Help your child develop a more positive attitude about himself and the world around him

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner: Help him develop a more positive attitude about himself and the world around him. Research across many scientific fields has linked positivity to improved health, higher rates of success and increased happiness. It can also lead to a higher degree of openness to new experiences […]

Teach your child how to refocus his brain by avoiding multitasking.

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner: Teach him how to refocus his brain by avoiding multitasking. This month, I will focus on tips for building resilience and boosting focus, drive and energy, based on an approach developed by Olympian and leadership coach Bonnie St. John, and CEO and seasoned entertainment executive […]

Encourage your child to spend more time chatting in person and less time chatting online

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner: Encourage her to spend more time chatting in person and less time chatting online. Teens today socialize very differently than their parents did. Smart phones and social media have transformed the way in which teens communicate with their friends. Instead of hanging-out together after school […]

Foster empathy in your child by favouring family time over screen time

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner: Foster empathy by favouring family time over screen time. In her book The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair examines the technology paradox : how technology both enriches and erodes our lives. In addition to the detrimental effects […]

Boost your child’s brain power by limiting her screen time

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner: Boost her brain power by limiting her screen time. Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair is an internationally-recognized clinical psychologist, school consultant and award-winning author. In her book The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, Dr. Steiner-Adair examines ways in which today’s amazing technologies […]

Adopt an authoritative, psychologically-wise parenting style

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner: Adopt an authoritative, psychologically-wise parenting style. A psychologically-wise, authoritative parenting style combines warmth, sensitivity and the setting of limits. Parents use positive reinforcement and reasoning to guide children and avoid resorting to threats or punishments. When internationally-renowned adolescent psychology expert Dr. Laurence Steinberg delivered his […]

Help your child cultivate a sense of purpose, which will contribute to developing grit

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner: Help your child cultivate a sense of purpose, which will contribute to developing grit. David Yeager is an Assistant Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, and a leading expert on grit and growth mindset. A colleague of both Angela Duckworth and […]

Teach your child to not be afraid of making mistakes

One of the many important messages that we can learn from Angela Lee Duckworth is that making mistakes and experiencing failure are important steps toward learning and developing grit. Report card time is a stressful time and understanding this concept can help you and your child deal with results that may not be as high […]

Encourage your child to have fun exploring many different activities

To help your child become an autonomous and resilient learner: Encourage him to have fun exploring many different activities. For nearly twenty years, Angela Lee Duckworth, has been conducting ground-breaking studies on what makes people successful. She discovered that what we eventually accomplish in life depends more on our passion, resilience and commitment to our goals than on […]