Mother's Day Blues: When Being a Stay-at-Home Mom is No Longer an Option

Newport Beach, CA -- The recession has forced many stay-at-home moms to return to the work force. Which leaves concerned moms across the U.S. asking, "How will my absence affect my children?"

"The key to raising healthy children isn't so much about the quantity of time you spend with your kids, it's more about the quality," says Dr. Robert Puff, a clinical psychologist based in Newport Beach, Calif.

Unfortunately, too many parents believe that spending all day together is enough, even if it means that a child is sitting in front of the TV for hours while a parent surfs the internet or talks on the phone to friends.

For over 25 years, Dr. Puff, author of the free e-book "Anger Work: How to Express Your Anger and Still be Kind" and the podcast "Raising Healthy Children and Teenagers," has worked with kids. If he's seeing a child, he'll usually split the session between child and parent, which means that a son or daughter will meet with him for 30 minutes. "Eventhough I'm with these kids for a short period of time, I can heal traumas from divorce, sexual abuse, depression, or anxiety because I give them my full attention and healing skills."

So what is quality time? Great parenting involves three dynamics: (1) How you treat your children; (2) What you expose your children to; and (3) What you model for your children. "Modeling," Dr. Puff explains, "is the hardest part of parenting." For example, if a mother tells her son not to worry about her having to work, but he feels the stress in her voice, guess which message is stronger?

A great way to celebrate Mother's Day in 2009 is to spend quality time with your children, like going outside and playing with them, reading with them, or taking your children on a date.

In addition to his e-book and podcast, Dr. Puff has written numerous articles and other podcasts on topics that address how to thrive in today's stressful world. All works are available for free at http://www.DoctorPuff.com. He may be reached at: 714-337-4889, or DrPuff@DoctorPuff.com