Posts by Lynne Watts
Kids and tough friendship decisions
Friendship Decisions and Self-Worth As a school counselor for twenty years, one of the most common problems that I talked to kids about was friendship. What do you do when a friend wants to do something that is unkind, thoughtless, or involves breaking the rules? What do you do when a friend is bossy, self-centered…
Read MoreIntention and Reflection for the Classroom
Intention and Reflection for the Classroom What was the most memorable and significant year of school for you? The first year you attended school? The year you starred in the class play? The year you won an award? The year you graduated? Research has shown that an important part of learning in any environment is reflecting on our…
Read MoreKids and Rewards
Kids and Rewards What motivates children to want to learn? Is it possible to motivate children without using rewards and treats? Could it be that using rewards is actually causing students to be unmotivated? Where does motivation come from anyway? Some Surprising Research In his book, Drive, The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us, author…
Read MoreTen Engaging Questions to Ask Your Child
Asking Questions that Make Kids Think As a school counselor, I often talked with parents who were concerned about their inability to engage their children in meaningful conversations. They’d ask, “What did you do at school today?” and get the standard response: “Nothing.” They’d learn from other parents or the teacher about significant events or…
Read MoreStress Free Morning Routines for Kids
Stress Free Morning Routines Mom, where’s my lunch money? I can’t find my backpack! What happened to my homework? If the dog didn’t eat it who did? Get in the car… Get. in. the. CAR! Did the school bus just go by? It’s back to school here in Georgia. Have you established a morning routine…
Read MoreDiscipline… What works?
Teaching Rules or Values? Do you feel like you are constantly correcting children? Does it seem that you are redirecting and repeating behavior rules all the time? Guess what? You probably are. In fact, research shows that from ages two to ten, children are urged by their parents to change their behavior once every six…
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