It’s apparent now more than ever, our children need advocacy. Today I’ll be speaking about this with Dr. Robert Saul. Dr. Saul completed his pediatric training at Duke University Medical Center. He deeply cares for all children, and after seeing the need for child advocacy in society he was led to write several books for parents. Dr. Saul believes we need constant reminders about the optimal nurturing of children, and his work provides a multi-dimensional approach to parenting that is refreshingly new.
Let’s dive in and learn the art of conscious parenting for our own family, and for the parents of our patients.
[00:01 – 07:03] Opening Segment
- Introducing today’s guest, Dr. Robert Saul
- Training and studies
- Author of several books – links below
- Dr. Saul gives us a bit of background on his story
- Finished residency in the mid-’90s
- A need to connect to the community
- Devoting resources to be the solution
- The impact of Columbine on Dr. Saul
- Wrote articles in the newspaper to educate
- The 5 steps to community improvement
- Inspired to write books to teach himself
[07:04 – 14:59] My Children’s Children
- Dr. Saul’s own experience from childhood
- Parents divorced at the age of 9
- Verbally abusive household
- Read back on his mother’s journals when she passed
- Becoming the evil parent for your parent
- Dr. Saul’s insights on parenting and pediatrics
- The paternalism and maternalism of pediatrics
- Child advocacy project
- SSNR vs. SSRI
- You need both, but SSNR will create lasting change
- Identifying and boosting SSNR’s
[15:00 – 24:15] The Art of Conscious Parenting
- Dr. Saul talks about the basis of Conscious Parenting
- Dr. Saul’s story with his own child
- Based on forgiveness
- The model of the Parental Awareness Threshold
- Dr. Saul’s story of Conscious Leadership
- Above the line vs. Below the line
- Being conscious of where you are on the line
- Parenting works the same way
- How to make a conscious effort as a parent
- Pause, assess, and choose
- Example
[24:16 – 33:06] Being and Raising a Good Citizen
- Separating approaches by age range
- The value of having a partner along the journey
- Another point of view
- Safe stable relationships are for parents as well
- Dr. Saul talks about how his book aids parents
- Short read
- Step by step approach
- From someone who is also learning
- Raising a good citizen
- Don’t become elderly, become an elder
- Getting socially reconnected
- Get involved and stay involved
- Practice forgiveness personally and communally
- Be part of the solution
[33:07 – 46:45] Closing Segment
- A word for parents in hard living environments
- 3 levels of intervention
- Active integration and support for these families
- Advocacy can be part of the solution
- Engaging the well-being of pediatricians
- Seek out people who share your values
- Don’t do it alone
- Refuse to become discouraged
- How Dr. Saul stays engaged
- Dr. Saul talks about his book for children
- Growing in wisdom
- Final Takeaways
- The 12 words
- Become good citizens and happiness as a second effect
- Conscious parenting
- Awareness Threshold
- 5 steps of being the best parent
- SSNR’s beat SSRI’s all the time
- Outlined model for providing guidance to stressed out families
- Get involved in the community
Tweetable Quotes:
“For anything that happens in your community you should say: ‘I am the problem, I am the solution, I am the resource.’” – Dr. Robert Saul
“If you’re a conscious leader you’re open, you’re curious, you’re willing to learn.” – Dr. Robert Saul
“So how can you consciously try to make a difference? I think you need to pause, assess, and choose…” – Dr. Robert Saul
Resources Mentioned:
Books
- My Children’s Children
- Thinking Developmentally
- Conscious Parenting
- Bowling Alone
- Conscious Leadership
- All About Children
- From Age-ing to Sage-ing
Links
If you’d like to connect with Dr. Saul by emailing [email protected], and visit https://mychildrenschildren.com/ to learn more.
If you’d like to connect with me, you can find me at LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter or email me at [email protected] . To learn more about me visit https://www.medicalbhs.com/
