Stop Saying, ‘You’re So Smart!’ 3 Better Ways to Praise Kids

“You’re so smart!” “You’re so creative!” “You’re so… [insert convenient, but possibly damaging description here]” The other day during a frantic scramble to get my 1-year-old to music class, I watched her perform her latest trick — slipping into her little gym shoes and tightening the Velcro straps all by herself. She then stared at … Read more

How Can We Prevent Bullying?

Seventh-grader Gabrielle Molina was found hanging by a belt in her parents’ house after mercilessly, repeatedly, being called a slut. Thirteen-year-old Asher Brown shot himself in the head after his bullies acted out homosexual acts to taunt him in gym class. Rebecca Ann Sedwick, 12, leapt to her death from the top of an abandoned … Read more

“Cool” is in the Eye of the Beholder

Marisa wiped the sweat off her brow and jogged over to join the rest of her teammates in a group huddle. Their team captain, Allison, was speaking in a loud whisper, calling out different plays and trying to motivate her crew. The Fliderdale Hyenas were down 3-0 at the first soccer game of the season, … Read more