An exasperated dad once told me how he instructed his son to handle a playground conflict if it were to happen again: “If that kid throws the basketball at your head again, punch him, and just be willing to take the teacher’s punishment.” I’ll explain here why that’s not the best advice to give a kid. But let’s be honest. Most of us have thought the same thing when we’ve seen our kids get grief […]
Why are so many parenting books written to help parents with strong willed or rebellious children? It’s understandable given the parental stress involved and their desperation for relief. But my point here is to call attention to the average child. While difficult children can monopolize parents’ and teachers’ attention, and gifted children may attend special schools or programs to enhance their gifts, it’s often the average child that lives with lower expectations, and at times, […]
The folks at Sesame Street have been concerned lately about the younger generation’s lack of kindness. A statement from the Sesame Workshop noted that there has been an increase in “anger, fear, bullying, and violence” and that “narcissism is on the rise, empathy is down, and… students think their parents prioritize grades over being kind to others.” They recently surveyed hundreds of teachers and parents about how well children today are being taught kindness. Here […]
Given the recent discussion about a school in Florida that issued parent waivers for opting out of the Pledge of Allegiance and Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to participate in the National Anthem, it seems timely to discuss the importance of the Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge shouldn’t be regarded as an empty tradition in our nation’s classrooms. It has a purpose, and there are benefits to teaching students the pledge and requiring them to recite it. […]
What are the most important skills a student should learn in school? We will agree that spiritual growth must be given priority, but once we’ve attended to the eternal, what should be considered the most critical elements of learning that impact students for the rest of their lives? Consider these two statistics that have recently emerged: College students spend three times more hours socializing than studying. Only 59% of full-time college students finished their bachelor’s […]
