FR 7-22

03/03

Resources

 

Prepared by:   Elaine Wilson, Ph.D.

                        Parenting Specialist

                        Oklahoma State University

                        104 HES, Room 238

                        Stillwater, OK 74078

                        405-744-7186; 405-744-1461 (fax)

                        emwilso@okstate.edu

 

Helping Unwed Parents Build Strong and Healthy Marriages: A Conceptual Framework for Interventions, by M. Robin Dion, Barbara Devaney, Sheena McConnell, Melissa Ford, Heather Hill, and Pamela Winston, Mathematica Policy Research, January 2003. Available at http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/PDFs/redirect.asp?strSite=helpingunwed.pdf

 

After the Storm: Resolving Post Separation Conflicts (VHS).  Includes a co-parenting and a parallel parenting example handled in conflict and in better ways.

 

Bye Bye Love (VHS).  Show clip of transition at McDonalds at beginning or ending comments about the binuclear father.

 

The Children’s Voice (VHS). Children are interviewed about their experiences in binocular families and offer suggestions to help communities promote family health.

1.     Do you feel you have two homes or one?  What makes you feel that way?

       Live in same town.  Don’t move.  I have a room and my things are in both houses so I don’t have to pack.

2.     What would three wishes be for your separated family?

       Stop fighting.  No one would be sad.  Money.  Forgiveness.  No fighting

3.     What would you tell the people who make decisions for families?

       It’s great when they can talk and get along after the divorce.

4.     What would you tell your parent?

       Call him daddy, not your father.  Keep treating me equal.  Smile, be happy.  Get your act together, you are the adults.

5.     Do you or did you have a voice in the decision about your life?

       I trusted my parents. I do not want to tell them how I feel because one will be mad at me.  Don’t give them a voice and make them feel guilty.

6.     What does society need to know about children of divorce?

       It’s not a visit.  It’s two homes.  Make it about the kids not angry parents.  Friends need to understand when we cannot hang out because we are at our father’s house.

7.     Was it easy to have friends?

       I lost their phone numbers. I want to have a friend over but I am going to dads.  Dad will not let me go to a party because it’s my time to be with him.

8.     How did the separation affect extracurricular and after school activities?

       Dad lived far from my school.

9.     What is the hardest thing about your family living separately?

       Dad too far away.  Did not know who to tell my friends.  Money.

10.   What is the best thing about your parents living separate?

       Presents! Get away.  Get Happy.  Stop Fighting.

11.   Did you ever feel the separation was your fault?

       No.

Hope Floats (VHS and DVD). Father drives off to spend time with his romantic relationship leaving his daughter crying and chasing the car.

 

Kramer vs. Kramer (VHS and DVD). Father explains that mommy left because of daddy not the child’s misbehavior and in fact stayed longer because of her love for the child.

 

Mrs. Doubtfire (VHS and DVD).  At the end of video the family has solved co-parenting child care problem and Mrs. Doubtfire describes family bonds.

 

Nobody’s Fool (VHS). Show clip of grandfather deciding to break the cycle of father abandonment by sharing his idea and his stopwatch with the grandson he forgot.

 

Stepmom (VHS and DVD).  At a family meeting, mom helps the children accept their father’s marriage plans.

King Alfred and the Cakes: Annie wrecks her bike and sees the significance of even small promises.  Icarus and Daedalus: consequences of irresponsibility.  The Chest of Broken Glass: The shame of letting down a loved one.

 

 

FR 7-26

 

The Children are Watching (VHS).  Shows how communities provide services to parents who are involved in unhealthy and at risk behaviors.  The parents and their teens receive professional assistance to change their behaviors and deal with drugs, incarceration, abandonment, driving too fast, physical abuse, violence to stop the anger and other unhealthy behaviors that endanger the community.

 

FR 7-19

 

Adventures From the Book of Virtues: Responsibility II techniques (VHS).  Annie volunteers to take care of her aunt and uncle’s garden while they are away on vacation.  Based on The Book of Virtues by William Bennett.  Really, 2 stories that could be shown separately: Annie’s Garden Watering and The Student and Magic.

 

Adventures From the Book of Virtues:  Responsibility (VHS).  King Alfred and the Cakes: Annie wrecks her bike instead of delivering cakes and sees the significance of even small promises.  Icarus and Daedalus: consequences of irresponsibility.  The Chest of Broken Glass: The shame of letting down a loved one.