We live in a world that begs our attention and engagement at every turn. Even as I settle in to write this blog post, Ping! A new email; Beep! someone posted on my Facebook timeline; Bzzz. my phone alerts me to a text even though I’ve put it on vibrate in a weak attempt to… Read More →
We just wrote a post about executive function and how important these skills are for our kids success in school and in life. Here are some tips for giving your kids lots of practice: Help your child build a framework: Helping your child set attainable goals and breaking tasks into achievable steps helps build executive… Read More →
Want your child to succeed in school and life? Then look beyond IQ scores and test results. We’ve written before about the importance of self-discipline, but the story doesn’t end there. A whole host of mental skills—constituting what is called executive function–determine how as opposed to what we learn. Emerging research is clear that these… Read More →
“I asked mom and she already said it was okay for me to go out with my friends tonight.” “But dad never makes me do my homework before I play video games!” Sound familiar? Parenting across two households can be a real challenge. Working through the pain of ending a committed relationship into a working… Read More →
Now that we understand the impact of bullying on young people, what do we do about it? Too often when we talk about taking action we focus only on the bully and the victim. But bullying doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Bullying takes place in a social context and bystanders can either help stop bullying… Read More →
We know that setting limits is key to the development of respect, empathy, and self-discipline. That said, setting and enforcing them aren’t always easy. Try these tips to get started: Get real. Remind yourself that it is your child’s job to push against the limits and your job to set them. Some children will push… Read More →
For lots of parents, simple conversations can quickly escalate into a power struggle. As our kids start flexing their own muscles of independence, one of their developmental jobs is to find the outer boundaries of appropriate behavior. How far can I go? Who cares? This is especially true during key developmental windows (namely, the “terrible… Read More →
I wasn’t sure why my eighteen-month-old son Miles was squirming to get out of my arms, but he hit the kitchen floor running and was off to the far corner of the living room. We had just been looking at the big pot of soup simmering on the stove. I had pointed out the onions,… Read More →
Being introduced as a “parenting expert” before speaking engagements always feels a bit uncomfortable. It is not because I don’t think that I bring value to parents. I am passionate about the information I get to share. I delight in reading and translating research on child and youth development and I have seen it give… Read More →
Parents everywhere started bracing themselves for the onslaught of holiday advertising starting around Halloween and lasts for….forever. All of these advertisements trigger the “gimmes” in our kids without them even being aware of it. Not only do advertisements communicate powerful emotional messages about what it takes to be cool, “in,” or hip, they also trigger… Read More →
