What Great Parents Do: 75 Simple Strategies for Raising Kids Who Thrive by Erica Reischer, PhD resonates strongly with me because it's in line with both my belief in the importance of our own self-growth and my openness to continue learning how to be my best parent self. It's a helpful parenting book of bite-sized wisdom, easily digestible for parents of any age child. (Personally, I think I'm … [Read more...]
Spark Conversations with Picture Books About Families
Reading picture books about families makes kids feel safe and builds their empathy for other kinds of families. It's important for children to understand about what makes a family and the different ways this can look depending on circumstances, culture, and beliefs. Reading books about families can spark meaningful conversations that will ground your children in feeling safe and knowing that they … [Read more...]
Advice for Parenting Teen Girls: Untangled
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions Into Adulthood by Lisa Damour, Ph.D. is a book that will give parents of teen girls hope, encouragement, and new parenting strategies. I'm recommending it to you if you are a parent of a teenage girl. The book is dense with stories and helpful advice based on Damour's knowledge and work as a psychologist for adolescents. Advice for … [Read more...]
Introverted Teens and Kids Need This Book
Kids and teens, you can learn how to make the most of being an introvert at school, with friends, in your family, and with extracurricular activities with this remarkable guidebook: Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts by Susan Cain with Gregory Mone and Erica Moroz. Parents, you can read this and share excerpts or summarize parts. Teens and tweens, can pick up the book and read it … [Read more...]
How Danish Parenting Results in Happy, Confident Kids
The Danish Way of Parenting: What the Happiest People in the World Know About Raising Confident, Capable Kids by Jessica Alexander and Iben Sandahl inspires me and I highly recommend it as an excellent resource for parents. Because why are the Danes always rated so happy and how does their parenting raise happy kids that become happy adults anyway? The authors, a Danish psychotherapist and a … [Read more...]
Boys vs. Books: Turn Your Boys Into Readers
written by Edge of Extinction author, Laura Martin scroll down to WIN a signed copy of her book! I used to be able to recognize the question before it had even been asked. There was a certain look parents had as they squished themselves behind the desk their middle school boy sat behind day after day. Why? They would ask. Why weren’t their boys the natural born readers their daughters had … [Read more...]
Hands-On Addition Activity from 100 Fun and Easy Learning Games for Kids
The Educator's Spin On It bloggers, Kim Vij and Amanda Boyarshinov just published a great book for young learners called 100 Fun and Easy Learning Games for Kids. The photographs are gorgeous, the directions clear, and the ideas engaging. I love the variety of activities in the different subjects of reading, writing, math, science, art, music and global studies. One of the many fun … [Read more...]
New Books for Summer 2016
I can't wait to tell you about the latest new books to get your kids excited about reading. So for this summer vacation 2016 or any time, browse through these reviews and see what will appeal to your child. See also my summer book lists by grade and age. New Books for Summer 2016 Nick and Tesla's Solar-Powered Showdown by Bob Pflugfelder, Steve Hockensmith ADVENTURE (ages 7 - 10) I LOVE … [Read more...]
30 Biographies That Encourage a Growth Mindset
Ever met a child who has a fixed mindset? Kids who say things like, "I'm not good at math," or "I'm not smart enough." For these kids, we can encourage a growth mindset by reading biographies of famous individuals. Mindshift recently published an article showing a study that when students were exposed to famous scientists' "struggle stories", it helped them not just see the scientist as an … [Read more...]
Why You Should Teach Kids to Say No to Authority Figures
Believe it or not, we need to teach our kids not to be compliant without questioning. We must teach our kids to be respectful but to also be THINKERS who can stand up to authority figures and / or friends who are. This is essential for our children's safety! Did you know that after guide dogs are trained, they are also taught to disobey if the command is harmful? This is called Intelligence … [Read more...]
Play: How to Raise a Happy, Creative, and Smart Child
You want your child to be happy, creative, and smart, right? Let her play. Yes. Play. Ignore our adult created concept that kids need scheduled activities. It’s not true. It’s not how kids learn. How to Raise a Happy, Creative, and Smart Child Kids actually learn by playing! (See links below to the decades of scientific research proving this.) So . . . what are you supposed … [Read more...]
Whose Business Is This? How to Set Your Own Boundaries With Kids
She's stomping around and glaring. In case we miss how mad she is, her words are laced with contemptuous proof of anger, "I don't like bananas. I've already told you that! Do I need to say it louder so you'll understand?" Like a fountain splashing dirty water, her rage dumps onto me. And I react. With anger. I'm thinking How ungrateful! She's so rude! Her poor sister! I'm sick of this! … [Read more...]