Category Archive:
Social/emotional needs

Letters Of Encouragement

letters of encouragement

As young parents, my husband and I took a video-based parenting course called “Active Parenting” developed by Michael H. Popkin, Ph.D. Impressed with all the valuable information I was able to put to immediate use, I became an Active Parenting instructor for several years. One of the many “gems” from the course was writing “letters […]


Teaching Temperance

teaching temperance

Temperance, one of the universal virtues, is comprised of personal strengths that protect against excess. Studies by positive psychologists indicate that strengths in forgiveness and mercy, humility and modesty, prudence, and self-regulation help us temper our thoughts and actions. Mohandas Gandhi lived a life of temperance. Gandhi gave us the example of how temperance is […]


Teaching Justice

family meetings

Justice, a universal virtue described by positive psychologists as necessary for a happy life, is comprised of the character strengths of citizenship, fairness and leadership. Vibrant community life is dependent on the civic strengths and skills of its members. The job of citizenship brings with it a need for social responsibility, loyalty and teamwork. A […]


Be Friendly With Error

Be Friendly With Error

Nicholas, a cheerful three-year-old, had cried every day at snack time for a week. Because he had spilt a pitcher of water on the snack table, Nicholas refused to try to pour himself a drink of water. Efforts to encourage Nicholas to pour an eight-ounce pitcher were met with tears. “I can’t. I’ll spill and […]


Teaching Courage

teaching courage

Courage, as one of the core virtues recognized in the field of positive psychology, incorporates four character strengths—bravery, persistence, integrity and vitality. Courage is the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or difficulties with self-possession, confidence and resolution. How do we help our children develop these strengths […]


The Positive Psychology Of Childhood

positive psychology childhood

“The families I see day in and day out come to me to fix problems. If they had done some preparation before becoming parents, a lot of pain could have been avoided,” said Debra, a family psychologist. “It’s much more fun and rewarding to help people learn to create happy families from the beginning, instead […]


Avoid Discouragement, Apologize

avoid discouragement apologize

“My dad never apologized for anything. He never admitted he was wrong, made a mistake or said he was sorry for anything. I think that caused so much friction and anger in our relationship. Now, I find I’m starting to do the same thing with my boys,” Stewart said during a parenting class. “How can […]


Help! My Child Is Biting!

help my child is biting

There is something repulsive about biting. Perhaps the thought of being bitten threatens our position on the food chain. Needless to say, parents get upset about children biting, whether their child is bitten or is the biter. It goes without saying that the child being bitten isn’t happy. But, the biter isn’t happy either. Biting […]


Getting Ready For Preschool

getting ready for preschool

Mornings are cooler. The sun rises later. The excitement of school beginning wafts in the air. These are my memories when school started in mid-September. In two or three weeks, school resumes, and for many young children, it will be their first school experience. The first day of preschool or kindergarten is probably more traumatic […]


The Spiritual Role Of Family

spiritual role of family

It’s uncomfortable to consider. Some of us would rather not consider it at all. To our children, we are their first experience of the divine, the all powerful, the all-knowing, with a human face. We fix ZuZu’s petals. We are our children’s miracle makers. Our ability to create can be a double-edged sword by wielding […]