Tim Tebow is a great example of an effective leader for young athletes. He is hard-working, tough in the face of adversity, focused on the task at-hand, willing to sacrifice for the teammates, and encouraging. He has caught a lot of flack for being so verbal and visual with his faith in Christ. Some people admire this, while others despise it. No matter how you feel about his religious expressions, you have to admit that the guy is a leader. Show this to a kid and say, “This is how you lead.”
The Leadership of Tim Tebow
17 12 2011Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Adolescence, Coaching, Maturing, Perseverence, Relationship, Resiliency, Role Models, Sacrifices, Success, Youth Sports
Categories : Adolescence, Athletics, Boys, Education, Physical Development, Relationship
Raising Boys to be Real Men
12 09 2011Boys are misunderstood. Too often, they are disciplined and shamed by their teachers, parents, or grandparents because it is falsely assumed that good boys should act just like good girls.
Raising boys is a topic of numerous books, but one that stands out is Raising Cain, by Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson. I had the privilege of hearing them speak at a conference, and their wisdom impressed me deeply. Here are my notes and thoughts from two of their sessions.
Emotions. Give boys permission to have an internal life. Give approval to their wide-ranging emotions, as long as they behave civilly. Their tendency will be to hide their emotions at every turn, but this is not healthy. Help them use words to express their feelings effectively, since it is not in their nature or in their culture to speak openly about their feelings. So, give respect to their inner life, and speak about your own inner life. Share your likes, dislikes, fears, sorrows, regrets, hopes, and weaknesses with each other.
Activity. Accept the high activity level of boys as a healthy part of who they are. Give them a safe place to express their need for action. Embrace their physicality as natural, normal, and in need of channeling, rather than suppressing. Boys need to learn to manage their physicality, but they do not need to be shamed for their exuberance.
Speak to them. Talk to boys in their language – in a way that honors their pride and masculinity. Be direct with them. Say what you mean and mean what you say. And when possible, use them as consultants and problem solvers. They will love feeling important to you. It is important to communicate with them in a way that honors their wish for strength and respect.
Re-define courage. Teach boys that there is more to being a hero than physically defeating an enemy. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Adolescence, Boy, Boys, Education, Emotion, Encouraging, Family, Friends, Growing Up, health, Kids, Maturing, Men, Mental health, Parenting, Preteens, Relationship, Resiliency, Role Models, Significance, Teacher
Categories : Adolescence, Boys, Discipline, Family, Friendship, Media Influence, Parenting, Physical Development, Relationship, Resiliency, Social Development
Reading Textbooks Well
16 08 2011Reading a Textbook Well
How to Read Smarter, not Harder
When reading a school textbook, a fluent reader will:
1. Survey all the titles, headings, vocabulary terms, tables, and questions because he knows that those things hold big clues about the overall purpose and meaning of the text.
2. Read quickly but carefully, guessing at new words, but not racing to the end or skipping large chunks of text. He reads as fast he can comprehend.
3. Decelerate during what feels like an important section of text.
4. Ask questions about each section: “What was that all about?” and “What new things am I learning here?” If he can’t answer, then he goes back to re-read the confusing parts.
5. Answer with great care the questions that go with the text.
- Study each question very carefully, even more carefully than he reads the text. If he does not understand the question, he asks the teacher or somebody else for help.
- Use context to form his answers. He does not just find the key word in the text and grab a few words next to it. He reads the sentences before and after the key word.
- Paraphrase answers. He puts answers in own words, rather than just copying exactly what the book says.
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Tags: Adolescence, Education, Reading
Categories : Adolescence, Education, Middle School, Reading
Middle School: Top Ten Things to Know
19 07 2011The following is an open letter from my boss, Steve Hall, Head of Middle School at Westminster Christian Academy. Two things to know about him: 1) It is a pleasure to work with him, 2) He “gets it” with regard to adolescents. Enough said. Here’s his two cents on the topic.
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Dear Parents,
The middle school years are a unique time of life. It is crazy, wonderful, exciting and baffling. As a public service, I’d like to share with you some basic truths about the middle school student living in your home. In the style of the late night shows, I’d like to share with you the Top Ten Things You Should Know About Your Middle School Student :
10. Each student has one compelling mission each day: avoid embarrassment! It is true that most students believe everyone is watching them at all times. Each student believes a misplaced word, a stumble in the hallway or a failure to meet the unwritten rules of middle school culture — though, in reality, unknown to all — will be seen and remembered forever by all classmates. Parents, don’t take it personally if they don’t want to hug in public anymore.
9. Although all outward evidence suggests otherwise, you are a very important person to your child, and your child feels more secure and valued when you care enough to talk with them about anything and everything. Don’t let the rolling eyes or mock disdain deter you. It’s one of those unwritten rules they have to follow as teenagers.
8. You will require a haz-mat suit and gas mask to handle the unique aromas coming from young teenagers. You have never, ever encountered anything quite like a classroom containing the smells of sweat, an overabundance of body spray and perfume, wet socks and hot, breathing children following PE class. The truth is that kids are self-conscious about the changes that create these issues. It’s a time of a great deal of change in height, weight and appearance. Your child needs a proper diet, plenty of sleep and good hygiene. Be courageous as parents and talk about these changes. The more you talk about them, the easier the discussions will become. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: Adolescence, Communication, Education, Encouraging, Family Life, Growing Up, Maturing, Middle School, Relationship, School, Significance
Categories : Adolescence, Education, Family, Middle School, Parenting, Social Development, Spiritual Development
Growing Up Too Fast
12 07 2011
Our culture tends to throw kids in the deep-end of the pool without teaching them how to swim. Kids are given adult freedoms and privileges, without the responsibilities and training to help them handle it. Now more than ever, it’s essential to give kids age-appropriate responsibilities, privileges, and freedoms.
Knowing exactly what is and is not age-appropriate is no simple task. The unpredictable nature of adolescence makes it especially difficult. Every day I am amazed at how 13-year-olds are both incredibly immature and mature. With any group of seventh graders, there will be some kids with tremendous maturity and some with absolutely none. Even more amazing is how a single student can seem so mature one moment and so utterly immature the next moment. It’s a paradox that makes my job as a father, teacher, and coach constantly interesting and challenging.
This is not a new phenomenon, but I think it has grown from a simple stage of development to a societal problem. The problem is that many children are growing up too fast without developing properly. Kids are growing up fast but not well; they are not ready to handle the adult things that they are getting in to so young.
David Elkind wrote The Hurried Child in 1981 and has updated it several times since, in response to the fast-changing world of media and technology in which kids live. He discusses the effects of television on kids in great detail.
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Tags: Adolescence, Maturing, Media, Media consumption, Parenting, Preteens, Teens
Categories : Adolescence, Media Influence, Parenting, Resiliency, Self-Discipline, Social Development
Doodling
17 06 2011My wife, my 13 year old son, and I went to see The Taming of the Shrew outdoors last night in Forest Park. Since it’s a free and first-class show, we had to get there very early to get a spot with any sort of good view. Before the show started, just as we settled into our lawn chairs, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around to see a young man in his 20′s in hipster attire. Remarkably, my brain processed that it was a student of mine from many years ago, and the name Dustin popped in my head. He was as impressed as I was that I had remembered his name, since we haven’t spoken in probably 8 or 10 years. We had a nice conversation for about ten minutes, catching up on the basics of our lives.
Dustin is now 23, graduated from college, working two jobs, and pursuing a career in cartooning. He seemed very happy to talk about how much he loves his art, even though it can be exceedingly time-consuming and often frustrating.
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Tags: Activities, Adolescence, Art, Kids, Preteens
Categories : Adolescence, Education
Parenting With and Without Fear
14 06 2011Fear is universal. Columnist Dave Barry writes, “All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears — of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, or speaking before a Rotary Club, and of the words “Some Assembly Required.”
We are all deeply motivated by our fears, and they influence nearly every one of our decisions. Some fears are entirely legitimate, while others are unwarranted. Some fears are healthy, while others are neuroses. And while children are naturally prone to fears of all sorts, due to their lack of knowledge, adults are often victims of unfounded fears due to faulty knowledge or perspective.
Parents, in particular, are afraid of anything that poses a threat to the wellness of their children. In their best-selling book Freakonomics, Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner explore the fears that control parents (and grandparents, teachers, coaches, etc.):
No one is more susceptible to an expert’s fear-mongering than a parent. Fear is in fact a major component of parenting. A parent, after all, is the steward of another creature’s life, a creature who in the beginning is more helpless than the newborn of nearly any other species. This leads a lot of parents to spend a lot of their parenting energy simply being scared. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Adolescence, Balance, Faith, Family Life, Fear, Growing Up, Kids, Maturing, Parenting, Relationship, Teens, Youth Sports
Categories : Adolescence, Family, Media Influence, Parenting, Resiliency, Social Development
Powerful Blessings
26 04 2011
There are countless ways that an adult can bless a young person. In Trent & Smalley’s book, The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance, dozens of specific examples are given by people who were greatly blessed by their parents. Here are a few of those testimonies. Surely there is something here which can inspire you to better express your love for the young people in your life.
- My parents would take the time to really listen to me when I talked to them by looking directly into my eyes.
- We were often spontaneously getting hugged, even apart from a task or chore.
- They would let me explain my side of the story.
- My father would put his arm around me at church and let me lay my head on his shoulder.
- They were willing to admit when they were wrong and say, “I’m sorry.” Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Adolescence, Encouragement, Family Life, Growing Up, Loneliness, Love, Relationship, Significance
Categories : Adolescence, Family, Parenting, Role Models, Social Development, Spiritual Development
The Power of No (Part 2)
8 03 2011Sometimes a bad example is as motivating as a good one. I had just such an experience last Saturday:
Guitar Center is now my son’s “candy store.” There are so many flavors to sample: Stratocaster, Telecaster, Les Paul, and Gretsch to name a very few. Saturdays are the worst day to shop there because there are so many customers trying out electric guitars that it’s sheer dissonance. It’s a cacophony of mostly teenage boys trying to impress nobody in particular with their imitations of classic rock guitar heroes.
One particular 14 year old boy surprised me with his guitar skills, but it was his behavior that was truly shocking. In the thirty minutes that we were there, this boy must have picked up and played twenty guitars through a dozen different amplifiers, using every effect imaginable. He played at near-ear-splitting volume so that other customers could not hear themselves. Eventually, he sat down right next to my son and started wailing away and jammering on about the awesomeness of Marshall amps. Just as I was about to ask him to turn it down, his dad showed up and asked his son to leave. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Adolescence, Consequences, Growing Up, Immaturity, Kids, Maturing, Teens
Categories : Adolescence, Discipline, Family, Parenting, Self-Discipline, Social Development
The Power of No (Part 1)
7 03 2011
Anthony Bourdain, is an American chef, author, and television personality. He is well-known as the host of the Travel Channel‘s culinary and cultural adventure program Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
Tony is a rebel; it’s in his blood, and he has used that iconoclastic attitude in a largely positive way – as an aspiring international chef and as an entertainer. In addition to his often-abrasive personality, Tony has a soft heart for people. There is a kindness in him that shines through, even when he is putting on a tough front. He is sweet and sour, you might say.
In his wildly-popular and critically-acclaimed book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, he recounts a crucial moment in his young life when he realized that the universe did not revolve around him.
“My first indication that food was something more than a substance one stuffed in one’s face when hungry – like filling up at a gas station – came after fourth grade in elementary school. It was on a family vacation to Europe…our first trip to my father’s ancestral homeland, France.
“I was largely unimpressed by the food…Centuries of French cuisine had yet to make an impression. What I noticed about food, French style, was what they didn’t have…I was quickly becoming a sullen, moody, difficult little bastard. I fought constantly with my brother, carped about everything, and was in every possible way a drag on my mother’s Glorious Expedition.
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Tags: Adolescence, Family Life, Growing Up, Immaturity, Kids, Parenting, Thankfulness
Categories : Adolescence, Family, Parenting, Social Development
How to Negotiate with Children
16 01 2011In a recent panel discussion about parenting on National Public Radio, “When No Means No” (11 minutes of audio), some moms and a family therapist were debating the extent to which parents should negotiate with their children. It is an interesting discussion about how children need to learn to negotiate at home so that they can learn to negotiate the waters of the river of life. There was no debate among the panel members that negotiation is a vital life skill, and all agreed that parents need to teach children how to do it well. The big question is: How do you allow children to negotiate with adults, without allowing them to become obnoxious little princes and princesses who feel the kingdom is entitled to them?
The power struggle between children and parents is a primary issue in every household, in every culture, in every era of history. It should be. How much power should a child have over his or her life? And how much power should a parent exercise on behalf of the child?
As in all things, the extremes get the most attention. The parents who have total authority over their children make the news with their abusive behavior, and the parents who have no authority in their household make the news with their negligence. The children of these extremists invariably suffer from a wide variety of unhealthy mental and emotional problems. Some work it out, in spite of their parents’ grave mistakes, while most do not successfully grow up well. But most of us don’t fall in the extreme cases.
Most parents learn that very young children need lots of boundaries and very little freedom. And we learn that, as time goes by, they should get increasingly more freedoms and responsibilities, until one day they are independent and can handle living alone at college.
But the real question for most of us is something like, “What do I do with my 8 year old who questions and begs and tries to negotiate with me all the time?”
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Tags: Adolescence, Communication, Consequences, discipline, Expectations, Growing Up, Kids, Modern Teenager, negotiating, Parental power, Parenting, Relationship
Categories : Adolescence, Discipline, Parenting, Relationship, Self-Discipline, Social Development
Books for Boys
20 12 2010Finding a well-written, entertaining book for a boy who hates to read is always a challenge.
Woods Runner, by Gary Paulsen, grabs your attention at the get-go. It opens, “One day, it seemed he was eleven and playing in the dirt around the cabin or helping with chores, and the next, he was thirteen, carrying a .40 caliber Pennsylvania flintlock rifle, wearing smoked-buckskin clothing and moccasins, moving through the woods like a knife though water while he tracked deer to bring home to the cabin for meat.”
This is a book for the reluctant male reader. It is just 164 pages and moves quickly but with plenty of detail in the right places. It has characters that you root for, conflicts that create tension, and plenty of interesting historical information about everyday life during the Revolutionary War. Most importantly, the author makes the reader feel the struggle, the pain, and the chaos of the war, with an appropriate amount of detail (not too much for an eleven year old, but not too little for an adult.) The reader witnesses death, destruction, and disease, as well as heroism that, against all odds, continues to fight for what is good.
Paulsen does not glamorize war. He shines a light on war’s destructiveness, in which we see the very worst of man’s nature, as well as the very best. It’s a tense story with a very real conflict that is deeply felt. To the very end, it is not predictable. In fact, at several points a long the way, Paulsen shocks the reader with something completely unforeseen yet entirely believable.
The main character, Samuel is an ordinary thirteen-year-old boy whose life is transformed in extraordinary ways. The publisher writes, “Gary Paulsen brings readers into the flesh-and-blood reality of one boy’s struggle in the long and savage war that changed people’s lives in infinite ways.” It’s best to just read it, without reading the jacket cover or anything. Is it a sad story? Yes. Is it full of exciting action? Yes. Is it deeply depressing and full of despair? No. Similar to the birth of America, it is a tale of tragedy and triumph. It is just the sort of book that boys (ages 10-14+) should be reading. And the values taught within the tale will be tops on anyone’s list: loyalty, perseverance, self-sacrifice for others, resiliency, and resourcefulness.
Some other good books for boys, related to boys surviving difficult obstacles:
Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen
Holes, by Jeff Sachar
Hoot, by Carl Hiassen
The King of Mulberry Street, by Donna Jo Napoli
The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Series) by Rick Riordan
The Secret Benedict Society (Series) by Trenton Lee Stewart
Eragon (Series) by Chris Paolini
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (Series) by Andrew Peterson
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Please recommend other great books for 10-14 year old boys in the comment box below.
Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: Adolescence, Books, Family Life, Growing Up, Independence, Maturing, Reading, Resiliency, Sacrifices, Significance
Categories : Adolescence, Physical Development, Relationship, Resiliency
Questions to Ask Kids
24 10 2010
Kids want to be known, and not just by their parents (their #1 source of value). They want their teachers, coaches, scout leaders, and neighbors to know their names, their interests, and their talents. Granted, some kids seem to want to be left alone, but even the shy ones deeply desire to be known by others on some level. It’s ingrained in all of us. Nobody likes to called by the wrong name (sibling confusion is common). Nobody enjoys being overlooked by the cool coach who loves to talk with the cool kids on the team. And when it’s halfway through the year and the teacher still can’t remember your name, it hurts.
Some adults are natural-born kid-lovers. They just know exactly how to talk to kids and make them laugh. Somehow they get away with teasing them to no end, or the kids just flock to them because they feel safe and loved with them. They make great youth leaders, mentors, and assistant coaches. However, it’s not so easy for most adults to connect with kids, especially if they don’t think they have anything in common with them.
Fortunately, it’s not rocket surgery. So, here are some easy conversation starters. First and foremost, always call a kid by name every time you see him or her. If you can’t remember his or her name, then find out (to avoid the same problem next time).
“Hey, Joel…
How’s it going today? What’s up this morning / afternoon / evening?
What did you do this last weekend? What was the best / worst part of it?
What are you doing this next weekend? Anything fun or unusual?
What are you doing for Christmas Break? (Adapt to whatever break is upcoming)
What sport are you playing this season? How’s that going? What position do you play? What team? Who is on that team that I might know? Who’s your coach? Where do you play? Does your teams travel? Is it your favorite sport? Do you think you’ll play that in high school?
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Tags: Adolescence, Communication, Community, Encouraging, Friends, Growing Up, Loneliness, Relationship, Significance
Categories : Adolescence, Friendship, Parenting, Relationship, Role Models, Social Development
The Wrong Kind of Pain
17 10 2010
Generally speaking, children who face difficulties will grow up stronger in the long run. They earn a host of other character qualities, forged in the fires of adolescence. I say “generally” because there are some trials which are truly damaging to the soul of a child: molestation being one that comes to mind. But intense, unmitigated bullying can be just as bad, raping the heart of all that is good.
“Single Dad Laughing” is an excellent blog, and there is one must-read article called “Memoirs of a Bullied Kid.” It will take about 15 minutes to read and reflect on it, and if you are a parent, teacher, or coach, then it is well worth your time.
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Tags: Adolescence, Bullying, Growing Up, Loneliness, Maturing, Parenting, Relationship, Resiliency
Categories : Adolescence, Parenting, Relationship, Resiliency, Social Development
The Value of Pain
13 10 2010
As I walk through the halls after school, there is a barrage of faces along my path. Some I know well; some I don’t know at all. Some are happy; some look very frustrated. But all of these kids have stories inside. Some of their stories are silly — full of joy from a life yet unblemished by heartache or tragedy. And some have stories they keep to themselves because they are not the kind that they want to tell or others want to hear. There are some broken kids out there, some of whom will mend well, and grow up to be good and strong.
As I walk briskly by them each day, I think about what stories I know. Not enough, unfortunately. But I know that boy; he’s has had serious struggles with perfectionism and an eating disorder in middle school and is now very healthy, athletic, and academically successful. I know that girl, whose mother died of cancer when she was ten; her dad remarried a woman whose spouse also died of cancer. Their blended family is an inspiration. I also know the story of that girl, whose little brother has Down’s Syndrome and whose parents are on the brink of divorce; she’s serious, smart, and sometimes silly. Actually, I just know bits and pieces of their stories, but it’s enough to see the depth in their eyes. I know that they know pain.
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Tags: Adolescence, Consequences, Education, Encouraging, Growing Up, Immaturity, Parenting, Perfectionism, Resiliency, Significance, Teens
Categories : Adolescence, Education, Friendship, Parenting, Physical Development, Relationship, Resiliency, Social Development, Spiritual Development
Raising the Perfect Parent
14 09 2010Always Kiss Me Good Night: Instructions on Raising the Perfect Parent (compiled by J.S. Salt) is the best advice that kids (ages 8-12) have for parents. Here are a few gems.
- Make me be beautiful. (Jackie)
- Write notes on my lunch box napkin. (Jenny)
- Think when you were a kid and not yell so much. (Joe)
- Be proud of me, even when I don’t get all the answers correct. (Sachi)
- Sit down and have a conversation with me. (Kathleen)
- Treat me like you treat your customers. (Karen) Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Adolescence, Education, Encouraging, Growing Up, Kids, Love, Parenting, Significance
Categories : Adolescence, Education, Parenting
Another Hidden Role Model
1 09 2010My role model is the night janitor. Carson sweeps the floors, picks up trash, and cleans up spills and stains throughout the 7th grade hallway. He does an excellent job and typically offers to do more than he is expected to do.
Beyond his work, Carson cares about the people he serves, and he exhibits a consistently positive attitude. I don’t know if he truly enjoys his work, but you wouldn’t know it if he didn’t. He is consummately kind to the students and teachers in the hallway. And as a result, he is well-liked and respected by everyone who has met him. Last Christmas, he bought me a Rhonda Vincent CD because he knew how much I like Alison Krauss, and we do not have any sort of gift exchange program here. He’s just like that. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: Adolescence, Faith, Role Models, Significance, Success
Categories : Adolescence, Media Influence, Parenting, Role Models
Back to School – Sleep Needed
16 08 2010Today was the first day of school for me and my new students. It was a truly exciting and exhausting day. Many of us did not sleep well last night, as our brains buzzed with so many random things to do, to remember, and to worry about. And on top of a little sleep deprivation, we expend a lot of extra physical, emotional, and mental energy in these first days of school. It’s a shock to the system, indeed.
More than ever we need to take care of ourselves by eating well, exercising, drinking lots of water, and setting a good sleep pattern.
The American Medical Association recommends that adolescents sleep approximately 9 hours a night. Yet, there is some research to suggest that biological sleep patterns change in adolescence. Melatonin, the chemical our brain secretes to help us sleep, is secreted in the teen brain from 11 pm to 8am. Thus, your teen may not FEEL sleepy earlier than 11. Nonetheless, there are some practical ways you can help your child get sleep.
•Avoid caffeine in the afternoon.
•Avoid computer games that can be arousing prior to bedtime.
•Avoid bright lights in the evening and sleeping with a TV or computer screen flickering in the bedroom.
• Allow your teen to sleep in 2 to 3 hours later than the usual on weekends. Allowing your teen to sleep more can disrupt his/her sleeping schedule.
•Make sure your teen has a healthy breakfast. Often, teens don’t take the time to eat in the morning – providing a high protein energy bar is a simple solution.
•Help your teen plan study times. Post a family calendar on the refrigerator with all family obligations, sports practices, church activities, etc. This allows your teen to plan blocks of time to complete homework. A teen’s ability to plan and organize is a later developing brain function; do not be afraid to provide structure, as needed.
•Homework is a learning tool that helps provide the student and teacher with information concerning skills/concepts that may or may not have been understood. If your student is struggling with an assignment, encourage your teen to make an appointment with his/her teacher. Check homework for completion, not accuracy.
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Tags: Adolescence, Education, Rest, Sleep
Categories : Adolescence, Education, Physical Development
Role Model Wrestler
3 08 2010Anthony Robles, is an All-American student-athlete at Arizona State University, where they describe him on their athletic website as… “one of the top high school wrestlers in the nation… won the Arizona state championship twice after finishing sixth as a sophomore… went 48-0 in each of his last two seasons…” Since high school, he has finished 4th and 7th at the NCAA Wrestling National Championship in the 125 pound division. By all accounts, he is described as humble, hard-working, studious, and friendly.
The twist to the story is that he was born with only one leg and uses crutches everywhere he goes. He can run a mile in 8 minutes on crutches and hopes to get it down to just 6 minutes. For more, check out these videos.
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Tags: Adolescence, Hard Work, Resiliency, Sports, Teens, Youth Sports
Categories : Adolescence, Athletics, Discipline, Resiliency, Role Models
The Sex Talk
28 07 2010No parent enjoys talking about sex with their adolescent children. It’s just awkward, and there’s no way to make it easy and effective. You either wimp out and take the easy road, and cover little to no territory. Or you dive into the deep end and get awkward all over the place.
So, in addition to having some slightly-awkward discussions with my just-turned-twelve son, I found a book which should help a lot. It’s called Sex and the New You, and it does a very nice job of explaining sex to 11-14 year olds. There are other books in the series for younger and older age groups, and I think they are well-grouped. You should know that this book series is published by Concordia Publishing, which is a Christian publishing house, so the role of sexuality in the book is coming from a God-centered viewpoint. In other words, God created human sexuality for good purposes, and it’s our job to understand it and handle it with care.
I found the book to be very informative, honest, and positive about some hard-to-discuss issues. It focuses positively on the changes that occur in every young person, as they experience puberty. But it also delves into more difficult topics, but at an age-appropriate level, in each case. Clearly, it was a team of authors with a lot of experience with adolescents who wrote this book. I think it will be an excellent resource for my son at this point in his life.
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Tags: Adolescence, Christianity, Communication, Education, Growing Up, Maturing
Categories : Adolescence, Education, health, Parenting, Physical Development
Fit Kids!
24 07 2010
I’m in the midst of researching youth fitness issues, as I prepare to teach cross-country for the first time this year. My wife suggested Fit Kids! by Dr. Ken Cooper. I’ve been familiar with Dr. Cooper’s work for many years; he has a phenomenal (and massive) health clinic in Dallas. He actually invented modern aerobics. Nobody has more breadth and depth of knowledge about general fitness, in my opinion.
All that to say that this book is an excellent resource about kids’ exercise, diet, stress, and sports. He is not extreme in any way, and he bases his opinions on research, not mere experience. It’s a bit old (last updated in 1999), but I didn’t find anything that seemed dated in any way. You can buy it for under $2 from Amazon or $1 on Half.com (my favorite), so it’ll be delivered to your door for about $5. My wife and I highly recommend it, whether you are a youth sports coach, PE teacher, or a parent.
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Tags: Activities, Adolescence, Education, Growing Up, Kids, Sports, Teens, Youth Sports
Categories : Adolescence, Athletics, Education, health, Physical Development
