What Parents Can Say to Raise Secure Children
Words have a powerful effect on your children. What you say impacts what they think about themselves and their world, the actions they take as they explore their world, and the emotions they experience as they interact with their world. Your words can create a child who is secure and comfortable with themselves. Or, your […]
Read MoreInteresting Short Film on ‘Character’
Here’s an interesting short film that explores the development of character in people.
Read More6 Things Parents Can Say and Do at the End of the Race Season
The conclusion of a race season can be a time of excitement, relief, and suffering for parents. The excitement comes when your young ski racers have just concluded a season that exceeded their expectations. The sense of pride and satisfaction can be palatable and reinforces why you have your children in our oh-so-demanding sport. The […]
Read MoreA Great Article about the Costs of Over-Protecting Your Child
On the heels of my recent post titled, Risk-Taking for Your Children: How Much is Enough?, The Atlantic Monthly just published a cover story, The Overprotected Child, which covers the topic from a slightly different, but very compelling, angle. A great read!
Read MoreRisk-Taking for Your Children: How Much is Enough?
Some time ago, I wrote a post about a TED talk in which the speaker recommended that parents allow their children to engage in risky behavior, for example, play with fire, own a pocket knife, throw spears, take apart appliances, and drive a car. I agreed with his views though I also suggested that, because he wasn’t a parent, it was easy for him to say. In contrast, as parents, we all struggle with a fundamental question: How much risk for our children? This question is one I ask myself often because I believe that parents these days are far too protective of their children. Many parents ‘bubble wrap’ their kids with the best of intentions to safeguard them from life’s dangers. I would argue , however, that these parents are actually doing their children a disservice by not allowing them to gain experiences that will build confidence and instill resilience that will be essential for success and happiness later in life. This question arose in my mind over the weekend as my wife and I had some fun adventures with our two daughters (ages 8 and 6). Our girls rode their bikes, swam, and climbed high on play structures. At a more mundane level, we also hung around the house during which time they climbed up on the kitchen counters, cut vegetables with a sharp knife, and helped my wife cook dinner on the stove. Additionally, our daughters rode their scooters on the sidewalk in front of our house and went for a walk around the neighborhood by themselves. Next weekend, we’re going up to the mountains to ski.
Read MoreParents’ Use of Technology Matters
A cautionary article in The New York Times describes the important role that parents’ use of technology has on their children in a variety of ways. The article cites a study in which caregivers (it wasn’t always possible to judge whether they were the parents) with their children were observed in restaurants for their use […]
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