Do you know a couple that has truly inspired you? This is your opportunity to share your story and their story with the rest of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Marriage Initiative recently launched a search for Oklahoma's Most Inspiring Couples, in partnership with The Oklahoman, Newsok.com, and Wimgo.com.
Do you know a couple that has overcome numerous obstacles, exemplifies a strong commitment, works well as a team, serves the community together, or has lived an extraordinary life? Whether they are family members, coworkers, or friends, OMI wants to hear about them!
The deadline for nominations is December 1. Please forward the link below to your family, friends and associates so that we can receive nominations from a diverse base from which to select the top 12 winners. These couples will be featured in The Oklahoman and a 13-month calendar. Their stories will also be highlighted at the multi-location Forever. For Real. events on February 6, 2010.
To nominate a couple who has inspired you, go to www.newsok.com/inspiringcouples.
My life as a happily married wife, mommy to three awesome doggies, Mrs. Green Country and an advocate for children & families
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Psychological Tasks of a Child of a Divorce
A Synopsis of Wallerstein's 1982 paper.
In the summer of 2003, I won a Miss America local pageant in upstate New York. I thought it was an unlikely win, because I had taken a huge risk on a new platform. I had changed my platform from arts education (which had been my platform for years) to advocacy for children of divorce after writing a research paper on the effects of divorce on children for my English composition class. As a child of divorce, the paper affected me profoundly. When the excitement of the new title had settled, my director Greg asked me, "What do you want to accomplish with this platform? What can you do about it as Miss America?" It was an excellent question. If truth be told, at the beginning I just wanted to be heard. I wanted to increase awareness of the fact that children of divorce need help, much more help than they (we) were receiving. I thought long and hard about this. I asked myself, "What kind of help do children of divorce need?" In addition to simply being heard, I found more information through research. Here is some of what I found.
In her 1982 article, The Psychological Tasks of the Child, Judith Wallerstein identifies six tasks, in addition to the usual tasks of childhood, that must be mastered by children of divorce in order for them to achieve closure.
1. Acknowledging reality of the split. Children must understand that their parents are getting divorced and they must understand the reasons for it.
As caring adults, there is so much we can do! Peer support groups for children of divorce and training for professionals in our religious organizations and schools can be built around these six tasks. I am biased toward supporting children through school-based programs for the sake of practicality. As a former child of divorce, I know that transportation is often an issue for single parents. The best way to help children and families is to meet them where they are: in the public schools. I will write more about how Banana Splits, Blended Love, and similar programs, help children master these six tasks in the near future.
In the summer of 2003, I won a Miss America local pageant in upstate New York. I thought it was an unlikely win, because I had taken a huge risk on a new platform. I had changed my platform from arts education (which had been my platform for years) to advocacy for children of divorce after writing a research paper on the effects of divorce on children for my English composition class. As a child of divorce, the paper affected me profoundly. When the excitement of the new title had settled, my director Greg asked me, "What do you want to accomplish with this platform? What can you do about it as Miss America?" It was an excellent question. If truth be told, at the beginning I just wanted to be heard. I wanted to increase awareness of the fact that children of divorce need help, much more help than they (we) were receiving. I thought long and hard about this. I asked myself, "What kind of help do children of divorce need?" In addition to simply being heard, I found more information through research. Here is some of what I found.
In her 1982 article, The Psychological Tasks of the Child, Judith Wallerstein identifies six tasks, in addition to the usual tasks of childhood, that must be mastered by children of divorce in order for them to achieve closure.
1. Acknowledging reality of the split. Children must understand that their parents are getting divorced and they must understand the reasons for it.
- Timeline: It usually takes one year from the time of the announcement of the divorce for children to master this.
- How Adults Can Help: Begin a dicussion to find out why the child thinks that the parents are getting divorced. Address the child's fantasties of why his or her parents are splitting up. Make it clear that it is not the fault of the child and that (if it is true), that the child was born into a loving family. Continue to be available to the child to discuss this as their feelings change and they reevaluate what happened to their family.
- Timeline: It is usually mastered within the first year when post-divorce co-parenting is handled well. With high levels of post-divorce conflict, children will likely be affected by parental conflict until the conflict ceases or the adult child leaves their custodial parents' home. In this case, the child may struggle to master this task indefinitely.
- How Adults Can Help: Protect your children from parent-to-parent conflict. Teach children and youth from high conflict post-divorce families to communicate wishes to their parents concerning this, to accept the reality of their parents' behavior, and learn to cope positively by focusing on what they can do to help themselves. Guide children and youth toward focusing on age-appropriate activities.
- Timeline: According to Wallerstein, this task takes longer to achieve than the first two. It is more difficult to achieve when the children are continually disappointed by an unreliable, disinterested or absent parent.
- How Adults Can Help: Be a reliable, interested, available person in the life of a child of divorce. Help the children recognize that their parents are not perfect, and that that parental imperfections are not reflected in the child. (Many children of divorce wonder, "If mom says dad is a dead-beat, what does that make me?") Help the child establish traditions in the new family, recognize their own value, and gain a sense of control. Teach children that it is how they handle adversity that matters.
- Timeline: This usually passes with time.
- How Adults Can Help: Tell children that the divorce is not their fault. Teaching coping skills to help children to express anger and other negative emotions well. Help children to understand their feelings and where they are coming from through journalling. Help the child to understand the reasons for the divorce. Teach children about forgiveness.
- Timeline: This happens over time but can be lengthened if one parent continues to hope to get back together and involved the children.
- How Adults Can Help: Parents can make it clear that divorce is permanent. Teachers and other adults in the lives of children can make it clear that divorce is usually permanent. Do not encourage the fantasy.
- How We Can Help: Parents and other adults can show their children and teens that new relationship skills can be learned and that healthy relationships are possible. This is best done by example. Take a relationship enrichment Forever. For Real. course as offered for free by the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative. Talk about some of the concepts discussed with your children.
As caring adults, there is so much we can do! Peer support groups for children of divorce and training for professionals in our religious organizations and schools can be built around these six tasks. I am biased toward supporting children through school-based programs for the sake of practicality. As a former child of divorce, I know that transportation is often an issue for single parents. The best way to help children and families is to meet them where they are: in the public schools. I will write more about how Banana Splits, Blended Love, and similar programs, help children master these six tasks in the near future.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Prashe Trunk Show
It was a beautiful day at the the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City, for the Prashe bridal and trunk show. The extremely talented Prashe and her team design inspired Indian bridal attire and decor. The location, the models, the talented hair dresser Ilquia Anderson and fabulous make-up artist April Mary, the vendors and most importantly Prashe's beautiful Indian creations... All of it was absolutely beautiful! I was impressed again and again by the beauty and detail of the clothes I wore today, and I loved both my hair and make-up! Thank you so much to the team who put on the show today. Everyone did a fantastic job.
I met some wonderful people, including my new friend Kristie Patton! Kristie was 2nd runner-up at the Mrs. Oklahoma America pageant last year, and I can see why. She is absolutely beautiful in every sense of the word. She has personality, beauty, brains, and heart. I'm so glad we met! I hope we'll see each other again soon!
I have to say a big THANK YOU to Mrs. Oklahoma 2009, Heather Rouba, for contacting me about this job, helping to train me on the differences between walking for modeling and walking for pageantry, and for her friendship and example. I feel so blessed to know her. I can't articulate what an incredible Mrs. Oklahoma Heather has been. For now, let's just say she integrates intelligence, fashion, glamour, style, service, values, and a sincere and pure heart in a way that I have never seen in another person. And she has no idea how beautiful she is. I admire her so much. Thanks for everything, Heather. We love you and I'm proud to have you representing Oklahoma!
The Prashe fashion show takes place next Saturday in OKC! Stay tuned for more details!
I met some wonderful people, including my new friend Kristie Patton! Kristie was 2nd runner-up at the Mrs. Oklahoma America pageant last year, and I can see why. She is absolutely beautiful in every sense of the word. She has personality, beauty, brains, and heart. I'm so glad we met! I hope we'll see each other again soon!
I have to say a big THANK YOU to Mrs. Oklahoma 2009, Heather Rouba, for contacting me about this job, helping to train me on the differences between walking for modeling and walking for pageantry, and for her friendship and example. I feel so blessed to know her. I can't articulate what an incredible Mrs. Oklahoma Heather has been. For now, let's just say she integrates intelligence, fashion, glamour, style, service, values, and a sincere and pure heart in a way that I have never seen in another person. And she has no idea how beautiful she is. I admire her so much. Thanks for everything, Heather. We love you and I'm proud to have you representing Oklahoma!
The Prashe fashion show takes place next Saturday in OKC! Stay tuned for more details!
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