Sometimes a parent’s ‘the-arts-just-aren’t-necessary’ attitude can tragically squelch a young person’s creative aspirations, and a parent who is too gung-ho about a child’s talents may not realize that hijacking dreams robs a child of healthy feelings of ownership and independence. Fortunately, many parents find the balanced middle. They figure out how to quietly stand behind a young person’s aspirations without taking over, and they find ways to supportively usher their child toward creating a colorful future for themselves.
Ouch! Whether disrespectful behavior plays out in the sandbox, the family room, or the boardroom, it hurts. Adults and children alike feel the sting of disrespect. Per a new University of Kentucky study, children as young as 6 recognize and respond to disrespect, often with anger. Parents and caregivers use the term ‘disrespect’ to cover a broad range of behaviors, from failing to offer polite greetings to eye rolls, sighs, and mouthing off. Regardless of the form it takes, we don’t like it. Thankfully, even if disrespect is a regular visitor in your home, it’s possible to build more respectful family relationships based on empathy and mutual respect, says Tiffany Sands, a licensed counsellor. Read on for age-by-age guidance on ditching disrespect for good.
Raising smart kids is about building brainpower. Kids who can seek information, connect ideas, and apply what they’ve learned aren’t just book-smart, they are life-smart. Cultivate your student’s success with these essential skills.
Whether your child is an introvert, extrovert, or a little bit of both, kids can learn how to make an impact on the world using the power of imagination. For years, imagination, like creativity, has been relegated to a secondary strength, an ability that’s considered adorable for young children to possess but not necessarily a practical skill for adulthood. However, one of the definitions of imagination is the ability to face and resolve difficulties, which is another way of describing resourcefulness (in my opinion, a quality the world definitely needs right now).
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