Group Director Aaron shares a guide to summer parenting companionship

During the long summer days spent closely with our children, our parenting styles often become more pronounced. Recognizing your own approach to parenting is the first step toward overcoming challenges.

Psychology generally identifies four main parenting styles:

When parenting styles fall out of balance during the holidays, they can easily lead to chaos in the following three areas:

How can we navigate the turbulence of summer parenting and build a connection with our children that is both stable and warm?

Aaron offers his answer—grounded in both science and real-life experience.

Aaron with the CIS Academic Leadership Team

2. What Science Tells Us: Relationships Can Heal Childhood Trauma

In The 7 Laws of Parenting, Aaron writes:

“The best thing that parents can do to help their children heal is to stay emotionally connected.”

This isn’t just a comforting idea—it’s backed by neuroscience. The ACE Study (Adverse Childhood Experiences), conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, was the first to reveal how early adversity can have long-term effects on a child’s brain development and mental health.

More importantly, Aaron reminds us:“Children are incredibly resilient. With the right relationships and environments, even those with high ACE scores can thrive.”

In other words, wounds caused in relationships must also be healed through relationships. Every response we offer, every hug, every moment of eye contact helps rebuild their sense of safety.

3. Parenting is not about control— it’s about connection

As Aaron puts it:“We examined the importance of knowledge and balance, and how modeling emotional intelligence, curiosity, and self-care helps raise resilient, empathetic kids.”

Let’s take a closer look at how these laws can guide us through three major summer parenting challenges.

Challenge 1：Screens—Connection or Conflict?

With summer comes a familiar battle: screen time. Aaron reminds us:

“We examined moderation, especially in the digital age, and how to lead children toward a healthy relationship with technology, time, and even themselves.”

Try applying these three principles:

• The Law of Moderation
  In a world that encourages extremes—more screen time, more sugar, more stimulation—teaching children moderation helps them develop self-discipline, emotional resilience, and self-awareness.

• The Law of Consistency
  Consistency provides safety. Inconsistent rules lead to anxiety and frequent power struggles.

• The Law of Language
  Our words become our child’s inner voice. Instead of “Why are you on your phone again?” try: “I know you love this game—let’s also find something just as fun we can do together.”

Challenge 2：Academic Anxiety

—How Do We Truly Prepare for the Future?

Summer often brings both tutoring and “fear of falling behind.” Aaron reminds us that true education is about nurturing curiosity, not compliance:

“True education fosters curiosity, not compliance.”

Try applying:

• The Law of Balance
  Balance is the foundation of lifelong wellness. In a world full of overstimulation, screens, overscheduling, and information overload, kids need support to harmonize their minds, bodies, and spirits. Teaching this balance helps them build awareness, manage stress, and thrive in all aspects of life.

• The Law of Knowledge
  Fostering a love of learning is one of the most essential goals of parenting. Real education goes beyond the classroom—it cultivates curiosity, adaptability, and a desire for lifelong growth.