Olympia Scott knows the pressures of parenthood. A former Stanford All-American, Scott is the divorced mom of a 10-year-old daughter. Her professional basketball career means she splits her time between the United States and Europe. After seeking resources to help her become a better parent—and finding no established place to turn—Scott, '98, and her mother, a longtime certified parenting instructor, created one online.
Super Parenting offers free introductory parenting classes via the web—the better to accommodate parents' busy schedules. Families who come to the site are dealing with everything from tantrum-throwing toddlers to rebellious teenagers.
"It's our job to help [our kids] learn to be good citizens," says Scott, right, with fiancé and daughter. But whether your middle schooler wants to wear a midriff to class or your toddler keeps throwing his spoon off the table, helping someone to grow into a responsible adult can be challenging. At all stages of child rearing, parents should recognize that accepting assistance and receiving information empowers you, Scott says.
Want to improve life with kids? Scott says be involved in more than a disciplinary role: Get to know your child's interests and who their friends are. And find your own parent friends: Involvement with other adults who wear peanut butter on their clothes can help show you that much of what your child does is actually normal. Really.
