Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — Multiple intelligences is a strength-based way of looking at children, teens, and even adults. That’s one reason I enjoy teaching the Model. 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 … [Read more...]
Healthy Belonging Makes People Our Priority
February 20, 2012 by · 1 Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — 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 which leads to our competence. When our relationships are based on trustworthiness, that shows up as healthy belonging. If we place our security in things, that shows up in our belonging, too. It won’t be as healthy because we haven’t prioritized people or found people worthy of our trust. If we try to meet our need for security in our popularity, position, or … [Read more...]
Helping Teachers See Students In A New Light
February 8, 2012 by · 1 Comment
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — Helping teachers see their students in a new light, with a healthy perspective on why they have the strengths they have, is one of the best things we do at Celebrate Kids, Inc. Being able to identify and classify strengths as intelligences is empowering and refreshing. When teachers know their students are smart, they are more likely to strategically teach to all eight smarts of the brain. This allows students to be more motivated and successful and feel smarter. This results in them actually being smarter because more intelligences are awakened and applied to the topic. It’s such a win-win! Last … [Read more...]
Logic Smart Kids May Struggle with Spelling
January 25, 2012 by · 4 Comments
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — Do you know any children who struggle with spelling? I do. I also make spelling errors. Spelling can be confusing if we are logic smart because we think spelling “rules” should work. And, we think one combination of letters should have one sound. Right? Of course. That makes sense! Why don’t break and freak rhyme? Horse and worse? Cord and word? Cow and low? What about comb, tomb, and bomb? Doll and roll? Home and some? Paid and said? (Pay and say rhyme!) The English language is confusing so mistakes will be made. It’s not necessarily because children are not smart. It might be because of … [Read more...]
End of Year Contributions: Help Celebrate Kids Influence More in 2012
December 29, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
You are the reason I blog. Believe me, it’s not because I like to write or have so much to communicate. I write because you read. Based on feedback we receive, we know you’ve grown as our influence has affected your heart and mind. You’ve been teachable, you’ve trusted us, and you have benefited. We’re grateful! Many who read my blog also connect to Celebrate Kids through my speaking and our products, email newsletter, and website. New beliefs, new ideas, new strengths, healthier relationships, deeper connections, lasting change, smarter children, fewer frustrations, more peace. Praise God! You can help us influence more parents, teachers, grandparents, teens, and children with an end-of-year contribution. We have ongoing … [Read more...]
Year End Tradition – Taking a Spiritual Inventory
December 1, 2011 by · 1 Comment
As the last month of the year begins today, allow me to share one of my end-of-year traditions. Although I do this regularly, I especially look forward to doing it as one year closes and another begins. What is it? A spiritual inventory. Some will write (as we’ve already done in this week’s Celebrate Kids email newsletter) that the focus this month should be on Jesus and not decorating, shopping, making more and better cookies than our neighbor, or whatever you and your family get caught up in. What if I suggest that our life’s focus should be Jesus? Let’s get our focus correct this month and continue it into 2012. He doesn’t just want to be our priority this month, but every day of every month. To assess how I’m doing, … [Read more...]
Happy Thanksgiving! – Includes The Presidential Proclamation
November 23, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
I and everyone here at Celebrate Kids wish you a bountiful and blessed Thanksgiving! Here is the Presidential proclamation for this years Thanksgiving Holiday. The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 16, 2011 Presidential Proclamation – Thanksgiving Day, 2011 - - - - - - - BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION One of our Nation's oldest and most cherished traditions, Thanksgiving Day brings us closer to our loved ones and invites us to reflect on the blessings that enrich our lives. The observance recalls the celebration of an autumn harvest centuries ago, when the Wampanoag tribe joined the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony to share in the fruits of a … [Read more...]
A Grandmother’s Wisdom for Thanksgiving Conversations
November 21, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
If you’re like many people, you’ll get together with relatives more often these next seven weeks than during any other time of year. I hope you’ll use these times for strategic conversations. Yes, it’s possible that even young people who are used to texting will talk face-to-face. My brother and I have four cousins on my mom’s side of the family. Through our young adult years, we got together with our parents, Great Aunts, and Grandparents, for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, in addition to other times during the year. (We were blessed to all live in the same city.) When we got older and some of us went off to college, holiday gatherings became more important since we were together less often. My Grandmother … [Read more...]
Multiple Intelligences: Being Intentional With Our Thankfulness (Part 2 of 2)
November 17, 2011 by · 1 Comment
In my first post in this two-part series, I shared how we can express gratitude effectively when we consider people’s multiple intelligences. This is true whether we’re simply expressing our appreciation or buying something for them to say “thanks.” I covered word, logic, and picture smart in that post. Let’s consider the other five smarts. Music smart – Write a note describing their value to you or the beauty of your friendship with musical terms such as classical, melody, in tune, harmony, and composer. (This may seem crazy at first, but I’ve done this. It is possible!) Buy them symphony tickets, make sure to attend their recitals, listen to their favorite songs on their I-pods, and spend time at a store listening to new … [Read more...]
Speaking With Moms of Strong-Willed Children during Hearts At Home Conference
November 10, 2011 by · 5 Comments
Have you ever been tempted to examine yourself to find the button your children easily find? You know the one I mean. The one they find and push to get you to do what they want. Do they sometimes make you feel like you really were created with a button? Strong-willed children are especially skilled at getting us to argue when we know we shouldn’t. They can also get us to throw up our hands in defeat and do for them what we’ve been asking them to do. They know how to find and push the button. Last week I had the great joy of teaching moms (moms-with-buttons-invisible-to-them-but-visible-to-their-children) strategies that help to keep the hands of strong-willed children off the button. Before teaching the strategies, though, I … [Read more...]
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