Don’t Be a Dolt

don't be a dolt

“I can’t tell you ’cause you’re a dolt.” Kenny said through his sniffles. “A dolt?” I thought. What did I do to be called a dolt by a kindergartner in my Sunday school class? I took a deep breath and ventured into unknown territory. “Kenny, what do you mean, a dolt?” “You know, a grown-up.” […]


In Service to the Child

in service to the child

When you help a child climb the tree, everyone enjoys the fruit.-Nankani Proverb What do we expect when we patronize a restaurant? Tasty food, cheerful wait staff, good cost/price performance, timely delivery and, of course, not to go away hungry. Our decision making process is based on factors of price, timeliness, quality of relationships and […]


Oxygen for Brain Development

oxygen for brain development

Sometimes a simple and effective solution is right in front of us. Our bodies are 65 percent water. Our brains are 75 percent water. Water, H2O, is made from two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Our brain needs oxygen and water for optimum brain functioning. To help our brains be their best, what […]


The Power of Touch

power of touch

We all need a certain amount of attention from others to thrive and survive. The late Virginia Satir, a family therapist, said that we need four hugs a day to survive, eight hugs per day to stay at a strong emotional level and twelve a day to grow. Unfortunately in our busy world, the time […]


Essential Math Skills for Life

essential math skills for life

As a six-year-old, mom would send me off walking for milk, eggs or bread to the mom-and-pop grocery six blocks away. These shopping errands were big math builders for me. For half a mile I had to keep in mind that a loaf of bread and a carton of eggs were 59 cents and the […]


Liberty, Freedom and Responsibility

liberty, freedom responsibility

“Freedom is not the last word. Freedom is only part of the story and half of the truth. Freedom is but the negative aspect of the whole phenomenon whose positive aspect is responsibleness. In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness. That is why […]


Dealing with Tantrums

dealing with tantrums

The day that your child turns red then blue while writhing on the floor in an attempt to get his or her way, is a day when you earn perhaps your first parenting medal, “valor under stress.” Joan, a mother of two, related to me her ordeal of a temper tantrum with three-year-old, Robbie. “It […]


Think Win/Win

In our busy day-to-day lives, as we try to do everything–jobs, children, home, marriage–stopping to think what everyone in our family needs may not be a high priority. When we’re caring for small children, there never seems to be enough time, enough money, enough sleep, or enough hours in the day. It’s difficult to find […]


Seek First to Understand, and Then to Be Understood

Seek first to understand

One is none. Two is ten. ~Icelandic proverb about children For a while, this parenting stuff can seem like you’ve got it under control. Then comes the second child. As Uncle Norm told me years ago, “Before I had children I had ten theories about raising children. Now I have ten children and no theories.” […]


Helping Your Child Be Better Organized

helping your child be better organized

“A place for everything, and everything in its place.” What a wonderful dream. When I was six years old, my toys would fit in one drawer of my dresser. Jacks and balls, jump rope, coloring books, crayons, checkers and a deck of cards. A shelf in the closet held all the toys for five children; […]