It is a very short walk from Max’s classroom to the gym. He passes through the toddler room on the way, and it takes every ounce of self-control he can muster not to sprint the distance. One day several months ago, one of the youngest toddlers knocked a plant off the shelf.  Before an adult could offer help, four-year old Max noticed as he walked back to class from gym. Max found a dustpan and... READ MORE

Being very rich so far as I am concerned is having a margin.  The margin is being able to give. - May Sarton, Journal of a Solitude Raising children who conduct their lives according to a moral or ethical standard has never been easy.  Yet today’s parents and teachers – even those of us who continue to delight in our work with children – wonder if something significant about childhood is missing.  We suspect our... READ MORE

If you give a child a chore, she’s going to smile and ignore you. She’ll dance and play in the usual ways.   When you remind her she has a chore she’ll probably stomp to her room and shut the door. When she’s bored, she’ll ask to use the computer. Then she’ll want a snack.   When you say “no,” she will wonder if you are serious. So she’ll consider doing the chore. Then she’ll... READ MORE

There was a time when bullies were easy to spot.  On playgrounds and sidewalks, in swimming pools and cafeterias, they were the biggest boys.  A “good bully” usually had at least one flunky on his left, one on his right, a few thugs skulking behind.  Bullies knew how to avoid teachers, throw a punch, identify weakness, and instill fear. Today’s bully could be a geek or a girl, an old-fashioned tough-guy, a fourth-grade kid with... READ MORE