Kindergarten
Five-year-olds had a big first, last week. They started school. Parents were excited and weepy. Kids were excited and scared. Teachers were excited and reassuring. All the hubbub was sweet and exciting even from a …
Rube Goldberg Machine
The other day in school, we talked to King Sturdy about potential and kinetic energy, then showed him an OK Go video to illustrate. Today, he had his heart set on building a Rube Goldberg …
Myth, Science and Unicorn Mind
In the first chapter of Before Philosophy, Henri and Henriette Frankfort pointed out that the language of myth, which they called “speculative thought,” isn’t so common these days, because science. In our own time speculative thought finds its …
Let Them Be Bonked
Confession: I let my toddler pull a kitchen chair down on top of himself. I could’ve jumped up and righted the chair before it fell, but I didn’t.
Kindness + Reality Teaches
Before you decide that “kindness teaches best” is some kind of frufru, no-accountability form of permissive parenting, hold on a second.
Pain Does Not Teach
We’ve got this notion that people — kids, especially — need to suffer a little bit when they do something wrong, so that next time, they’ll think, “Last time I suffered. I don’t think I’ll do that again.”
Science Can Be Personal
In an earlier post, I started compiling the passages I like best from the first chapter of Before Philosophy, because there’s something in there that strikes a chord and I want to tease out what it …
Then Do It
Did you say yes to your kid? Did you say no? Whatever you said, if you don’t follow through, you’re demonstrating that your words don’t mean much and they can predictably tune you out.
Well That Explains a Lot
I mentioned I’ve been reading Before Philosophy by Henri and Henriette Frankfort, et al. And I mentioned it’s one of my favorite treatises on mythology. What I didn’t mention is the lights-on moment I got the first time I …
Say Yes as Often as You Can
Your kids have to accommodate your needs and wishes, because your needs and wishes matter, true. That’ll work best if you get in the habit of saying yes to them.