Recently my family played a board game invented by 10-year olds. It got me thinking about how to teach kids to be entrepreneurs. Then my daughter announced, "I want to be an entrepreneur," adding, "because you have a good schedule." So clearly being a role model is helpful -- my husband and I are entrepreneurs --with flexible work hours. :) But what else supports children in their efforts to learn … [Read more...]
3 Easy Strategies to Help Kids Adopt a Growth Mindset
Looking for strategies to help your kids adopt a growth mindset? Let's talk about specific strategies that can direct you and your children towards that end. The big point of growth mindset is that it can help kids persist, fail and try again, and reconsider what being successful means. Strategies to Help Kids Adopt a Growth Mindset Read Biographies About People with Growth Mindset Stories … [Read more...]
Wisdom from Fueled by Failure: Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls & Always #LikeAGirl
This post is made possible with support from Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls and Always. All opinions are my own. Failure isn't a setback. Failure is fuel. That's the message Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls and Always #LikeAGirl want tween and teen girls to know and live out. Recently, I had the chance to watch an incredible panel of women share advice and wisdom on failure and growing up for … [Read more...]
A Book to Help Your Kids Learn Strategies for Friendships
Friendships are so important to kids. As parents, we want to help our children make (and keep) good friends but, it's not always easy. We're not there with our kids. And our kids need to learn the strategies on their own anyway. That's why we need books like Growing Friendships: A Kids' Guide to Making and Keeping Friends by Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore and Christine McLaughlin. This book gives kids … [Read more...]
Back to School Backpack Zipper Charms (To Stay Organized)
Sometimes we all need a little help to stay organized during the busy mornings before school. Before your kids go back to school, make these helpful Backpack Shrinky Dink Zipper Charms to provide a visual reminder of daily must-haves at school. This fun idea is just one of many in The Superkids Activity Guide to Conquering Every Day: Awesome Games and Crafts to Master Your Moods, Boost Focus, Hack … [Read more...]
Helpful Parenting Book of Bite-Sized Wisdom
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...]
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...]
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...]
Review of Girls and Sex: Updated Sex Information and Education for Parents
I just finished reading Peggy Orenstein's book, Girls and Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape. Whoa. Parents, listen up. Whether you have a son or a daughter, you NEED to know what sexual life is like for your teenagers and college students. Moreover, we NEED (!) to help empower and support our kids through this intense, not-so-brave new world. Because it's a different game now. The … [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...]
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...]
Strengths Based Parenting From Gallup
Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath was an important books in my life. I read it and took the assessment at an uncertain time in my career -- would I return to teaching or choose a different path? (You can read more about my discoveries and journey here.) Strengths Based Parenting Developing Your Children's Innate Talents From Gallup by Mary Reckmeyer, Ph.D. with Jennifer Robinson builds on the … [Read more...]