January 28, 2019
Raising Self-Reliant Kids: An Evening with Dr. Wendy Mogel | Press Release

Beverly, MA – On Jan. 17, Essex County Community Foundation and Shore Country Day School hosted Dr. Wendy Mogel, a renowned psychologist and New York Times best-selling author who has written extensively on raising thoughtful and self-reliant children.
Dr. Mogel’s latest book, “Voice Lessons For Parents,” is a how-to guide for parents on engaging children in conversations that build confidence and compassion.

This is the third year that ECCF and Shore have partnered to bring dynamic speakers to Essex County that are relevant to the education and philanthropy communities. Previous speakers have included New York Times columnist Ron Lieber and Peter Buffett, the Emmy Award-winning son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

During her presentation, Dr. Mogel delivered her advice – about anxiety in kids and families, self-reliance and the age of entitlement – with her signature humor and honesty. More than a few times, laughter echoed throughout the Trustey Family Theatre.
“The event was an engaging, very practical presentation with lots of takeaways on how to better communicate and relate to our children,” said Derek Reed, a parent and ECCF Trustee. “Dr. Mogel was relevant, entertaining and so sincere in how she delivered her strategies and suggestions. You can easily tell how deeply she cares about the relationship between our maturing children and the adults who guide them.”

More than 200 people attended the event, and The Book Shop of Beverly Farms was on hand to sell Dr. Mogel’s three books, which include her previous works: “The Blessings of a B Minus” and “The Blessings of a Skinned Knee.”
“Dr. Mogel’s philosophy of parenting is all about helping children become independent of us by allowing mistakes and encouraging them to learn self-advocacy,” said Shore Country Day Head of School Clair Ward. “This is exactly what Shore holds most dear in terms of our goals for children upon graduation.”

ECCF President and CEO Beth Francis said she is grateful for the partnership between ECCF and Shore, and that it has been very valuable for their communities.

“Working together over the last three years, we’ve brought speakers that open the minds of donors and parents, giving them tangible tips and tools that can shape their philanthropic values,” she said.

“Dr. Mogel’s presentation really tied into ECCF’s NextGen Philanthropy Initiative, which aims to engage future generations of philanthropic leaders,” Francis added. “As a parent, I thought that Dr. Mogel’s discussion was relevant not only to the very intimate parent-child relationship, but also to the larger context of the place our kids have in the world. Their ability to make decisions with confidence and compassion will echo throughout everything they do in life, including in how they choose to give back.”

“We were so pleased to hear from Wendy Mogel, who shared her ‘voice lessons’ that resonate for us all – educators, parents and funders alike,” said Shore’s Director of Advancement Jody Johnson. “As a community, we are raising the next generation of students, preparing them to make a difference in our region and in the world.”

 

A Community Foundation is Born

A Community Foundation is Born

By Michelle Xiarhos Curran ECCF COMMUNICATIONS WRITER Like many origin stories, the story of how Essex County Community Foundation came to be is filled with challenges and opportunities, obstacles...

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