Figuring out how children are smart and helping them use all their smarts benefits them and us in numerous ways – primarily because it can help them believe in their abilities to learn and they can choose to invest more energy in school/learning, therefore being more successful. Would it surprise you to know we can apply our understanding of how children are smart to the theme of gratitude? We can. At the beginning of this school year, I taught a group of teachers and parents in South Carolina how important gratitude is to children’s character. One of those teachers has decided to use “gratitude journals” with her children this summer. She’s doing one, too. Each day, they’ll write or illustrate something their grateful for … [Read more...]
Naming “Things” Empowers You
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — Do you name things? Your children, for sure. What else? When I was young, I named my stuffed dog Shniglefritz. Don’t ask…. Friends of mine name their cars. Absolutely! I never have. Do you? Whether we do or we don’t has something to do with our personality and style. Did its color or make influence its name? A memory associated with your car? Nothing in particular? Names are powerful and empowering. What if we named our houses? Naming it something doesn’t make it true. But, it gives us something to aim for. What’s your goal for your house this summer? If you named yours today, what name would fit? Be … [Read more...]
Kathyism #21 – 5 Core Needs – “Belonging: Part 2″
The defining question of our third core need of "Belonging" is, "Who Wants Me?" In today's video Dr. Kathy explores very practical ways for us to help children answer this question as a part of their natural need for friendship. Dr. Kathy explains, in very clear and practical terms, how to identify healthy friends, initiate conversations, evaluate friendships, and even how to honor other children your child determines they need to end their friendships with. So check out today's video and let us know what you think. If you find this video helpful, please "Like" and "Share" it with your social networks. We greatly appreciate you! … [Read more...]
Four More Awakening Strategies for Multiple Intelligences
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — As I wrote about last Wednesday, all of us are born with the capacity to develop eight intelligences. Our Creator generously creates us with each, but relies on parents and others to awaken each part of the brain in children. The summer is perfect for this. The earlier they’re awakened, the better. It’s more likely that they’ll become strengths. Creating “crystallizing experiences” to spark the birth of intelligences is a privilege. Last Wednesday, I explained four ways to do this: create new experiences, attend cultural events, go exploring, and engage in discussions. Let’s look at four … [Read more...]
Healthy Belonging Makes People Our Priority
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — Since Father’s Day is next Sunday, we’re reposting a blog from February 20, 2012. It will get you thinking about how healthy or unhealthy all your relationships may be and you can relate the ideas specifically to the relationship you had or have with your dad. If you’re a dad, would your children respond as the child I write about? Can you make changes? Should you? Will you? The quality of our relationships – our belonging – can make us or break us. Belonging is the third of the five core needs we teach about at Celebrate Kids, Inc. It’s dependent on our security and our identity and it helps us find our purpose … [Read more...]
Kathyism #29- “Show Me Your Friends and I will Show You Your Future”
One of Dr. Kathy’s friends and a hero to her because he chose life after a horrible event, Brad Hearon, says “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” He’s right. Therefore, parents you must be alert to who your children are hanging with. You must have meaningful conversations about their choices and guide them to better ones, when necessary. (Check out Brad’s story at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrfjmNqtHWc) If you find these videos helpful please "Like" and "Share" them on your social networks. Thank you! … [Read more...]
Four Awakening Strategies for Multiple Intelligences
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — All of us are born with a capacity to develop all eight smarts. Although it’s never too late to awaken them, the earlier they’re awakened, the better. It’s a greater likelihood they’ll develop as strengths. Let me share four awakening strategies, in no particular order. We want to create “crystallizing experiences,” a term coined by Dr. Thomas Armstrong. These are turning points that spark the birth of an intelligence. Next Wednesday, I’ll share four more. As you’ll see, it doesn’t have to take a lot of work. The summer is a perfect time to make time for these. Create new … [Read more...]
How Do You Sift, Sort, Synthesize, and Share?
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — As a teacher educator and someone who also helps parents raise their children well, I’ve been teaching frequently about how digital technology effects people’s beliefs and behaviors. Especially many people under the age of 30 have been drastically influenced because they’ve never known life without technology. Because of the plethora of websites, blogs, online videos, Facebook posts, podcasts, print resources, and the ease of finding information with search engines, we’re inundated with knowledge. I’m not surprised when young people don’t know what to do with it all. They’re young and haven’t been … [Read more...]
Summer Affirmations
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — Let’s affirm children this summer. We can use our observational skills to catch them being smart and many other things. Not only will it encourage them and help them behave better during the summer, it will help them begin the next school year with an upbeat and optimistic spirit. Look for what they’re doing right and point it out to them. And, remember that “because” is one of your power words. It reminds you to verbalize the proof that they are what you say they are. If you just tell children they’re creative, outgoing, diligent, or smart without providing the evidence, they may not … [Read more...]
The Seed of Freedom’s Tree
“The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree.” ~Thomas Campbell … [Read more...]
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