Students, parents, faculty, and staff took advantage of the opportunity to hear from Michael Thompson, Ph.D., an expert in child and family psychology with two decades of experience working with independent schools, at a series of presentations in early November. Dr. Thompson has authored and co-authored several books focusing on the many facets of child development, the unique pressures of students in independent schools, and how to develop positive relationships with independent school parents.
Hundreds of parents attended Dr. Thompson’s sessions about raising responsible children and helping their children deal with stress. In his warm-hearted approach, he mixed anecdotal and clinical experience with research on the outcomes of different parenting styles for providing children with an internal foundation for moral behavior, and he helped parents understand how hard it is to be a middle or high schooler these days and that students are doing the best they can at any given moment. He reminded the audience that parenting is not only the hardest thing that any adult will do, it is also the scariest. “Most of the obstacles to good parenting arise from fears,“ he said. “The two most important things that you should remember are that parents have to manage their own unrealistic dreams and have trust in their child’s development.”
Dr. Thompson also met with Academy students by division to deliver age-appropriate guidance. Very carefully and with humor, Dr. Thompson helped 10-12 students see that no matter the pressure they might feel about certain outcomes (grades, college selection, athletics, and more) their lives will be OK. He also asked them to try to understand the feelings that their parents may be experiencing as their children are getting closer to going to college and starting more independent lives.
Dr. Thompson spoke to 6-7 and the 8-9 students about friendships in a talk titled “Best Friends – Worst Enemies.” The students were lively and engaged, asking questions and volunteering information.
The second day of his visit was an in-service day filled with workshops for the faculty and staff focusing on how to effectively partner with parents. The combination of these workshops was intended to help the Academy community continue to create a common understanding as we collectively create a learning environment where students feel encouraged, supported, and safe.
