“I recognize this world. We practiced for it at home.” These words are the bold declaration of a young man waving good-bye to his parents as he heads out into the real world—to college, to the military, or to work…
Freedom to Learn the Privilege of Choice What to make better decisions? Make a few bad ones. Generally speaking, the best learning occurs when we make a poor choice, are allowed to suffer the consequences, and get some guidance from…
When Structure Isn’t Enough – Fostering Unstructured Play in a Highly Structured World Ah, those glorious, carefree days of childhood play. Thinking back to childhood, what do you remember? If we could go to the future and ask children what…
I think most of us recognize that dads are important to their kids, but I don’t think most of us imagine just how critical they are. Recently, I read a new book, The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling…
Why Dads Matter to Child Health and Behavioral-Health Related Outcomes 1. Children with father loss have, by the age of nine, a 14% reduction in telomere length—the most reliable predictors of life expectancy. In addition, the telomere loss is 40%…
From the time they are very young, children often love nothing better than to have a parent read to them. It doesn’t matter how many times they’ve heard the same story, if they’re younger than three or four, they want…
Taking a road trip with your kids can be an unforgettable experience. The open road leads to endless possibilities and a chance not only to bond with your children, but also create memories that last a lifetime. But the road…
My dad is a great storyteller. Always has been, always will be. Add in the fact that I had an extremely active imagination at six-years-old, and it is not a stretch that I truly thought I was going to Hogwarts.…
What happens when you are an over-the-road driver and your wife has twins? Prime driver, Daniel Skidmore and wife, Kerry, recently faced this challenge when they welcomed a set of twins to their growing family. When Jackson, age 3, was…
Moms and dads both participate in the development of their children, but in unique ways. Both offer love, acceptance and teach life skills, but each accomplishes these in different ways. It’s helpful if moms and dads are aware of these…
