Every Friday, I’ll post thought provoking discussion starters. — I golfed yesterday. I’ve enjoyed learning to play. The exercise, fresh air (even when it’s very hot), and fellowship is refreshing. Work is never-ending. There’s always something I could be doing, but yet I golf. I’m a better person because I leave work and my to-do list behind every once in awhile. It’s one of the ways I take care of myself. What about you? How are you taking care of yourself? What works for you? What about your friends? Any changes you want to make? You’re worth it! … [Read more...]
Thought Provoking Discussion Starters #18: Putting Down The ‘To-Do’ List Once in a While
May 18, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
The Impact of Personal Identity
May 7, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — Sometimes an identity change makes an almost immediate difference in someone’s behavior. Sometimes it doesn’t. What’s the difference? My nephew, Andy, graduated from college last Saturday. One minute he was a college student. The next, he was a graduate. Identity controls behavior. Now he won’t be studying to take tests unless and until he begins graduate school. He will be going to work. He’ll need new skills and behaviors. Identity is our second core need. It’s surrounded, or sandwiched, by security and belonging. They’ll both greatly influence it. When they’re strong and healthy, identity will more … [Read more...]
How Do We Grieve? Using Multiple Intelligences to Grieve Well and Completely
May 2, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — My book about multiple intelligences is titled How Am I Smart? A Parent’s Guide to Multiple Intelligences, but many other titles would have worked. That’s because our intelligences are relevant to so many areas of life. As you know, if you read last week’s blog posts (here and here), grief has been on my mind lately. Would it surprise you to know that understanding how we are smart can help us grieve well? It’s true. And, it’s important because grief isn’t well understood. Too often, people can be made to feel they’re not grieving right. Really? Disappointing. How Do We Grieve? Using … [Read more...]
A Beautiful Tribute Video to Charity Hope Black Hadick
April 25, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Intelligences never work alone. They work in pairs, triplets, and even four or more will work together to enhance our work and life. (Creating a great meal and gathering for friends requires the use of all eight. Maybe I’ll blog about that next week.) Children and adults can choose to support a weaker intelligence by using a stronger one at the same time. For example, if someone isn’t very logic smart, picturing math problems may help. Even using two weaker smarts is better than using one alone. Two strengths used together can be very powerful. An example of this principle of smart integration is the embedded video below. It was created to honor the life of Charity Hope Black Hadick, the daughter of the friend I posted about on … [Read more...]
How Can We Help Children and Teens Use Their Smarts? (Part 3)
April 4, 2012 by · 2 Comments
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — As I explained in the last two posts (full list of links at the bottom of this post), we can teach children how they are smart and encourage them to be smart with their smarts by specifically affirming them when we notice them using one of their intelligences. These simple compliments – when using strategic language – have tremendous power. Let’s use them well. Compliments for our remaining two intelligences might sound like this: People smart: “You three girls work really well together because you’re people smart. That’s why you’re able to bounce ideas back and forth and play off of … [Read more...]
How Can We Help Children and Teens Use Their Smarts? (Part 2)
March 28, 2012 by · 2 Comments
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — Last week, I was privileged to teach about multiple intelligences at the Great Homeschool Convention in Greenville, SC. Hundreds of parents were encouraged to look at their children differently. I loved watching their reactions to this refreshing truth. One mom shared with me that she arrived at the convention the day before assuming her son had a learning disability. She thanked me several times for helping her develop a healthier perspective about her son. What a privilege for me! This week, this mom and hundreds of other parents are charged with the task of helping their children believe they’re … [Read more...]
How Can We Help Children and Teens Use Their Smarts? (Part 1)
March 14, 2012 by · 2 Comments
Every Wednesday, I’ll post about multiple intelligences so we can better understand children and why they do what they do. — Word smart. Logic smart. Picture smart. Music smart. Body smart. Nature smart. People smart. Self smart. All adults and all children have all eight smarts. Having a smart and using the smart are two different things. How can we help children and teens use their smarts? Affirm children when they do use them. Children may not even know they’re doing well because they used one of their smarts. Complimenting their specific use encourages and empowers children. It can change their identity from “I can’t do this” to “I’m music smart and I can do this!” Compliments for some of the intelligences … [Read more...]
Finding Our Purpose Helps Us To Embrace Life and Truly Live
February 27, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — Purpose is purposeful. When we know why we’re alive, we’re more apt to live. Really live. Embrace life. Take it seriously. Step up to the plate. Knock it out of the park. (Okay, I couldn’t resist. Spring training has begun!!!!) Back to the point… Purpose is the fourth core need: It follows security because we need trustworthy people to speak into our lives so we know ourselves better. And being trustworthy ourselves will help us develop our purpose. It follows identity because our specific attributes and interests help us identify and embrace specific purposes. It follows belonging because healthy people … [Read more...]
Four Awakening Strategies for Multiple Intelligences
February 22, 2012 by · 2 Comments
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...]
Old Skills Can Help With New Situations
January 30, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Every Monday, I’ll post about discovering genuine hope and authentic answers for living a healthy life. — The next time you’re in a situation where you don’t know exactly what to do, look back. Chances are good that you have an old skill that may be relevant. We all have old skills. We may forget about them because of lack of use, but they’re there. We don’t forget them. Just about them. I’m not sure how young I was when I first shoveled snow with my dad, but I was young. My parents had lightweight shovels specifically so Dave and I could help. Unless the Milwaukee snow was the light-and-fluffy variety, Dad had to follow us with his heavy-duty shovel in order to get down to the cement. As we grew, Dave and I … [Read more...]
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