Parents ask me: What is Dyslexia? What is the impact of having it? Will it limit my child’s success in life?
I have worked with many kids, who have had symptoms similar to dyslexia that were actually caused by other problems. Deafness, visual problems, temporary challenges with a second language, gaps in their education or emotional problems may appear like dyslexia but cannot be treated like dyslexia.
But with this learning difficulty come good things too.
Researches have suggested that academic success is not a result of natural born talent but a result of persistence, encouragement and motivation to succeed.
In order to effectively use encouragement, it is good to understand that encouraging a kid to do something focuses on the good things and sends kids a message “You are OK”.
Understanding your kids’ learning styles can be a great help for life, both for you and your kids.
The common belief that there is one way of learning is really far from the truth. There are many ways to learn and each way has its advantages and disadvantages.
Read Learning Styles »
At this point in a teen’s life, wealth is “a grownup word” and does not mean much. Teens value fun, friendship, love and being unique and accepted much higher than financial freedom. Many teens will sacrifice their future wealth for some good partying, which makes them pretty normal, just like we all were when we did exactly the same as teens…
Convincing a teen to save money is not an easy task, mainly because the benefits are in some unknown future, but the commitment and effort start in the present.
Oddly enough, the attitude towards money, saving and wealth passes from one generation to the next ;)
Read Wealth Education for Teens »
My response to David Bogner’s post “Monsters or Victims”, following the rape of a 12 year-old girl by 13 year-old boys.
… what you can do to be your teen’s friend and you may find they want you to set the boundaries and “save them from themselves” when they make mistakes. Being afraid of parenting your teens only sends a message of insecurity. If responsibility needs to be taken, between parents and teens, who do you think should take it?
Read It Won’t Happen to Me »
A couple of weeks ago, I delivered a Parenting Skills workshop for the Mullumbimby High School parents and friends. It was great fun and I was honoured to have the school principal and the mayor of Byron Shire attending. Here is an inspiring true story I told them about the important messages kids & teens need […]
In her article More male teachers needed, Gayle wrote about the reasons male teachers are needed in the education system. She expressed it from a mother’s point of view and described how beneficial it is for children to have male figures in their life, especially in a society where many kids do not live with mum and dad in the same house.
Now, although the education system’s purpose is to mould the habits and mindset of society, what happens when the teachers says, “Men can be whatever they want and women can be whatever they want”, but when the kids go home, they see dad fixing electrical appliances and mum cleaning. YOU, the parent, are still the most influential agent in your kids’ life. Compared to you and your thoughts, beliefs and ideas about gender, the education system stands no chance.
Read Gentle Men and Strong Women – Avoiding the Male Teacher Trap »
If you are a parent of a teenager, every bit of advice is welcomed. This is what I thought before I read what Busy Mom wrote in The Ten Commandments of Being the Parent of a Teen. And I ask you, “With parents thinking like that, who needs enemies?”
Do you really, really believe that the day her kid reached his thirteenth birthday, something in his head started going wrong and turned on the “reputation” light? Or maybe her kid really gave her a crash course in parenting teens.
I think that our kids are like little mirrors of us, reflecting back everything we do and say. Parenting teens is no different than parenting younger kids. The only difference is that teens are much larger mirrors.
So I have revised the Ten Commandments of Being the Parent of a Teen.
Read “The Ten Commandments of Being the Parent of a Teen” – Revised Edition »
This week, I received a post that Jennifer Satterwhite wrote called Parenting a teen and other things that make you stupid. “Catchy heading”, I said to myself, “It is about teens and it is close to my heart, so I went (well, I clicked a few clicks) to read it. It was very sad to read how terrible teens seem in some parents’ eyes. Parents interpreting everything their teens do as negative and disrespectful do not leave much room for the teen to grow and evolve.
The most famous research was done many years ago when two great teachers were given 2 classes to teach. Back then, they used to put all the “good” kids in one class and all the “not so good” kids in another class. They told the teachers with the “good” class, “Unfortunately, this is the worst class in the whole school”, and to the other teacher with the very troubled class they said, “Lucky you, you have the best class in the school”. And what do you know, at the end of year they realised that the grades in the “good” class dropped and the grade in the “not so good class” went up high. You probably ask yourself, “How could that happen?”
Read Teens Don’t Stand a Chance Against the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy »
Parents often ask me “At what age can children recognize left from right?” or “When do kids stop confusing left and right?” Kids can tell left from right as early as 3 years of age. Every kid has a bank of words in their brain. For every kid, the bank is a different size. Some […]
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Reflections From: $5.99 
In the Outback with Jasmine Banks From: $5.99 
Be Special, Be Yourself for Teenagers From: $5.99 
The Will From: $5.99 
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