Brain Research and the Benefits of Play

Happy children playing tug of war in the park.

Play and the Brain As chilly winter days transition into balmy spring time, children and adults both anticipate spending more time outdoors.  Unfortunately, the school environment doesn’t always cooperate with the onset of spring fever as students prepare for and take mandated tests or complete end of year projects.  Test anxiety and teacher stress is…

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Seven Ways to Teach Children Empathy

Twin sisters on Wooden pier

Understanding someone else’s feelings What is empathy? Empathy is the ability to understand and feel what others feel.  It is putting yourself in another’s shoes. When my youngest daughter was little she watched the movie, The Fox and The Hound and cried and cried at the end when Todd was attacked by the bear.  That’s…

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How to calm an angry child

Angry upset boy,

How to calm an angry child Have you ever been faced with calming an angry child? What is the best approach? How can we teach children to manage strong emotions like anger? Brain Chemistry  Anger control is best understood by thinking about the brain chemistry involved. Adults and children often think of emotions such as…

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One Word for 2021

good time

One Word can Inspire Your Family What do you dream of for you and your family in 2021? Do you have a vision for your family’s future? Do you have an idea of the values and the principles that are your family’s foundation? Wonder how to make that dream happen? Resolutions and setting goals are…

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Girls and Emotional Literacy

Very upset girl

Girls and Emotional Literacy It’s not just boys who have trouble with emotional literacy. While boys may have trouble recognizing emotions and expressing them in appropriate ways, girls are more likely to recognize and name emotions, but stuff negative feelings. Girls express positive emotions in an effort to please others but  save expression of negative…

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