Patrick Ward, PhD » time

Coping with Change

Patrick Ward — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:00:53 +0000

Stress often comes in the form of change to our lives. Therefore, it is very important that we learn how to “get a handle” on change so that we can roll with it rather than be rolled over by it. Stress can literally run you over! Did you know that researchers are finding out that emotional stress is associated with increases in heart disease as well as other stress-related illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and fibromyalgia? Continue

Managing the Media in Your Home

Patrick Ward — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:06:26 +0000

What would your life be like if television, the internet, and computers suddenly didn’t work any more? The amount of uneasiness you have in reaction to that question is a good indicator of how influential electronic media is in your life. Most of us remember the days when there was no Internet and the television offered about 12 channels. What is more, we had to get up and change the television channels manually! Now there are so many media and entertainment options so easily available, it feels overwhelming. In fact, it seems as if the American family home is inundated by media overexposure. Continue

“Quality Time” in Just a Few Minutes

Patrick Ward — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 21:00:22 +0000

Almost every magazine article, television or radio program you see talks about how busy the American family is these days, yet how important “Quality Time” is to the family. How the heck are you supposed to carve out quality time when there are so many demands on the family calendar? Some days get so hectic you may wonder if you have even spoken to your spouse or children that day. So, how much time is needed for it to be “Quality Time?” How about five minutes a day? What about just four minutes? Continue

Parents Unite! Take Back Christmas!

Patrick Ward — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 21:16:48 +0000

With the end of Thanksgiving, the “Holiday Season” is in full swing. In addition to the everyday grind, there is all this extra stuff to do to get ready for the holidays: shopping, baking, planning reunions, planning parties, wrapping, decorating, putting Christmas trees in stands, getting hunters out of tree stands, and numerous other tasks. Why do we put ourselves through this every year? The Scrooges and Grinches of the world see it as a waste of time, all this pointless effort for one frenzied day of consumerism. Those who love Christmastime hold this time as a special time of togetherness with family and friends. Continue

Lessons from the Love Lab

Patrick Ward — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 21:10:34 +0000

Some very compelling research on marriage has emerged from the University of Washington in the last few years. Psychology professor John Gottman and his team of researchers have developed a lab the press has dubbed “The Love Lab.” In their laboratory which is set up like an apartment, Gottman and his fellow researchers observe couples as they interact. They see it all; the good, the bad, and the ugly interactions that can take place in marriage. Each partner’s stress levels are measured several times a day through heart rate monitors, stress hormone levels, video monitoring, blood pressure, and interviews. This data is then used to create mathematical models that can predict whether a couple will divorce or not in the next three years. Research has shown their prediction models are more than 90% accurate! Continue

Is Family Time Supposed to be Fun?

Patrick Ward — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 21:12:34 +0000

The topic for this month’s issue of Parent Magazine, family entertainment, got me thinking about the good times I’ve had with my family. I also remember some times that were, well, a little more challenging! Successfully creating entertaining activities for the whole family can be quite an undertaking. If you are reading this, and you have participated in family activities, you can probably recall some great times and a few really, really bad experiences. Have you ever tried to get the whole family to watch a movie together and end up watching it by yourself? How about those times you pay to take the family somewhere, and the kids argue the whole time and you have a headache by the end of the day? I guess what I’m trying to convey is that family entertainment is a great idea, but easier said than done! Let me relate to you some personal experience with good and bad family entertainment. These will be used to illustrate an important point later in the column. Continue