Parenting from the Heart

When my dad yelled “Calm down!” he didn’t mean “Find a quiet place within yourself” or “Take a deep breath and blow out slowly.” “Calm...

How do we respond when asked to wait? In our individualistic society, adults are notoriously impatient when faced with a line—in a store,...

“WATCH THIS!” CHILDREN YELL as they perform a cartwheel, ride fast on a bike, or build a tall tower with blocks. Often the request isn’t...

Parents can feel discouraged when their children greet them at the end of the day with a whine rather than a hug. In our imaginations,...

When my friend was upset as a child, her Native American grandmother would suggest she work at her weaving. My friend was always...

If your child's personality seems to change at this time of year, try not to worry. In spring, a child’s fancy turns to pushing limits...

Our recent time change provides a good reason to think about sleep and some of the lore surrounding nocturnal happenings. We all know...

Children’s statements of boredom often sound like a “right”: “I’m bored; I shouldn’t have to do this homework.” “I’m so bored, I don’t...

“Feel the rain on your skin, no one else can feel it for you.” – Lyrics from the song “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield “Do you make...

We can’t say good-bye to this year’s Founders Day celebration without highlighting the central role of compassion at our school. Last...

“What seems to be the problem, Mr. Clark?” This is the question posed by older students when they encounter our facilities coordinator,...

How do children perceive themselves? One of the ways we can find out is through their self-portraits. Depicting oneself in art starts in...

I never learned to blow bubble gum and pop it. In order to set this up as a short-term goal for me (it’s never too late), my...

Hearing children repeat requests over and over can make adults feel dizzy—especially when saying “Please wait a moment” intensifies the...

When my dad yelled "Calm down!" he didn't mean "Find a quiet place within yourself' or “Let’s just stop and breathe together.” "Calm...

I was impressed and amused by a class journal entry written by one of our third graders pointing out that her dog had demonstrated one of...

“I forgot that my kindergartner’s daycare was in a different classroom. I felt her getting uncomfortable as we walked down the hall, and...

“You may delay, but time will not.” —Benjamin Franklin When the glitter of the holidays subsides, children often feel a letdown. However,...

“Music produces a kind of pleasure that human nature cannot do without.” —   Confucius Abraham Joshua Heschel, the famous Polish rabbi...

Instead of groaning when she realizes she made a mistake in her computation on a math problem, a seven-year-old says, “Kiss my brain,”...