The Ultimate Price of Our Hyper-Achievement Culture
A truly tragic story of Madison Holleran, a U. of Penn student and track athlete, who committed suicide in early 2014. On the surface, she was a happy, and successful young woman. But inside there was turmoil. It reminds me of Sarah Devens, another star student-athlete, this time at Dartmouth (I wonder if the fact that […]
Read MoreThe High Cost of Pushing Your Kids Too Hard
A really painful article about how the hyper-achievement culture of ‘only the best is good enough’ that is engulfing America’s children is causing real problems for young people these days.
An important read for every parent who wants their children to be successful (which is pretty much every parent).
How and how hard are you pushing your children? At what cost?
Read MoreBenefits and Costs of ‘Affluenza’ Among Children
Here’s an unsettling infographic from Northwestern University researchers that describes the benefits and significant costs of raising children in an affluent environment. It also offers some useful tips on how parents can prevent their children from catching ‘affluenza.’
Read MoreAre you a Free-Range Parent? You Should Be
There was a great article in the New York Times recently titled, The Case for Free-Range Parenting. It argues persuasively for the need for our children to have the freedom to explore their worlds on their own without parents acting like helicopters, always hovering around to “protect” them from the apparently dangerous world in which they now live. […]
Read More4 Rituals to Create a “Green Family”
One of the best ways to communicate any message to your children is through regular rituals that are woven into the fabric of your family’s lives. The consistency of intention and action help ingrain the messages you want your children to get most. The use of rituals is very effective in teaching your children about […]
Read MoreAnother Sign that Youth Sports are Out of Control
If you want another sign that youth sports (and the parents and coaches that are behind it) have gone completely off the rails, read this truly unsettling article. No doubt that many aspects of youth sports are no longer about children, but rather about deluded and selfish parents and the ‘youth sport industrial complex’ in which children […]
Read More6 Catchphrases to Connect Your Children to Nature
In my last post exploring children’s relationship with nature, I described 8 ways that parents can nurture their children’s love of nature. Because words send powerful messages to children, you can further help your children connect to nature by associated their wonderful experiences in nature with meaningful catchphrases related to nature. Our catchphrase for sending […]
Read MoreGive Your Children Roots and Wings
A wonderful article in The New York Times about the importance of allowing your children to explore, risk, and fail. A must-read in today’s world of over-involved and fearful parents who try to protect their children from dangers that don’t exist and experiences that will actually make them more confident, capable and resilient people.
Read More8 Ways to Nurture Your Children’s Love of Nature
Children love the Earth. They really do hug trees. Kids care in the purest and sweetest way for birds, flowers, plants, and animals. To see children smell a flower, marvel at a bee buzzing around them, and jump with joy at seeing a deer are just a few of the ways that children express their […]
Read More5 Ways to Weave Gratitude into Your Family’s Life
To ensure that your children embrace the value of gratitude, you must immerse them in a culture of gratitude. You can do this by weaving gratitude into the very fabric of your family life. Our family has a “Mo’ Grat” ritual every evening when we sit down for dinner. In this case, it means “Moment […]
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