Turn OFF the television and spend real time with your children! How many times have I preached this advice to parents? Today I am doing an about face. It’s time to turn ON the television … to watch the Olympics. Parents frequently come to me with complaints about their child… who has to be first or best who can’t cope with failure who doesn’t stick to an interest when he isn’t immediately successful who won’t try something new for fear of not being good who gives up … [Read more...] about Turn ON the TV…Lessons of the Olympics
Brat-Proofing
Part II of Kids Don’t Understand Money: TEACHING ABOUT MONEY
In Part I of Kids Don't Understand Money I shared a story of a parent whose child had not previously seen or paid attention to paying with cash. (Really!) I addressed the reality that children today don’t know about our legal tender: coins and bills. It’s shocking to think about. And here is the rest of that story: The 7-year-old, upon seeing his dad use green money, asked incredulously, “Do you have more of that?” How do kids learn about money? Where does it comes from? How do we get it? … [Read more...] about Part II of Kids Don’t Understand Money: TEACHING ABOUT MONEY
Kids Don’t Understand Money. Part 1
True story: The dad took his 7-year-old son to a funky donut shop he had heard about, a shop which took cash only. No credit cards, no Apple Pay. “But Dad, how can we pay for this?” the worried boy asked, fearing he wouldn’t get his donuts. The dad took out his wallet and found a couple of bills. The rest of the story is not important for now. What it does illustrate is today’s kids’ dwindling knowledge of real money. A different parent shared with me that her 6-year-old not only couldn’t … [Read more...] about Kids Don’t Understand Money. Part 1
Post Covid Parenting Reboot
All of us who lived through the Covid shut downs will not forget that period in our lives. At first we were kind of grateful for the forced time at home with our families. It was close and cozy and not so bad after all. And then, the world stopped. Weeks morphed into months and months and more months. We all began to see and feel what our children were missing. The losses they experienced were experiencing were real. As the world reopened, slowly our children’s lives have resumed. The … [Read more...] about Post Covid Parenting Reboot
Do You Love Your Child Enough?
Seems like a ridiculous question, I know. But since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, it feels fitting. One of the lessons our children will learn as they mature is that are lots of different kinds of love… the love for chocolate; the love for your favorite song; the love for your most comfy jeans; the love that grown up partners feel for one another; the love you have for your best pal; …And the deep, enduring love that a parent feels for her … [Read more...] about Do You Love Your Child Enough?
Teaching Civility: What the Queen’s Funeral Taught Me About Raising Kids
I was transfixed by the coverage of Queen Elizabeth’s death and funeral proceedings. The pageantry, the ritual, the lock steps, the salutes, the uniforms…I was mesmerized. The English loved their queen. Her passing marked the end of a 70 year relationship, and so many were really sad. Children watched their parents weep, curtsy, and bow their heads in silence. Their parents’ motions were the language of their feelings as they demonstrated their respect for the crown. While the … [Read more...] about Teaching Civility: What the Queen’s Funeral Taught Me About Raising Kids