文化對比閱讀補(bǔ)充閱讀材料-2MomvsDadHowtoMake……

1、Mom vs. Dad: How to Make Co-parentlng WorkAnn Pleshette Murphy & Laura LacyAt the Lucius home, 8 a.m looks vastly different, depending on the day. Thafs because mom Melissa and dad Richard alternate staying home with daughters Amanda, & and Veronica, 5. And while they share parenting responsibilitie

2、s, their styles couldnt be more differentRichard descnbes himself as a kid at heart, “l(fā)ike a grown-up playmate. Childlike play and adventure that9s what they get with me.Melissa style is decidedly more organized. When shes home, there5s a plan for the day.I guess Fm less spontaneous/ she admits “We

3、have things lined up to do on my days home with the girls.When it comes to the kids, Richard, a jazz pianist, is true to his profession: He improvises. On a typical morning, breakfast proceeds at a slow tempo with the girls helping out along the way. Cleaning? Not a top priorityOil Moms day, however

4、, by 8 a.m. the kids are up, and Melissa is making crepes The kitchen? Spotless.The contrasts continue On DacTs day, the girls stay in thek pajamas long after breakfast and wear them into the backyard, where Richard suggests they shoot bows and arrows. Then, despite intermittent showers, Dad helps t

5、hem find branches to make slingshotsSame time next day with Mom? If s uget dressed, brush teeth, and plan the day.” Richard, on the other hand, doesnt even begin to diess the gills until 10 a.m., and instead of marching them to the bathroom to brush their teeth, he brings the bathroom to them by let

6、ting them brush their teeth and rinse into a cup wherever they happen to be.Is There a “Right” Way?Research shows that in most families, Dad tends to be the rule-breaker, mess-maker, risk-taker, while Mom provides the TLC and respects routines But the question remainsare these two very different sty

7、les confusing to kids?uThe bottom line for cliildren is, I dont have just one and a half person who is nuts about me. I have two and they are kind of nuts about me in interesting ways They bring out different parts of explains Kyle Pruett, M.D.、a cliild psychiatrist and the author of Father Need: Wl

8、iy Father Care Is as Essential as Mother Care for Your Child.”Ill other words, just because your spouse does it his way, it doesnt mean hJs way off track.“With so many things, I close my eyes and kiss it up to GodJ Melissa says with a laughYou know, I totally tmst him, I know what lie is doing durin

9、g the day. I know lie is taking great care of them.”And while Dad may not clean the breakfast dishes until after playtime is over, and may take the kids out in the rain, his parenting style play before pots and pans and spontaneity over routine is not necessarily wrong, just different.A recent study

10、 of more than 200 new parents, led by James McHale, Ph.D of the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, reveals that this approach is healthier for the kids. Mothers who accommodate their spouses9 different parenting approaches, who dont tiy to fix whate-er Dad is doing, raise childien who were

11、 significantly less anxious, more patient, and have better peer relationships than children whose parents criticize or micromanage one another.The key is communication and good rapport between parents, even if their styles are different, Pruett says Richard agiees: “You know, theres going to be some

12、 stuff about which youre just going to shake your head, and you just have to give a 丘ttle bit eventually. You just have to let some tilings go.MThere are several important “ingredients ill a successfill co-parenting relationship. First, share your goals Often, parents fail to communicate with each o

13、ther. Explain why you parent the way you do. If s less a question of who，s right and who，s wrong than learning from one another For example, Melissa teaches the girls the importance of Riles and routines Richard explains that he lets the girls run around because he wants them to leani to take risks

14、and tliiiik beyond stereotypical giiT activities.Also, rather than focusing on forming a united front, where you strive to parent exactly the same way, try to be supportive and respectful of difference Most important, dont undennine one another or criticize your spouses parenting style. For example,

15、 the Lucius girls don，t get the message from Dad that they should hide their “risky activities from Mom. By creating an atmosphere where differences are pemiitted, you avoid making kids feel theyre doing sometliing with one parent that the other woulchft condone, elimiiiatmg unnecessaiy anxietyFinal

16、ly, you doif t have to be a married couple that takes turns staying at home with the kids to be successful co-parents Parents who are divorced or who both work full-time or even those who share responsibilities with a grandparent can achieve the same ends The essential building blocks of a cooperati

17、ve parenting relationship are constant communication, accentuating the positive, and compromise, regardless of family structure.Learning from One AnotherMom can generally learn from Dad that chores can wait. This is especially important for working mothers to understand Often they get home from work

18、 and plunge into getting baths and homework done, and then the kids have meltdowns because what they really want is just 15 minutes to connect.Also, Mom can benefit by learning to let kids make mistakes Dont swoop in to save them when theyre finstrated over homework or even when they fall down. Dads tend to back off and let kids learn from their own mistakes.Dad, on the other hand, can learn how to set routines from Mom. Children need routines to create a sense of predictability and safety in their world. Dads sometimes just wanna have fun, which can mean that bedtime drifts or unhealth