Parenting and family stuff
good stuff from around the internet on raising good kids, building a family, etc.
sari and
Parenting and family stuff
The best parenting advice i once heard is, ‘If they are crabby, add water.’ This has served me well over the years and believe it or not, with a 2, 7 and 9 year-old. Run a bath, take a shower, water the garden, have a hot drink, have a cold drink… just add water. It works 99% of the time.
It reminds me of the Isak Denisen quote:
“The cure for
... See moreIn short, good values have to be grown from the inside out. Attempts to short-circuit this process by dangling rewards in front of children are at best ineffective, and at worst counterproductive. Children are likely to become enthusiastic, lifelong learners as a result of being provided with an engaging curriculum; a safe, caring community in... See more
Alfie Kohn • The Risks of Rewards
I once read in a parenting book that one way to deal with kids’ tantrums is to “parent with awe.” In Hunt, Gather, Parent, Michaeleen Doucleff observes the way some Inuit mothers are able to calm children by encouraging them to turn their attention toward beautiful, worldly things.
#179: Beyond Routines
“Children are not our projects. They are to share life with.”
-from On Being interview with Sara Hendren
The questions from the article:
“What did you learn today?” vs. “What did you disagree with today?”
“What did you accomplish this week?” vs. “What did you fail at this week?”
“Here’s how you do that.” vs. “How would you solve this problem?”
“Here’s your new kindergarten” vs. “What kindergarten do you want to attend?”
“That’s just the way it is.” vs. “Great question. Why don’t you figure out the answer?”
“You can’t do that.” vs. “What would it take to do that?”
“Did you make a new friend today?” vs. “How did you help someone today?”
Giving kids the agency to follow their own curiosity seems right for a lot of obvious reasons: it will make them happier, intrinsic motivation will fuel them to learn more, it keeps the youthful flame burning instead of extinguishing it with routine...But it’s also important for a less obvious reason, one that will be even more important as things... See more