What it means: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Why it matters: When it becomes common behavior to dismiss others as too uneducated or immature to have opinions of consequence, civilization becomes a matter of “might makes right.” One of two unpleasant alternatives follows: one group seizes power and others […]
What it means: A feeling of admiration elicited by the qualities or achievements of another, or by the recognition of another as an equal. Why it matters: Feeling superior to others hurts both sides and destroys all chance of a healthy relationship—or even a mutually agreeable resolution to conflict. Respecting others as human beings with […]
You may be one of those adults who remember with distaste being forced to practice piano, or sit through an opera, in elementary school. In which case, you may see little point in advocating for music education—even if you’re a teacher yourself. On the other hand, you probably remember the fun of the “Hokey Pokey,” […]
Two generations ago, the only “screen time” parents worried about was a few television channels. Now, kids have endless cable and online viewing; DVDs, DVRs, and downloads; Internet, gaming, and social-media options beyond counting; and the ability to carry most of the above in their pockets. For today’s parents, the implications can be terrifying. Every […]
Love ’em or hate ’em, “projects” are part of education. Nearly everyone with a high school diploma has at least one vivid memory of stooping over a science fair entry, squabbling with a “partner” over best approaches and fair share of work, or being asked “Are you sure your mom didn’t put this together for […]
It’s sad that many people—adults as well as children—associate “learning” with boring school lessons, and can hardly wait to “outgrow” it. The truth is, someone who has stopped learning has stopped growing, and is stagnant and barely alive. If your children groan at the word “learning,” show them its real definition: acquiring knowledge through experimenting, […]
You’re supposed to write a research paper … and you don’t know where to start. Should you write down everything you know? Read twenty books? Open a search engine? No question, it looks impossible at first glance. The secret is not to see it as one big project, but as a series of tasks. The […]
By the time children are in their teens—and, hopefully, familiar with budgeting and savings—they should be ready to learn more advanced financial concepts. Then again, many adults (perhaps even you) still regard interest and credit scores as a foreign language. Here’s a refresher course: Key Terms Cash flow: balance between income and spending. Healthy cash […]
If trained early in basic financial principles (budgeting, saving, and sensible spending), and especially if allowed to open and deposit in their own savings accounts, children should be ready by age eight or nine to learn that banks do more than hold money until you need it. Granted, it’ll be several years before the kids […]
Financial irresponsibility runs as rampant as advertising. If you want your children to avoid the habit of reaching for the credit card whenever something glitters, the first two rules are: Set a good example in your own spending; and Make it the exception, not the rule, to buy on request. That’s only the beginning, though. […]
