3 ways to develop leadership skills in children

girl smiling

Children and Leadership Business leaders today tell us that in the name of creating a generation of children with high self esteem, we’ve created a generation of young adults who believe in themselves but who can’t seem to finish a degree or keep a job. Participation trophies for showing up and endless affirmations of “good…

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giving kids corrective feedback

father talking to dgtr

4 Steps to Successful Feedback How many times do I have to tell you to do that the right way? What were you thinking? Aren’t you ever going to learn? Have you ever said any of the above statements? As adults, parents and educators we are frequently faced with giving children corrective feedback. How do…

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how to teach kids not to give up

Male Student Working At Desk In Chinese School Classroom

Use Brain Science to Teach Kids Not to Give Up Brain science has dramatically changed how we think about the brain.  While much of the research has been applied to helping children learn better in an academic setting, growth mindset research has also taught us how to help children develop high self-esteem while at the…

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Kids and tough friendship decisions

3 happy boys

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…

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Kids and Rewards

Girl & boy looking at sweet jar

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…

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Ten Engaging Questions to Ask Your Child

mother with daughter hugging and talking

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…

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