Based on my parenting experience, I immediately associate the word "virtual" with meaning "almost." That there's been a diminished effort, something watered down or, very simply, done half-assed. And, to date, my inclination to disregard anything my kids say is virtual has been proven right. Virtually every time. Everett, my 5-year-old “picked up virtually all the LEGOs.” Then, after tucking him in, my bare foot steps entirely on one of those little, yellow character heads. Yosef, my oldest, said he “did virtually all of my math.” Never mind his weekly progress reports littered with … [Read more...]
Balanced Worldview in Children Helps Them Cope, Understand
"Everybody’s crazy, drive safely.” That’s the mantra of my mother I remember best from my teenhood. Granted, her negative, imbalanced worldview was simply a way to contain her anxiety as I began to drive. Her words returned to me recently as my children increasingly navigate the internet, originally dubbed the “information superhighway.” Like most parents, my wife and I implemented age-appropriate internet restrictions as our children grew. But we learned that as children age, they need to develop the same critical thinking skills adults use when wading through the sea of clickbait … [Read more...]
Curiosity: Parents Need to Nurture It in Today’s Wired Children
“So is every day a sunny day?” That is the question that stumped my father several decades ago when I took my first airplane flight as a child. Once we ascended through the dark gray clouds, I was stunned that the sunny blue sky reappeared in all its glory. My concrete-over-abstract brain at the time thought a gray sky meant the absence of the sun, not just its obstruction. Hence my question. “Well,” my father replied, “I guess you could say that.” Little did I know that by welcoming my question and exploring its meaning through a series of follow-up questions, he fostered my … [Read more...]
Maverick App Co-Founder on Providing Girls with Social Positivity
Keeping your kids away from social media these days is pretty much impossible unless you lock them in a closet. In an Amish community. Somewhere in Antarctica. If your children are going to be connected, you should want them do so in a positive, creative and self-expressive environment, free from bullying and other negativity. That's what Catherine Connors, co-founder of the recently released Maverick app, is banking on. She tells us all about the app and her philosophy on the latest Modern Dads Podcast. Maverick is an online community aimed at tween and teen girls. In addition to … [Read more...]
Create a ‘Hall of Fame’ to Preserve Family Memories for Your Kids
When my youngest daughter turned 9, she told me she wanted to replace the poster of puppies-in-sneakers on her bedroom wall. When I asked what would be on next poster, she replied: “Usher, of course! Do you even know me?” As her stay-at-home father for many years, I actually knew her quite well, or so I thought. But as we thumbed through posters at a music store, her words surprised me again: “When I get it, I want to put red crayon on his lips so I can kiss him all day!” Whoa. Hello, tweenhood and another milestone. Flash forward a few years to our new house. Now my youngest's teen … [Read more...]