The Gift of Failure Applies Far Beyond Parenting

Dec. 7, 2015: I've decided to freecycle the book I bought as my holiday gift to readers, so add your own "gift of failure" in the comments section (or tweet @ShapingYouth) for a chance to win it! Dec. 6, 2015 It’s affordable, though hard to wrap, since it shape-shifts at different ages and stages. It’s elusive, with many parents not quite ready to invest in short term … [Read more...]

SmartyCard: Summer Screen Time For The Quiz Whiz

June 2, 2009 Been at Ypulse all day with updates to come, so here's part two in the SmartyCard series! Message for summer study time? Save a tree, ditch the workbooks! Without fail, every year I tossed one of those hefty 'grade level' workbooks into my Costco cart for home-study hopes...And every year I shake my head as I tear out the few used pages in order to gift it to … [Read more...]

Kids, See How You’re Smart: Use Your Intelligence(s!)

There’s nothing more heart-wrenching to me than a child self-critical of his or her brainpower, tossing off statements about ‘the smart kids” while excluding themselves from this tribe. I see this often in my work at Shaping Youth, and it’s painful to observe, much less ‘counter-market’ because media and classroom ideals often reinforce this type of self-selection. On … [Read more...]