The 2011 Dorothy Campion-Corcoran Lecture Creative Parenting... As Simple as a Day at the Beach Tuesday, October 18, 2011 ~ 7:00 pm Refreshments served at 6:30 pm Auditorium E, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Free and Open to the Public

Anyone who's ever tried to convince a toddler that a tantrum is a waste of time and energy knows that discipline can be a very touchy subject with the five and under set.

Ronald Schneebaum, MD can help. A pediatrician on the staff of the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD) at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Bedford Office, Dr. Schneebaum has focused his interest on childhood discipline and is currently working on a book titled "Creative Parenting... As Simple as a Day at the Beach." In his lecture of the same title, Dr. Schneebaum, who also holds a master's degree in education and worked as a school teacher before becoming a doctor, outlines ways caregivers can guide their children toward appropriate behavior, especially in public settings like restaurants, grocery stores, or... the beach!

Dr. Schneebaum's approach to discipline follows a path that lies between two parenting camps: that which demands respect for authority and that which believes constant nurturing to be the key to guiding children to happy, productive adulthood. "I thought there needed to be a third way," he says. "Think about a day at the beach - it takes a lot of planning. Before you go you decide what you want to achieve: be safe and have a good time. You see something that's not safe, you intervene." Dr. Schneebaum believes that the same principle can be applied to discipline; you decide on your goals and then when you see something that doesn't line up with those goals, you step in. "Actually, parents already know everything they need to know about discipline. They just don't know it."

Parents, grandparents, caregivers, medical professionals, anyone who works with children: here's a chance to discover new ways to bring out the best in our children.