When someone asks us “Are we having fun yet?” it’s generally said with a sarcastic tone during a time when we are struggling or facing some sort of challenges. But I am not being facetious here. I am asking you this question in all seriousness. “Are we having fun yet?”
Read moreWhat is Flourishing?
If you ask any parent what they want for their children, they’ll most likely tell you they want them to be happy and successful. More specifically, they will say they want them to get "good grades,” become “star athletes,” “get along” with their siblings, and to “grow up to get a good job and have a happy marriage.” As a student and practitioner of positive psychology, I think what we really want for our children goes beyond happiness and success — it means we want them to flourish in every way — at home, at school, in life.
Read moreViewing "Screen Time" in Perspective
The effects of television on children was the focus of my academic studies as a graduate student at University of Michigan, the research I conducted at Harvard Project Zero, and my work in social research and broadcast standards at ABC Television Network. As a parent, I watched my share of TV with my son, making sure to discuss what we were seeing on the news, helping to interpret the messages from entertainment programs and harnessing them as teachable moments.
Read moreYou Know More than You Think You Do
Still looking for the instruction manual that you expected to come with your child? You already have it, but don’t know it. “You know more than you think you do,” was the theme of one of the best selling books of all time The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, written by Dr. Benjamin Spock. Millions of parents of “baby boomers” (my generation) relied on Dr. Spock’s book for advice in the late 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s. But with all of the “how to’s” from the good doctor himself, his main message to parents was to trust their instincts and have confidence in their own abilities.
Read moreAllow me to introduce myself. I am you.
Let me introduce myself. I am you. A well-intentioned parent who’s often overwhelmed with the awesome task of raising a child to become a happy, healthy and successful adult. With a little luck, a lot of hard work, many sleepless nights, and a carefully selected community of support, I can proudly say I accomplished that mission with my now 23 year old only child. (Read my parenting story here).
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