Dr. Donahue lectures frequently to parents, teachers and mental
health professionals throughout the U.S. His workshops focus on the keys to successful
parenting and ways to develop children's resilience and recourcefulness. Dr. Donahue can
design a lecture based on your specific needs. To discuss
bringing Dr. Donahue to your organization and to set up a lecture, please
contact him at PJD@drpauldonahue.com,
or call 914-723-2929.
Among Dr. Donahue’s topics:
Parenting Without Fear: Do Less and Accomplish More!
Today’s parents have so much to
worry about: how to keep their kids safe and healthy, how to help them meet
rising academic expectations, and how to help them keep up with their
activities and social commitments. It’s no wonder that many mothers and fathers
feel overwhelmed and exhausted by having to do it all! In the process, we have
come to expect less of our kids. In one of his most popular lectures, Dr.
Donahue explains how parents can “do less and get more” from their children,
and he gives examples of how kids can pitch in at home, and learn to be more
independent and resourceful. He also describes the three core attributes
parents need to have - endurance, confidence and courage - if they are to meet
their goals.
Lessons for Life: What Kids Really Need to Learn from Their Parents
By drawing on real-world examples
of successful children and ones who have faltered, Dr. Donahue outlines the essential
lessons that parents need to teach their children. He focuses on four key ingredients – to think, to work, to love
and to play – which all children must possess if they are to succeed in school,
in social settings, and in challenging situations throughout their lives. Dr. Donahue explains how these four elements
form the foundation of resilience and healthy self-esteem in kids. He also
addresses how parents can stay focused and on track, and muster the courage to
resist the pressure to overly program and schedule their children.
Who's In Charge Here?
Setting Limits and Negotiating Boundaries with Children and Adolescents
It’s no secret that in our
fast-paced, consumer society, many parents struggle to set limits with their
children. Some have vowed to “do it differently” than their own parents, and
want to be less punitive, more empathic and rational with their own children,
but find that these techniques don’t always work well when it comes to getting
them to listen. This workshop’s goal is to help parents find a middle ground,
and give them the tools to assert themselves with their children without losing
control. Dr. Donahue gives parents practical strategies to maintain this
balance and shows parents how to maintain the energy they need to stick to
their guns, and the confidence to maintain their authority at home.
Raising Children of Privilege: Teaching Responsibility
One of the most difficult dilemmas for parents living
in affluent communities is how to give their children the benefits of their
surroundings and expose them to the larger world - through travel, cultural
events and other outings – while keeping them grounded, respectful and hard
working. In this interactive forum, Dr.
Donahue asks parents to re-visit their own childhoods, and recall what
important lessons they learned from their parents. Dr. Donahue explains how we can teach our kids to work and give
them responsibilities from a young age, and give them a clear message that
their privileges must be earned. He also offers his thoughts on chores,
allowance and money issues, and how to balance play time and pitching in at
home.
Time to Slow Down: Preserving Family Time and Family Values
Parents on the go rarely have time to stop and think about their own values and what they
are trying to impart to their children. Sometimes they can get caught up in external
standards: grades, popularity or athletic abilities. This talk is aimed at giving parents
a chance to think about their role as teachers, and the opportunities they have to influence
their children’s sense of self, by encouraging perseverance, independence and imagination,
and to foster their moral development, by emphasizing cooperation, respect and compassion. Dr.
Donahue presents practical ways to accomplish these goals: preserving special family time,
sharing meals together, encouraging sibling relationships and becoming active members of
the community.
Plugged In and Tuned Out: Technology Values and Practices in Childhood and Adolescence
Parents and teachers often struggle to determine the “right” amount of exposure to television,
computers, video games and other forms of technology for their children. Some adults feel
compelled to follow the norms and expectations in their communities and forego careful
consideration of the impact of technology on their children’s development and their
family’s value system. Others feel trapped in endless skirmishes for control and end up
either relenting or feeling overly punitive. In this workshop, Dr. Donahue presents a rationale
for taking a closer look at what our children are watching and playing. He also reviews
recent research on the impact of technology on children’s attention, imagination and
aggression. Dr. Donahue explains how adults can, and need to take a more active role in
selecting appropriate games and programming for their children and in monitoring their
screen time. The workshop includes a discussion of other possible activities and interests
for children to develop at an early age.
Calling all Dads: The Role of Fathers during the Early Years and Later Childhood
In many families, fathers have become
the “silent partners” when it comes to childrearing. Often Dads feel out of the
loop and isolated from the decision-making process. Both girls and boys often
wish for more communication and guidance form their fathers and resent their
absence from the day to day affairs of the family. This discussion is intended
to help fathers bridge these communication gaps, and to re-assert their
authority and re-think their roles as mentors and models for their children.
Daring to Care: Raising Good Citizens in a Competitive World
In this workshop, parents will have an
opportunity to learn how children and adolescents’ self-esteem and sense of
identity is defined in large part by how they treat other people. Dr. Donahue
will review the research and practical implications of what it means to help children
develop empathy for their peers and classmates, and those in need. Parents will
learn strategies for encouraging caring behaviors at home and in school and
examples of specific outreach activities in the community.
Mental Health Consultation in Early Childhood
This workshop for mental health professionals and educators is based in part on the book
Mental Health Consultation in Early Childhood.
Dr. Donahue outlines the advantages of integrating
mental health services into nursery schools, Head Start and day care programs.
He discusses the pressing need for early intervention and prevention services
within the community, and reviews ways of developing and maintaining effective
collaborations. Among the topics covered are: the initial consulting phase,
partnering with teachers, engaging parents, and therapeutic interventions for
children. Through lectures, case vignettes and interactive discussion he
presents ways of intervening throughout the system in order for so on-site
consultants to have the maximum impact on families under stress, and programs
that are trying to address the myriad social and emotional needs of the
children they serve.
Managing Aggressive Children in the Classroom
Among the most daunting task for early childhood educators, developing effective strategies
for managing aggressive behavior in the classroom has become a critical element of training
for teachers and others who work with young children. This workshop presents an overview
of the factors -biological, social and environmental - that have contributed to the
increased incidence of aggressive behavior in children. Dr. Donahue also reviews practical
methods of preventing escalations in behavior, both verbal and physical, and ways to
intervene directly when children do have outbursts. The goal is to provide a comprehensive
and clear set of rules and expectations for the children and their parents, ones that are
reinforced on a consistent basis by all team members. The workshop includes a discussion
of behavior charts, at-home plans and reward systems. Dr. Donahue also discusses the
impact of challenging behavior on staff morale and presents ways of supporting teachers
and reducing their stress.
Helping Children Cope with Trauma and Loss
Commonly held notions of the limited impact of trauma on young children have been proven
incorrect, and we now know that left unattended they too can suffer from symptoms of
anxiety, agitation and depression after a stressful event. Children’s response to
incidences of community violence, abuse, natural disasters and recent terrorist attacks
have made it clear that they require clear information about the events, an opportunity
to process a range of feelings and concrete reassurance that they and their loved ones will remain
safe. Dr. Donahue presents a model based on recent research on trauma and resilience that
sets out appropriate developmental expectations for different age groups, and ways to help
them cope with acute or chronically stressful situations. He also discusses the tendency
to avoid discussions with young children, and the fear that some educators have about the
“Pandora’s Box” of responses that might result from more open-ended discussion of traumatic
events. Dr. Donahue also reminds clinicians of the potential impact on caregivers who
need to find their own means of support to be effective, and limit the risk of developing
a secondary response to trauma.
