Posts by Lynne Watts
4 Ways to Raise a Happy Child
4 Ways to Raise a Happy Child What does it take to raise a happy child? A trip to the toy store and a pocketful of cash? A loaded bag of candy after a night of trick or treating? Popcorn, a movie and permission to stay up late? While all these things might garner a…
Read MoreSchool Counselors and Journaling with Kids
Journaling can be a very effective counseling and teaching technique for kids of all ages. It can be used in small groups, individual sessions and classroom lessons. There are many advantages to journaling including: Each student has a personal book all their own Each student has an opportunity to express, explore, and identify emotions…
Read MoreConnection with Kids
Connection with Kids In her book, The Good News about Bad Behavior, the author, Kathryn Lewis, identifies three steps that are taught in the Parent Encouragement Program. It will come as no surprise to counselors of all types that the first step is connection. Establishing rapport with a student is always the first necessary step…
Read MoreAre Kids Less Disciplined than Ever?
Kids and Discipline If you have any connection to the educational system as I do, it’s not unusual to hear teachers complain that children today are much harder to teach than in years past. In fact, the job of the teacher has become so difficult that the average length of time that new teachers stay…
Read MoreFive Steps to Teach Kids to be Kind
We all want and expect others to be kind but exactly what is kindness, how is it developed, and why does it matter? There are 5 steps to teaching kindness: Define what kindness: Teach that kindness is being friendly, generous and considerate. Next teach that based on our environment, our family of origin, and our…
Read MoreEvery Child Needs a Champion
Don’t we all need a little encouragement like that from time to time? Someone to remind us of that all things are possible? Someone who accepts us just as we are without judgement, then helps us to be the better version of ourselves? Someone who isn’t just task focused (get the work done!) but…
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