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
Public Behavior
A Master Class: The Summer Olympics
The Goat, Simone Biles, took herself off of her USA Olympic team this morning, The news swept over me in a wave of disappointment. Like so many Americans, I was looking forward to watching Simone mine for Gold and hit the jackpot. Instead of gold, I got let down. Disappointment is a part of the Olympics and of life. While Olympic fever is hardly over 98.6 degrees this year, there are so many reasons, beyond the sports, to watch the events with your children. (In fact, there are enough … [Read more...] about A Master Class: The Summer Olympics
“It’s the Palisades”…Not!
On Friday night after another great dinner at our local pizza place with two of my grandgirls, we went for our requisite fro yo. It’s what we do on sleepovers at “BeeBee and Big D’s” house: pizza and frozen yogurt. As we sat relishing each bite with a taste of topping, two girls came scooting by. They looked to be 9 years old-ish. Stopping right in front of us sitting on the bench, the first girl turned and said to her friend, “How much did your most expensive jacket cost?” … [Read more...] about “It’s the Palisades”…Not!
To Post or Not to Post
Every time there is a school holiday, social media is plastered with photos of families and kids engaged in all sorts of vacation fun. Then there are those other pictures, the ones that reflect something more than family fun. This year, in particular, there was a peppering of photos that made me stop and ask, Why did [parent] post that photo? Obviously, a parent posts photos of his child, thinking it will be “liked.” My friends will love this one! No one intentionally … [Read more...] about To Post or Not to Post
Talking to Kids about Racism, Law Enforcement, and Violence (in light of the Dallas Shootings)
How I wish I weren’t writing this particular blog…again. How I wish you didn’t need this blog…again. How I wish I actually had an explanation for this madness. I don’t. There is no explanation. So how in the world do we explain it to our children? Too many times in the past I have posted scripts and caveats for talking with kids about the tragic events that keep happening far away and too close to home. There are 23 blogs on the topic under the category SAFETY on my website. All of the … [Read more...] about Talking to Kids about Racism, Law Enforcement, and Violence (in light of the Dallas Shootings)
Politicians Behaving Badly: Talking to Kids About the Election
Kids of all ages are getting a whiff of election politics at its worst. It’s unavoidable. I'll bet you think I am going to say, “Shelter them! Turn off the radio, TV, computer.” Not this time. This 2016 presidential election (which seems interminable) is an opportunity. It is filled with important lessons for our children, elementary school age on up. Remember, children learn a great deal by making mistakes and by seeing the mistakes of others. It is what I call “ambient learning.” So, … [Read more...] about Politicians Behaving Badly: Talking to Kids About the Election