“What do you say to Grandpa for making us this big dinner?” we asked the kids, perched precariously on booster seats at the far end of the table. “Thank you!” they cheered enthusiastically. We parents looked at one another, pleased as punch with our children, especially because moments earlier my niece threw a fork and… Read More →
I was recently asked to try to go back to my own childhood and try to remember the things that I worried most about when I was young. Closing my eyes, it didn’t take me long to channel my inner child and generate a robust list of worries that ranged from, “my basement” to, “an… Read More →
Growth mindset isn’t just about praise “My daughter is working hard and I am proud of her perseverance, but at the end of the day her performance isn’t necessarily improving. Do I just keep praising her? This growth mindset stuff doesn’t seem to be working.” These are the words of a parent who attended a… Read More →
If you have ever spent any time with preschoolers, you know that their curious minds are incessant. “Why is that squirrel eating a nut? Where do you think it lives? Why are there nuts on that tree? Where are the other squirrels? Why? Where? How come?” For us parents, these endless questions can be exasperating.… Read More →
Students will enter school this year with all sorts of supplies, habits, skills, and feelings. The pens, notebooks, books and class schedules will fit neatly inside their backpacks. The other things can be harder to pin down but have a much greater impact on our kids’ success. Empathy Empathy is one of the core “pro-social… Read More →
I vividly remember a youth hockey coach once asked me to do some positive thinking before a big game, “Imagine that there are no obstacles standing in your way. You are fast and powerful and nothing is between you and the net.” Even with my eyes closed in the locker room, I could practically hear… Read More →
“I’m not going to basketball practice next week,” Troy announced to his dad just before leaving for school. “The coach is stupid and I don’t like the other guys that much anyway.” “But you’ve been excited to play on the high school team for years and you just made the team!” he replied. “Well I… Read More →
Students start the school year with all sorts of supplies. They also bring something intangible but very important for their success: a set of beliefs about their ability to learn.
Getting my kids out of bed in the morning when they were teenagers felt like an epic battle of wills. I remember my son Brian begging for just five more minutes of sleep as if his life depended on it. Convinced that his fatigue was caused by going to bed too late, we tried to… Read More →
“I’m grateful for Goldy Gopher!” My then three-year-old nephew Ellis exclaimed proudly. “Me too!” His cousin Lucila followed. “Ack!” Shrieked Fiona with an enormous grin, not even one year old. My son Miles responded by dropping some peas on the floor. Welcome to the family tradition we call “Big Circle.” Circling Up My parents have… Read More →
