| We had so much good info here this week, my head is kind of spinning. There was Phyllis Fagell's piece about re-energizing our kids as they head back to school (some for the first time in more than a year); a piece on why in-person school is better according to two pediatric psychologists; Meghan Leahy's advice about what to do when a child wants to quit something he isn't perfect at; and my interview with Bill Stixrud and Ned Johnson about their new book "What Do You Say." I read that book cover to cover last week as I prepared for our interview, and it coincided with a common end-of-summer struggle in our house: Writing those summer reading essays. I'm in the midst of trying to put into practice some of the science-based philosophies that Stixrud and Johnson lay out so well. There's about a week left before school, and the soon-to-be high schooler has two essays to write. We came up with a plan together to get the assignments completed, and I told him he could let me know if he needed some help or reminders to get it done. In other words, I'm attempting, as the authors suggest, to be a parent-consultant instead of a parent-boss. The results so far? We're having better conversations that aren't just centered around my trying to make him do something he knows he has to do. We're laughing a bit more and, most important, connecting. And that, rather than the GPA, is what it's all about, as Stixrud and Johnson write. "We need to remind ourselves that we're going to have a relationship with our kid when they are adults longer than we ever did when they were children," Johnson says. Duly noted. Have a great weekend, everyone. Perspective ● By Edin Randall and Samantha Bento ● Read more » | | | Podcast ● By Maggie Penman, Alexis Diao, Ted Muldoon, Reena Flores, Jordan-Marie Smith, Linah Mohammad, Rennie Svirnovskiy and Ariel Plotnick ● Read more » | | | |
Parenting in a Pandemic These are challenging times for any parent to navigate. Let On Parenting help. Below you'll find a selection of expert advice and personal stories for all types of parents. To keep up with The Post's best advice for living through a lockdown, including recipes to make, shows to watch, the best socializing apps, resources for parents, guidance for managing anxiety and tips for canceled trips, bookmark Your Life at Home. And the latest on school reopenings can be found on The Post's Education page. For vaccinated parents with unvaccinated kids | Vaccinated adults may have more freedom. But for kids, 'the rules haven't changed.' For parents dealing with virtual school | Strategies to improve distance learning | Tips for creating a good learning environment at home | How parents can avoid anxiety around distance learning For parents dealing with in-person school | How to help children adjust to masks, according to experts and parents | As kids move from quarantine to school, separation anxiety may follow. Here's how to help. For parents working from home | 6 strategies for parents struggling with work-from-home interruptions For parents looking ahead to post-pandemic life | The pandemic changed everything about family
life. These are the parts parents want to keep. |
Email 
