Children: The Challenge

This week I share some highlights from Dr. Rudolph Dreikurs’s book, Children: The Challenge (1964), which revolutionized the way we think about child raising. Children are driven by a desire to belong in a group, and their behavior is goal-directed: they will repeat the behavior that gives them a sense of having a place and abandon behaviors which make them feel left out. As parents and educators, we need to understand that children’s natural inclination is to belong through being useful.

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The “Good Enough” Parent

I have always been heartened by the brilliant pediatrician Dr. D.W. Winnicott's notion of the good enough mother, with its emphasis on 'enough.' When children are presented with opportunities to face adversity on their own, they develop the confidence to understand that even though life provides many challenges, they have the wherewithal to navigate those challenges and to become stronger as a result. In short, 'good enough' parenting helps to build resilience in our children.

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Lessons from a Butterfly

“I’m the only one not playing Fortnite after school!” “If you don’t let me do it, I will be left out!” Do these pleas sound familiar? If so, you are not alone; as parents and educators, we are all in this together.

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The Many Benefits of Gratitude

Research shows that there are some very real and tangible benefits of gratitude that should inspire us all to practice thankfulness all year round. You probably already know that gratitude makes us happier. But here are some other surprising reasons you may want to make the practice of gratitude a regular part of your everyday life.

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Halloween: Design Thinking in Action

Using the process of design thinking, our eighth graders built games for the Halloween Carnival that would appeal to students in preschool through Grade 3. Our Middle School students take seriously the task of making their younger counterparts feel very special and valued on this magical day, and their compassion and leadership shone through as they demonstrated the games and encouraged their younger friends to try something new.

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Standing up to Hate: Recommended Reading

As human beings, we are comforted by the familiar, so it is not unusual that we turn inward or silent when we see hate, especially when it seeps out of the cracks and crevices and becomes almost part of the daily vernacular. But we absolutely must remember that the wonderful diversity in our ecosystem and among people throughout the world is what is responsible for the innovations and evolutionary successes that make our world rich and awe-inspiring.

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A Balanced Approach to Gaming

“I’m the only one not playing Fortnite after school!” “If you don’t let me do it, I will be left out!” Do these pleas sound familiar? If so, you are not alone; as parents and educators, we are all in this together.

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The Adolescent Brain: A Radical Rewiring

As anyone who spends time with children in the “tween” years can attest, adolescence is a magical place. At Turning Point, we not only understand the challenges of middle school, but we embrace and truly enjoy the incredible opportunity we have to work with adolescents during these years of incredible growth.

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Talking to Kids about Gender Dynamics

The start of school is always a time of new beginnings – a new grade level, new teachers, new classmates, and for some, an entirely new school. At Turning Point, we have another “new beginning” to add to our list: the launch of our re-branding project.

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