2016: The Year of the Resolution Revival
December 30, 2015
by Mindprint Staff Is the New Year’s resolution just a foolhardy tradition? By most estimates, approximately 50% of us make them and less than 10% of us follow through on them. Or, in other words, half of us have reached the point of “why bother?” You may wonder why experts in child development would recommend that children keep up this New Year’s tradition when the most essential skills needed to make and keep resolutions (planning, impulse control, and self-awareness) are still maturing. If adults with a fully-developed prefrontal cortex don’t have the executive function skills to keep a resolution, why even consider suggesting our kids try? Because it is our responsibility as parents and educators to help our kids be the best they can be. New Year’s resolutions… Read More
Stubborn Child? When It’s a Can’t, Not a Won’t
December 17, 2015
In October I attended the Association of Educational Therapists conference and heard Dr. Tina Bryson’s keynote. She had plenty of great advice, best summed up this way: “When a kid’s not behaving, what if it’s a can’t, not a won’t?” How many of us have told a child that he’s simply not trying hard enough, or threatened punishments for a kid who doesn’t listen? No doubt, we parents and teachers are often justified in our exasperation. It is our responsibility to teach children to work hard and respect adults. We certainly are correct in assigning appropriate consequences when they don’t listen. But when it’s a pattern of behavior, it’s time to consider if the approach needs to change. Realistically, every child wants to succeed and no child wants… Read More
Don’t Play by the Rules
December 4, 2015
…And other suggestions for a successful family game night by Mindprint Staff Holidays with kids should equate to good old-fashioned family fun time. Games can be an enjoyable way to spend time together and provide happy memories for a lifetime. That is, if little Billy doesn’t end up in the corner crying while Cousin Janie wanders off to text her friends. So while we want to share our favorite games that can be enjoyed by all, we preface with advice to help ensure that the night lives up to your greatest expectations. 1) Don’t experiment. Just as you wouldn’t serve a new recipe at a big dinner without trying it beforehand, don’t open a brand new game for everyone to try together. Too risky. Select from games you know can be enjoyed by all. 2) Don’t… Read More
A cellphone for the holidays?
November 19, 2015
CAUTION: If your child is begging you for a cellphone and you aren’t quite ready to give in, you might not want your child to read the following post! By Mindprint Staff Parents of elementary-aged children always ask about the “right age” for a cellphone. And all parents wonder about what rules to set. Given the enormous amount of negative publicity around adolescent cellphone use, much of it rightfully earned, the hesitancy around giving a child a cellphone is understandable. A quick scan through our collection of articles on media privacy & usage should provide you with all the cautionary advice you need. However, much less discussed are the potential benefits of having a cellphone. And these benefits can extend well beyond knowing when your child is… Read More
Empowering Parents: Sibling Surprises
November 13, 2015
Edited by Nancy Weinstein Editor’s Note: As the mother of two daughters who are so different and yet sometimes seem so similar, I am always drawn to sibling stories. In this second post in our Empowering Parents series, Laura, mother of two girls, Julia, 8, and Leah, 9, describes why she chose Mindprint. She explains how her family continues to use Toolbox. To protect the family’s privacy, these are not their real names. When we decided to give our children the test, we didn’t have any specific concerns about their learning abilities. We just thought why not find out if there is anything there, any specific learning strengths or weaknesses that we could work on, foster, and/ or support. Why not do everything you can… Read More
ADHD, It’s Not What You Think It Is
November 5, 2015
The term ADHD generally conjures an image of the boy in the classroom who gets into trouble and can’t keep his hands to himself. While there’s no denying that there are children with ADHD that fit the stereotype, many more do not. In fact, in recent years researchers now understand that ADHD is not a behavior problem. Rather, ADHD is a difficulty managing the complex systems of the brain that are needed to work and manage time efficiently. Common ADHD Symptoms in Children One consistent characteristic of students with ADHD is that they can’t effectively maintain attention for something they aren’t interested in. However, contrary to popular understanding, they can easily maintain lengthy interest in activities they enjoy. Dispelling stereotypes and recognizing ADHD symptoms in children are just two of the many topics… Read More
Empowering Parents: A Premature Arrival
October 30, 2015
Edited by Mindprint Staff In this story, Beth, mother of 8 year old Talya, describes why she used Mindprint Learning to calm her lingering concerns about her daughter who was born prematurely. (Editor’s note: To protect the privacy of the child, Beth and Talya are not their real names.) Talya is very bright, but moves notoriously slowly in many ways. She was born very early so I was concerned that there might be learning disabilities that we hadn’t seen show up yet, or the school hadn’t noticed, but lingered beneath her sweet exterior. Talya had a range of services provided when she was little, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. She worked so hard and was placed out of… Read More
What’s Your Seminal Parent Moment?
October 21, 2015
“Thank you, Mrs. Ferguson,” I said to myself walking out of the building. After finishing 10 parent-teacher conferences for two middle schoolers, my long but very good day was finally over. Don’t get me wrong, not all of the feedback was positive. Yes, there was room for improvement, different things for different kids. But there was one common praise across all of those conferences and both of those kids: your child is very self-sufficient. Any child psychologist will tell you the importance of teaching children independence if you want them to grow into successful adults. Parents hear it constantly. But what they are missing are the details. How in the world does a parent know how much responsibility to give and when to give… Read More
Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids: An Interview with Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore
September 21, 2015
We are supremely fortunate to share with you this week insight from a leading child psychologist Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore who has great advice on how to handle some sensitive parenting moments. Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore has a private practice in Princeton, NJ, where she works with adults, children, and families. In addition to co-authoring Smart Parenting for Smart Kids and The Unwritten Rules of Friendship, she has a new video series for parents, produced by The Great Courses: Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids. Your Great Course lectures cover 12 topics that touch on different challenges of parenting. Is there an overriding principle or philosophy you might say parents today should keep in mind as they approach their roles as parents to growing children? The… Read More
5 Common Misconceptions about Teens and Sleep
September 12, 2015
We hear it all the time. Teens need more sleep. They burn the candle at both ends, with early start times for school followed by hours of after school activities and homework. When I taught high school, I saw my students in first period at 7:45 a.m. and dismissed the last class 2:45 p.m. And guess what? These teens were exhausted at both ends of the day. They wanted coffee. Did you drink coffee in 10th grade?! As adults, many of us empathize with the adolescent’s desire for more sleep. We’re tired, too. But do we really understand the unique problem teens face when it comes to their sleep deficits? Because in reality, the teen brain is very different from the… Read More