When I was growing up, dinner was my least favorite time of day. First, there were the five very explicit rules. You will be in your seat, quiet and ready to eat at 5 pm. You will not complain or ask for something else. No dessert if you are not done when the adults are....Read More
When our son was in first grade, he wanted to take guitar lessons. We asked around and found a professional musician-teacher who was highly recommended by his school and by other parents. We bought a beginner’s guitar for a child’s small hands. We found a time that worked for the teacher and for us. We...Read More
What is self-advocacy, and why don’t kids like to do it? First, a story… I had planned ahead and had an hour to spare, plus time for ten minutes of meditation and a final run-through. The checklist was all set: Login and password, lighting, sound, my presentation slides, clothes, hair, makeup, simple background, even fresh...Read More
learn Imagine that you are the boss. Yes, you! Do you give yourself lots of time off? A big salary hike? A posh office space? If so, you give your emotional self a pleasure boost, though it will be short-lived. One of my favorite teachers told us to imagine that our emotional self is like...Read More
learn How would you answer two seemingly simple questions: What do you love about your community? What would you change? Most people agree that their community (which could be your whole city or a part of it, like a team or group) should be at least some of these things: vibrant and culturally rich; safe,...Read More
learn It can be hard to work against your strengths. They are automatic and feel right. So honest people may find it hard to tell a white lie, and forgiving people may let others hurt them over and over. These are examples of overdoing it with a strength. The reverse, underusing a strength, can also...Read More
You have lots of control over whether or not you will become happier. According to happiness researchers, it helps to think of a pie chart. I prefer a pizza as my metaphor. Three-and-a-half slices worth. That’s how much life satisfaction you can directly control. If the pizza has eight slices, it’s four slices of heredity...Read More
Researchers have found that people use four key styles of responding to the good news of another person. Imagine that your child has just told you their coach says they are going to start in the next game, or are invited to a friend’s party. That’s epic! Think about how you could respond to them:...Read More
Let’s set the scene. Like many super-involved parents, you’ve been checking the school portal, keeping up with your child’s daily performance. There it is. You’ve been waiting for this moment. On the page before you is proof that your kid can be a high achiever. It’s a big jump in the English grade! You may be...Read More
Do you ever wish you were more creative? Research has shown that adults can be primed to become more creative simply by being asked to think like children. There are many kinds of creativity, including flexible thinking, elaboration of existing ideas, fluency of ideas, and originality. For the purposes of the study, college students were...Read More
