What would our family life be like without teachers, coaches, and loving relatives? Whether we refer to other caring adults in our child’s life as our village or not, he or she has a community of adults who act as influencers. These individuals are either unpaid or underpaid for the critical roles they play in …
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Category: Building a Positive Family Environment Tags: Appreciation, Caring adults, Coaches, Family gratitude, Grandparents, Gratitude, Mentors, Modeling, Mother's Day, Significant others in child's life, Social and Emotional Skills, Teacher Appreciation Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, Teachers
So the shortest day came, and the year died, And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world Came people singing, dancing, To drive the dark away. They lighted candles in the winter trees; They hung their homes with evergreen; They burned beseeching fires all night long To keep the year alive, And when the …
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Category: Building a Positive Family Environment, Modeling Social and Emotional Skills Tags: appreciation of nature, Celebrations around the world, Common ground, cultural connectedness, forgiveness, Gratitude, importance of light, light and dark, Parents teaching kids about cultural appreciation, Winter Solstice, winter solstice traditions, world cultures
My son burst into tears as his friends waited at our door to play. He had fallen up our stairs and gashed his shin on the metal rims of the hall steps. I plopped on the floor to comfort him and as he turned to me, he said, “Mom, you told me to hurry.” And …
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Category: Building a Positive Family Environment, Modeling Social and Emotional Skills Tags: Breathing to calm down, Calm, Connection, Empathy, Gratitude, holidays & mental well-being, holidays and anxiety, holidays and stress, peace, planning for big emotions, social and emotional competence
“I just can’t go to sleep!” E said summoning me well after our nightly bedtime ritual had taken place. When I guided him back to bed, he layed down and flopped his feet up in the air with his body in a constant wiggle. Since I observed his physical restlessness first, I gently guided him …
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Category: Building a Positive Family Environment, Modeling Social and Emotional Skills, Practicing Social and Emotional Skills Tags: Bedtime, bedtime with kids, calming kids at bedtime, Gratefulness, Gratitude, Kids, kids getting to sleep, kids going to sleep, kids' anxieties, kids' worries, Mindfulness, Parents, reflective thinking, relaxation at bedtime, restless mind, Self awareness, self-soothing
Everything that is past is either a learning experience to grow on, a beautiful memory to reflect on or a motivating factor to act upon. – Denis Waitley It’s not unusual for our family’s thoughts and conversations to turn to those who are missing at our Thanksgiving table. A small family to begin with, it …
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Category: Building a Positive Family Environment, Modeling Social and Emotional Skills, Practicing Social and Emotional Skills Tags: Appreciating the past, Belonging, Connectedness, Contribution, Critical thinking skills, Exploring Ancestry with Kids, Family history, Gratitude, Grit, Persistance, Stories from the Past, Thanksgiving
“If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” – Abraham Maslow If you only have kindness and compassion, you see every person with love. Recently I read about a Kindergarten teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary, where one of the school shootings occurred, and her response to that tragedy. …
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This month, in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday, I am focusing on gratitude and how a family can instill gratitude in their daily lives. Help me with my research and contribute to our community! In what ways do you promote a sense of gratefulness in your family? Do you have any rituals that you …
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2014 was a big year for Confident Parents, Confident Kids. This community moved from 275 followers to 23,000+ strong! Thank you for being an essential part of this important dialogue. Together our collective wisdom can strengthen our individual lives. What are your hopes and dreams for your family this year? Please write in the comment …
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Category: About, Building a Positive Family Environment, Modeling Social and Emotional Skills, Practicing Social and Emotional Skills Tags: Anger, Best of 2014, Confident Kids, Confident Kids Most Popular Posts, Confident Parents, Conquering fears, Family, Gratitude, Hopes and dreams, Impact of Stories, Smart Media Use
Every repast can have soul and can be enchanting; it asks only for a small degree of mindfulness and a habit of doing things with care and imagination. – Thomas Moore, The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life This photo depicts my father’s experience of Thanksgiving on a farm in a small town in Ohio. Though my …
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As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. – John F. Kennedy I came into the bathroom this morning a little foggy-eyed to put on my makeup and get ready for the day as my son was putting on his …
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Category: Building a Positive Family Environment Tags: Blessings, Giving, Gratefulness, Gratitude, Healthy attachment, Holiday season, NBC Education Nation Parent Toolkit, Politeness, Random acts of kindness, Responsiveness, Service, Templeton Foundation, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving
