Raising Countercultural Kids in the United States of Addiction (Part 3 of 3)

The trends are not looking good for the mental and emotional health of young people, across all demographics. For instance, … More

Taking Control of Your Digital Life

Part 3 in the series on becoming “tech-wise” The first two posts in this series laid down a philosophical framework … More

The Social Combat of Being 13

A New World Order for Young Teens 7th and 8th grade is when the social life of a child amps … More

Parenting is Regulating

Every parent should regulate their children’s behavior until they are ready to regulate their own. It will likely be a … More

Motivate. Don’t Manipulate Your Kids.

Once again, his room isn’t clean, not by any standard. Her backpack, jacket, and shoes are scattered about the floor … More

Five Ways to Manage Your Social Media

Social media, like just about everything, can be a blessing or a curse. It’s usually both. It’s a #lovehaterelationship, right? … More

Fun = Connection

Have Fun with Your Child ASAP Good parenting has an order of operations. Insides come first. A child should feel … 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

Embracing Parenting

Here is a sample from my latest project. It’s a chapter from my not-even-close-to-being-finished book. Feel free to give me … More

Raising Boys to be Real Men

Boys are misunderstood.  Too often, they are disciplined and shamed by their teachers, parents, or grandparents because it is falsely … More

Growing Up Too Fast

Our culture tends to throw kids in the deep-end of the pool without teaching them how to swim. Kids are … More

Doodling

My wife, my 13 year old son, and I went to see The Taming of the Shrew outdoors last night … More

Too Much Internet, Too Soon

What was the most popular Christmas gift this year for 5th graders?  The Apple iPod iTouch.  What is the most … More

Helicopter Parents

D.H. Lawrence, the literary giant, advised parents and teachers a century ago: “How to begin to educate a child. First … More

21st Century Beauty vs. Girls

Beauty is complicated.  I feel sorry for our girls who have to grow up in this modern American society which … More

Social Skills Needed: Apply Here

There is a social epidemic that has swept the nation.  While it used to be contained to young teenage girls, … More

The Solemn Process of Growing Up

Like Autumn, growing up is bittersweet.  Poet Billy Collins says it well. On Turning Ten The whole idea of it … More

The Pitfall of Comparison

“Senior class president, she must be heaven sent.  She was never the last one standing.  A beautiful debutant, everything that … More

Teenage Media Addiction

Children of the Screen As much as I like FaceBook and text messaging, I know that it needs to be … 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

Growing Up and Away?

A friend of mine recently expressed frustration with the way that everyone seems to write off their kids around the … More