The Holidays — the six weeks of Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, and New Years — are a magnifier. In general, happy … More
Tag: Perseverence
The Distance Run
I coach middle school cross country, which is not a glamorous job, but it is uniquely rewarding. For young distance … More
Raising Resilient Children
Resilience is the capacity to recover from adversity and return to well-being. Paul Tough, in his book How Children Succeed, … More
Families Should Be Tough
My wife is kind and compassionate, but she is one of the toughest people I have ever known. She does … More
Connect With Your Young Teen
First Connect, Then Guide The best parents are the ones who are deeply connected with their children and offer support … More
Preparing for the Storm
If you have ever sat with a weather radio in a dark basement or closet during a tornado warning, or … More
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Anne Lamott says that in her experience the two most powerful prayers are “Help me, help me, help me.” and … More
Failure’s Top Ten List
1. Not Everybody Gets A Trophy Somewhere along the line we became a society that preached instant gratification. Like a … More
Lousy Starts and Strong Finishes
I’m grading papers on the second to last day of the school year. I’m grading fast, trying to finish ASAP, … More
Our Friend, Failure
I once heard a speaker named Dan Miller at an educator’s conference tell the audience about how he learned to … More
It’s a Wonderfully Difficult Life
It’s a Wonderful Life strikes a chord — several chords — deep in my soul, every time I watch … More
Life Is Not Fair
The Pitfall of Comparison (Part 2) In our house, there is little room for whining and complaining about how “It’s … More
The Empty Nest
My children are just entering adolescence, so it surprised me that I had such a visceral reaction to this article … More
Training Up Independent Kids
Embracing Mistakes; Developing Problem-Solvers Thomas Edison believed that failure was not a bad thing; it merely directed him closer to … More
Heart-to-Heart Connection
Parenting, teaching, and coaching are mutual pursuits. At this stage in my life, I am involved in all three, and … More
Don’t Baby Them
BENEFITS OF STRUGGLING “A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and … More