I was visiting with a treasured friend the other day. Some years ago, we both educated our children at home and were members of the same local homeschool group. We still go to church together. But there the similarities end. As she has done many times in the past, she made the comment, “You were [read more] …
student leadership training
Do They Have the Tools Needed?
After spending a couple of weeks in an intense fixer upper mode which required the use of multiple tools (belt sander, biscuit cutter, drill, palm sander, and cabinet clamps to name a few), I’ve been thinking about tools and how they impact our lives. There are physical tools that we hold in our hands and [read more] …
Checklists Don’t Change Hearts
College advice is everywhere these days. From tables groaning under the weight of test prep guides at bookstores to online forums where everyone considers themselves to be an expert, there is a lot of information out there, much of it misleading. As parents, we absolutely need to be attuned to the progression of our children’s [read more] …
Why Does Service Matter?
Well, to be very candid, often it doesn’t. If a child is merely meeting a school-imposed community service hour minimum or just dabbling (three hours serving in a soup kitchen, two hours at an animal shelter . . .) then community service doesn’t mean much at all. A little here and a little there doesn’t [read more] …
Self-Regulating Kids
The habit of self-discipline is a fascinating thing. It predicts academic performance more than IQ. It changes our self-confidence. It literally shapes the way our brains develop. Back in 1960, psychologist Walter Mischel conducted the now-famous marshmallow experiment series with preschoolers to see if they would choose the marshmallow immediately or wait 15 minutes to receive [read more] …