Education & Creativity
Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it.
Think about this: "We don't grow into creativity, we grow out of it; actually, we get educated out of it."
Click ...
Are You Spoiling Your Kid?
From the very first infant feeding to college tuition, parents are constantly giving to their children.
Some parents give more, and others less; yet we all wonder at some point, “Am I spoiling my daughter?” or, “Is buying this item for my son truly a ...
We Are More Than Beautiful!
Blog Book Tour
We Are More Than Beautiful
46 Real Teens Speak Out about Beauty, Happiness, Love and Life
by Woody Winfree
The new book, We Are More Than Beautiful for teen girls ...
Yell at Your Kids in the Afteroon… but Not in the Mornings!
Yell at your kids in the afternoon, but…
… NOT in the mornings!
This week, we are going to incorporate a new habit into our lives. The purpose of this particular habit is to make our children’s living more pleasant and to give them the ...
Driving Without Fuel
Here’s a question for you:
Would you attempt a cross-country drive without a single gallon of gas in your car’s tank?
At the risk of stating the obvious, nobody in their right mind would try to take a trip in a vehicle that ...
Don’t Worry!
It was one of those dull, gray Monday mornings earlier this week when I was sitting in my doctor’s office being administered a medication via IV for several hours. Unfortunately, I had neglected to find a good book to accompany me on this ...
Parents - 12 Holiday Tips For Balance, Harmony, and Joy
This time of year, we look forward to the excitement and fun of the holiday season: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the New Year are all occasions to rejoice and celebrate with family and friends. With the holidays, though, comes more than the ...
Progress, not Perfection
Progress, not Perfection
Yesterday I noticed a bumper sticker in my dentist’s parking lot which read, “Progress, not perfection.”
Hundreds of examples of how to apply that motto to childrearing rushed through my head as I made my way past that shiny sedan....
Pursuit of Comfort
One of the greatest fallacies of our time is the mistaken social rule that “happiness means being comfortable”.
When was the last time that you saw modern-day movie where the hero or heroine was happy to be in an impoverished and uncomfortable state?...
“Who wants to be an emotional millionaire?”
Happy. Sad.
Most youngsters can recognize these feelings from a very early age.
However, what about the myriad of other feelings that pop up within ...
“Ouch!” Change is Uncomfortable!
Take the time to take a good hard look at where you are today, and where you want to be in the future.
You are here, yet you want to be there. Your children are here, and you’d ...
“How Do You Love Me?”
“I love you.”
They are the three sweetest words in our language; wonderful, special words. Yet, the interpretation of these words can be just as distinctive as our fingerprints.
Pronouncing the phrase “I love you” may be the equivalent of physical affection ...
I Want To Scream!
Dear Ellen,
Sometimes I get so mad at my kids! Yesterday, we were getting ready for a family reunion that our family will be hosting next week. My thirteen-year-old daughter suggested that we create place cards and matching centerpieces for the ...
Put Yourself in His Shoes!
A wise educator once compared a child's distress over a lost toy to the anguish that an entrepreneur feels regarding a failed investment.
He specified that taking away a block of wood that a child is floating in the bathtub as a ...
Modeling as a Way of Life
“Do as I say and not as I do.”
That hypocritical concept is unquestionably one of the most ineffective methods of education.
Children see, and children do.
Children instinctively model the behavior of those around them, thereby developing physical, emotional, and mental skills.
On occasion, it can be ...
Planting Small Souls
Raising children is arguably one of the most complex and profound challenges that we face. From the innocent days of infancy through the complicated chaos of the teenage years, childrearing is fraught with questions and uncertainty.
Like a freshly ...
Five Tips to Kick Start Your Child’s Self Esteem
If there is one attribute that can change the outcome of a child’s life, I would have to define that as self-esteem.
Low self-esteem can take a youngster to unsavory relationships and ...
Touch Hunger
Perhaps the most effective way to determine the value of an idea is to determine the negative effects that occur when that concept is missing.
Let's examine the power of human touch regarding children and ...
My Buddy and Me
Perhaps it all began in the latter half of the 20th century when a new trend in parenting spread amongst those who were fairly new in their “careers” as parents. Establishing one’s role as a parental figure in the early stages of ...
Smoother Transitions
Pretend for a moment that it is midnight. Or is it?
Suddenly, all of the clocks in your home have become dysfunctional. Every timepiece has broken; even your computer and cell phone are displaying error messages instead of the correct time.
Minutes and hours are marching ...
Expectations- Are They Realistic?
Fast-forward 2, 5, or even 20 years.
Graduation caps are flying through the air as celebratory sounds of "Congratulations!" fill the air.
Your beloved child has just graduated from college, a shining moment in your parenting journey.
“Wow, the past 2 decades ...
Everything Versus Something
It happens at the most surprising moments. A flash of inspiration bolts into our heart, and like Nike, the energy shouts, "Just do it!"
Perhaps it was a sidelong glance at well-mannered children in another family, or even one of the articles on this ...
6 Steps to Problem Solving
It could be early in the morning, late evening, or anytime in between when a problem crops up. The only consistency is that the challenging issue always rears its head at the wrong time- no matter what the clock is reading!
From a lost ...
NDL- Nonverbal Learning Disorder
NLD: Nonverbal Learning Disorder
You know him. He’s the one that sits at his desk during recess, reading rather than going outside to play ball with his classmates.
She’s ...
I’m Bored!
You have just settled yourself in front of the computer to read an interesting article (perhaps one of mine!) and then you hear the two words which grate on your nerves: "I'm bored!"
It ...
Recommended Reading…
In case you haven't heard from me in a while, no, I wasn't ignoring you! However, I had emergency surgery and was in the hospital for several days last week, and now I'm starting to get back to myself. (Nothing life-threatening, thankfully, ...
Self-Esteem, the Industrial Revolution, & TV
Self-Esteem, the Industrial Revolution, and TV
If you were asked “What are the three top characteristic you hope to imbue in your child?” there’s a good chance that self-esteem would be one of your answers.
A healthy level of personal esteem will allow ...
Gratitude
How can we teach our children to feel gratitude?
The simplest things, the ones we take for granted, ought to be appreciated. For example, having hands that can function effectively is a great starting point.
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Bedtime!
No other time of the day in our child's life is as emotionally charged as bedtime!
Bedtime can be considered a significant 'trunk' of your child's 'tree'- from where many other 'branches' - or issues - emerge....
Reflecting Versus Reacting
Imagine with me for a moment that you have just arrived home from a party.
"Honey, I'm so hungry, do we have anything good to eat?" you ask your spouse.
"Hungry!" Spouse exclaims, "How could you possibly ...
How To Engrave ‘Say-No-To-Drugs’ on Your Child’s Mind- Starting when They’re Young!
Let’s face it; drugs and alcohol have the ability to rob you of your children. Access to illegal substances is absurdly simple for teenagers. Clearly, young lives are being ruined by the thousands as a result of these harmful addictions....
A Child’s Emotional Bank Account
At a parenting seminar I recently attended, someone asked a room full of parents, "What is the most difficult aspect of raising successful children?"
The most memorable response drew a lot of laughs; "The first twenty-five years."
Indeed, there are numerous challenges we parents face from ...
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