Oct05
We confess we had never heard of a helicopter parent until a friend brought up another parent whose son had just suffered an accident: “He is such a total helicopter parent.” It turns out that there are several types of helicopter parents — combat, traffic and rescue, for example — and this phenomenon has raised […]
Continue reading »Sep21
If parents give children the opportunity and the autonomy to make mistakes and try again, it can help them manage frustration, build their self-confidence and teach them persistence in achieving their goals. Here are nine approaches for today’s parents: Send consistent messages to your children in what you say and what you do. Children imitate […]
Continue reading »Sep14
Parents loom large in the development of their children’s personalities. As the Pixar film Inside Out tells it, parents form the biggest “islands” (personality aspects) for their children. As the principle socialization agents for their children, parents have a large array of resources at their disposal to mold their children’s behavior. “Have you eaten […]
Continue reading »Sep07
Several scientifically-based studies, such as those by Walter Mischel, Martin Seligman, Angela Duckworth and others, confirm that cognitive ability (measured, for example, by IQ) is not a reliable indicator of success and achievement. How do we define success and achievement? We look at academic indicators (like grades and test scores) or social factors (a career, […]
Continue reading »Aug30
A Texas teacher’s swearing off of homework for her students has gone viral and it seems to have incited more than the usual flurry of back-to-school discussions about whether homework helps or hinders kids. If you haven’t read the note from Brandy Young, a second-grade teacher working not far from Dallas-Fort Worth, in it she […]
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