in order to attract people into our lives who are like we are.  She believes that we attract what we need when we need it.  It is important for children to understand that friendships go through transitions, and that's ok.   Life can be filled with different kinds of relationships, and some may be more fulfilling than others.  Things evolve.  The keys to communicating all of this to our children are intention, attention and reflection.   Also, we must note and mark important moments... children need to be reminded of what they are learning.  Through authenticity we earn fulfillment.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 182

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw sends a simple message... remain positive and maintain positivity.  She talks about the power inherent in making the choice to affirm life and to keep moving in the direction of living your best life.  Optimism can create abundance or success or health.  Life is an adventure and one should remain eager to live it.  Everyone deserves the best in life and we each have the responsibility to choose it for ourselves.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 181

In this episode, Dr. Shaw re-visits a topic that she feels always needs attention, and that is the delicate balance between being in charge of your children as a parent and also teaching our children responsibility.  She recognizes that as parent herself, she wanted to be friendly with her children and not be overly disciplining... BUT, children can only be as responsible as they are responsive.  She walks us through examples of how to give a child choices in a fashion that gives them some responsibility, but not all.  She encourages sharing tasks with children in order to teach responsibility.  She also points out that  "helicopter parenting" doesn't teach children to be responsible, and that the lack of learning responsibility at an early age can lead to young adults who've learned not pull their own weight when they should.   There is a learning curve, but allowing your child to make healthy choices has great positives.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 180

In this episode, Dr. Shaw takes a look at what happens when we over-protect our hearts out of fear of getting hurt.  Her philosophy is that if one is so afraid of getting hurt, then love won't be allowed in.   Where our children are concerned, we need to teach our children how to deal with fear since fear can be so very limiting.   Dr. Shaw's belief is that the adults who influence children need to model not being afraid, and in doing so we need to strike a balance of caution and fearlessness.   The bottom line is that if one doesn't "try," one never moves in the direction of accomplishment.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 179

In this brief but important episode, Dr. Shaw addresses the issue of avoiding the discussion of negative behavior by a child.   She uses an example from her real and recent experience where her family was honoring a child who was celebrating a birthday.   During the celebration, some family members simply said "I love everything about you." Dr. Shaw believes that expressing such universal positivity is unhealthy, because there will always be things about a child's behavior that are not completely loveable.   To avoid addressing the negativity is to avoid promoting a growth experience.   She says that there needs to be balance between complimenting a child and presenting scenarios that challenge them to grow to be a better person.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 178

In this brief but fascinating episode, Dr. Shaw takes a look at how using the fact that we are what we pay attention to can improve and enhance our lives.  She lists and illustrates three possible approaches to making life easier and better.... one is to re-write one's own narrative, a second is to release that which we cannot control and the third is to set and uphold healthy boundaries.   Specific examples of how these life hacks work are laid out in the podcast, and these tips are super helpful as we all embark on our journeys.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 177

In this episode, Dr. Shaw expresses the notion that we all need someone with whom we can confide on a regular basis.  We all need perspective and we all need help processing the feelings and the situations that we encounter in life, and it's important to remember that difficulties are invitations to rise to the occasion.  We need to be reminded of the values that we want to live by to have the best possible life, and teaching each other the best ways to show up is essential.   Additionally, it's important set the precedent of seeking counsel early in life... teaching your children that their needs are completely similar to your needs will lead to a more fulfilling life for them.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 176

On this brief episode, Dr. Shaw reiterates her philosophy that one should not be afraid of difficulty.  Difficult moments are temporary, and accepting it, showing up to it and working through it.  It's okay to teach our children that sometimes things are hard.   If we reflect on this highs and lows of our life, it gives us a formula to create more highs and experience less lows.  Accepting a challenge builds stamina and character, and a mistake is a learning opportunity.   By modeling that you are not a victim, it helps our children see that when adversity strikes, they are not victims either.  

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 175

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw discusses living without fear as she puts forth the concept that true liberation is living without fear.   Dr. Shaw's point of view is that it's important to teach our children to not be afraid as fear prevents from expressing ourselves in the most authentic way, and we do that by revealing our own vulnerabilities to our children.  Her theory is that to be in the game is more important than winning the game and that in fact simply participating and doing one's best IS a win.  Sometimes we get the result we want, and sometimes we don't, but the important element is making the effort.  Demonstrating to our children that living life fully is simply showing up to all of our experiences, good or bad.  The experience is the gift.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 174

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw addresses what happens when an adult (a teacher or a parent of one of your children's friends) makes a comment that you feel is critical of your child.  Dr. Shaw sees this kind of interaction as a learning opportunity as, quite often, the comment that was unsettling came from some who you both like and respect.  The discomfort could come from the element of truth that was brought forward.  We need to digest what we hear, re-visit the conversation and come to the understanding that what was said was potentially constructive.  We want to teach our children to understand that it's ok to see things differently from one another, and that they can and should work through the differences they have in their own friendships.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 173

In this engaging episode, Dr. Shaw examines what it means to have (or not have) expectations and how having expectations can affect your child.   An important element of having expectations is that it can lead to disappointment.   There are ways that Dr. Shaw illustrates where one might aim for the best one can possibly do all the time.  In her analysis, recognizing the gap between wanting a particular result and expecting that result is an important step for both parent and child.   You are continually modeling for your child and how you hold yourself in the world and manage your expectations is key.   Also, maintaining an attitude of gratitude for any outcome mitigates any disappointment.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 172

In this episode, Dr. Shaw examines the phenomenon of "helicopter parents"... those parents who hover over their children.  Her philosophy is that while we all want to be protective and responsible parents, doing too much FOR our children inhibits their opportunities for learning.  She uses several illustrative examples of natural consequences that demonstrate how parents that help too much actually get in the way of their children's development of skills such as resilience, reliability and resourcefulness.  If parents come to the rescue too often when a child makes a mistake or simply forgets to do something, the invitation to grow from the experience is eliminated by the parent.  The child also can feel that they can't be trusted to do the right thing.   One should give a child the space to do what they are capable of doing, even at relatively young ages, and avoid the "Helicoptering" and providing too much aid.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 171

In this fascinating episode, Dr. Shaw tackles the slippery slope of children who have a habit of tattling, often on other children.  Per her analysis, there are several angles to this common situation, but her key recommendation is to keep children focused on the positive aspects of life and not the negative.  It is very easy for a parent or teacher to fall into the trap of responding to the tattling by reprimanding the "culprit" or the person who was tattled on, when in fact that kind of reaction only serves to reinforce more tattling.  Attention needs to be paid to what children do correctly, and pointing out or pointing to one's negative behavior will not have positive results.   The reinforcement needed is the marking and noting of positive behaviors and that will steer the child into a better place where they can foster better and more productive relationships. 

  

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 170

In this episode, Dr. Shaw examines the dynamics of friendship among children, and she does it within the context of discussing "Love Languages."   Dr. Shaw shares a real-life story of two youngsters in her Kindergarten-1st Grade classroom where her students engaged in an open discussion about love languages and, more importantly, what love language each student in the class exhibited.  Not only are love languages a fascinating element in relationships, but they can provide a bullseye for what your friends needs most and also provide the mechanisms by which two friends can fill each other's love or friendship tank by doing for their friend what their friend needs most.  It's a great way to engage and educate your young child, and fulfilling each other's love language can create the best possible kind of bond between friends.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 169

In this episode, Dr. Shaw discusses the impact that our own state of mind has on our daily ability to live our lives.  She shares her own experiences as an illustrative example, and she reveals that for her, 90% of the time her mood is aligned with positivity.  The discussion that matters here is what to do with that other 10%.  In relation to parenting, she encourages parents to understand that children will have those same moments when they are surrounded by negativity.  She also points out that the two best strategies for parents is to provide their children with a soft place to land when they are having an off day and to try to remember not to be judgmental of that condition.   As all of us change and grow, when we have an "off" moment, it's ok to just let it go.

 

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 168

In this episode, Dr. Shaw discusses the power of intention.  Beginning your day or beginning a task, project or adventure with an intention will assist tremendously in getting the result that you want.  Dr. Shaw's own personal example of having an intention is that she begins each day with the intention of being totally "in alignment."  She then offer illustrative examples of how to assist our children to have intentions when approaching their own life situations.

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 167

In this episode, Dr. Shaw takes a closer look at the psychological behavior known as projection, and she discusses how that behavioral pattern as a child can manifest again in that same child as an adult.  Dr. Shaw provides specific examples of what this pattern can look like, and she relates her own experiences in the classroom during which she witnessed many children not taking responsibility for their own behavior.   Her theory is that when a child is permitted to engage in that kind of behavior, it sets a pattern and a precedent that will be repeated later in life.    

Teaching Humanity Remotely with Dr. Mindy Shaw - Ep. 166

In this brief episode, Dr. Shaw shares some personal thoughts related to the Thanksgiving season just days after the actual holiday.  Thanksgiving has always been a personal favorite of Dr. Shaw, and she talks about her tradition of going around the holiday table and having each person express what they are thankful for.  That discussion leads into her point of view on the will to live, even under dire circumstances, and she feels that more people are comfortable expressing their thanks this year because there is so much negativity in the world around us.  Her thoughts here are brief, but they are nice kickoff to the holiday season.