Empathy in Action Sitting together after dinner, Greg, Harry’s dad, is channel surfing and Harry, a seventh grader, is playing a game on his iPad. “Dad, did my science teacher contact you?” “No,” Greg replies as he clicks the TV off and...
How to Validate Character in Adolescents It begins when we notice our tweens and teens being honesty, responsible, considerate, and other characteristics that display their integrity and leadership. Next, we talk with them, one on one, about a specific instance. The...
Trust your gut We Share This Strength “Mom, the new girl, Lauren, asked me to spend the night tonight. She’s so much fun. Can I? Please?” Anna asks. Her mom’s intuition pings; her stomach twitches; she’s keenly on alert. She’s never...
My older daughter and I were sitting on the couch using our phones when she announced she was setting her alarm. It didn’t seem long when it beeped and she said, “Mom, it’s been an hour. We didn’t talk to each other the entire time.”...
Halloween bewitches tweens. They tell me trick-or-treating is the best night of the year. Wearing a costume adds to the excitement. You know it’s time to start shifting your child away from trick-or-treating. Yet, giving up a trademark of childhood may not be...
“How was your day?” “Fine.” “What did you learn today?” “Nothing.” “Are you finished with your science project?” “No.” Answers like these from our tweens and teens are too familiar. And...
