Turning Over a New Leaf: Relationships With Youth

Packed with fitness resolutions, habit-changing, self-care promises and assorted organizational ‘gotta-dos,’ January is always my reality jolt into what I’ve neglected far too long. Between my birthday, January 4th and the New Year, it’s a double-whammy packed with angst, reflection and introspection that usually leaves me in a heap of weepy … [Read more...]

Daily Good: Media That Can Fuel Kids’ Souls: Bella & Tarra

Many of us have seen the classic Stuart Brown National Institute of Play viral video of the polar bear and sled dogs making the rounds many times over as the quintessential ‘odd couple’ that turns the predator/prey instinct on its ear… It’s worth using as a childhood ‘teaching moment’ about stereotypes, unexpected outcomes, friendship, … [Read more...]

Celebrate My Birthday By Helping Beth Kanter Celebrate Hers!

Visual Insight guru Eileen Clegg sent me this lovely card (at left) along with a sweet sentiment about “trips around the sun” prompting a recall of a kindergarten tradition I want to share, where kids literally walk around a circular table as the teacher reads one sentence milestones capsulizing the child’s first five or six trips around the sun. (parents … [Read more...]

One Week Countdown! Vote For Your Favorite Ashoka Youth Venture!

What better way to kick off the New Year than a quick click to put fresh faces of change to work on the world’s big issues? Ashoka’s Youth Venture, a global network of over 2,000 youth-led teams, picked 30 teen finalists (ages 13-18) to put their plans in motion and make change in the world. Now it’s YOUR turn to vote ‘em up and whittle ‘em … [Read more...]

Money Management for Kids: Chores, Allowance & Digital Nagging

Part Two of our interview with PAYjr CEO David Jones includes one of the rarely used aspects of PAYjr's chore and allowance program (only 5% evidently) where parents can set up cell phone reminders for follow-through in cyber-nag style.Mind you, critics have cried foul that this is outsourcing parenting and discipline to tech gizmos, but frankly, I’m not one of ‘em. Nope. No … [Read more...]