One of the obvious conclusions of the growing field of mind-body medicine is that our emotions affect us physically, triggering or accelerating very “real,” very physical medical conditions. But what is not always as obvious is that our emotions can just as clearly affect others physically, especially if those others are our children.

Clearly there’s a lot more research to be done, but David Code’s new book Kids Pick Up on Everything: How Parental Stress is Toxic to Kids and the studies to which he refers touches on precisely how, and how much, the emotional life of parents can be detrimental to children. We all know that parental stress harms our children, but Code alleges – and cites compelling evidence – that our stress is medically damaging to our children, and may be the hidden cause of the recent rise in diseases/disorders such as ADHD, autism, asthma and diabetes . The message to take from this isn’t that “it’s all your fault.” On the contrary, Code’s observations are potentially empowering: if our own emotional turmoil is capable, as he believes, of triggering or aggravating medical conditions, then think how much effect we might have by taking steps to ensure our own emotional wellbeing. The message is clear, that stress-management for busy parents isn’t self-indulgent. It’s a priority, perhaps even a duty.

For a review of the book and an interview with the author, have a look at this recent article by Lisa Belkin in the Huffington Post.

The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids

This is a wonderful look at the current culture of teens. It shows us a world in which materialism, disconnection, perfectionism and a great deal of pressure to achieve can combine to create kids who feel empty and stressed.  We all want our kids to set their own bar high, but in doing too much to assure their success we may set them up for more significant failures. A good study of culture and context, this books also provides a clear statement that how we connect with our kids is what really matters. Click here to visit the author’s website.