June 23rd, 2011 by admin
Children and Mistakesby Alina Tugend,
Author of Better By Mistake: The Unexpected Benefits of Being Wrong
It’s crucial that we, as parents, allow our children to make mistakes and fail and figure out how to recover from them. We can’t rush in and fix every problem, whether it be forgotten homework, an awkward social encounter or not getting a part in the school play.
We know from research that building children’s self-esteem and self-worth is much less about praise and gold stars and trophies for everyone and much more about creating resilience. Children who know how to screw up and fail and try again.
“While we do not want our children to face ongoing failure, to attempt to overprotect them and rush in whenever we fear they might fail at a task robs them of an important lesson, namely that mistakes are experiences from which to learn,” writes Robert Brooks and Sam Goldstein in their book Nurturing Resilience in Our Children. “It also communicates another subtle or perhaps not-so-subtle message to a child: We don’t think you are strong enough to deal with obstacles and mistakes.” Read the rest of this entry »
June 2nd, 2009 by admin
It is so important for the future generations to see parents out there and involved, which is why I’m excited to invite you to volunteer in your community as part of the brand new volunteer program, TogetherGreen Community Passport!
So, what exactly is the Community Passport and how does it work? First, start thinking about what types of volunteer activities you’d like to participate in. Next, simply visit http://www.togethergreen.org/communitypassport and read “How It Works.” Read the rest of this entry »
May 8th, 2009 by admin
By Michael DeJong,
Author of Clean Body:The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing Yourself
“Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.”
–Phyllis Diller
Don’t blow your nose. Just use your sleeve.”
“Is that shirt dirty? Ehhh . . . whatever.”
“Yeah, I ditched school too.”
“Sure . . . lets keep the dog.”
“Curfew — Schmurfew.”
. . . not exactly what you’d expect mothers to say. But if they did — the world wouldn’t be nearly the same place. Read the rest of this entry »
April 6th, 2009 by admin
Fruits – they’re sweet, they’re sour, they’re healthy, they’re tasty, and they come in a variety of sizes, colors, flavors and tastes. We’ve been told time and again that they’re good for us, that they pack a punch with their nutrients and vitamins and that they’re indispensable for health. But do you know everything there is to know about fruits? Like which ones you need to eat and which you need to avoid when you’re trying to lose weight? If not, read on for a list of fruity facts: Read the rest of this entry »
April 17th, 2008 by admin
BEYOND NATURE-DEFICIT DISORDER
It’s Time to Turn Consciousness into Action
By Richard Louv
Author of Last Child in The Woods
Got dirt? “In South Carolina, a truckload of dirt is the same price as a video game!” reports Norman McGee, a father in that state who bought a small pickup-load of dirt for his daughter and friends. Read the rest of this entry »
