There’s an issue you’ve probably had to deal with, or you probably will. What if your child makes you look bad? What if people in your community, some of whom have come to like and respect you, see your child looking, sounding, or behaving in ways that don’t represent your view of how people should…
Once in a while, I get really impressed by a family. I know, on some level, that every family has its ups and downs, but sometimes all I can see are the ups. I recently went to a child’s birthday party at the home of a family that impressed me. Having been to many children’s…
Teachers and administrators usually have a balancing act to do as the school year comes to an end – to place children in the classes they’ll be in come September. There are many factors that go into the process. Parents’ and children’s happiness is one of the factors, but there are usually people who are…
As June gets into people’s systems, things can start to change in a school. There are social dynamics going on, as well as individuals’ reactions to the approaching end of the school year. When people are caught up in it all, they can forget about some parts of it, and get obsessed with others. I’ll…
Denial may not always be as bad as it’s often made out to be. I was talking with a friend who is suffering/recovering from the effects of throat cancer and related medical procedures. He referred to himself and me as “experts at denial.” I plead guilty as charged, but I’d like to reclassify at least…
As a volunteer, I adopted about eighty first graders and decided to stay with them as long as possible – maybe even until they graduated from high school. When they were in second grade, I spent three hours per week in Paul Oh’s second grade, helping him teach math. I’ve already written a little about…
Many folk tales and other stories begin by telling about a couple or individual who has no children and dearly wishes for a child. And then some miracle or other happens, and a child appears. It could be the regular miracle – a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a baby. Or it could…
In 1974, I attended a rally in support of the integration of the Boston Public Schools. The featured speakers were Jonathan Kozol, James Meredith, and Benjamin Spock. I felt as if I was on the right (correct) side of the issue, and that only narrow-minded bigots were on the other side. I thought that integrating…
It’s common wisdom that you’ve got to be consistent with children about your rules and limits – that if you give children an inch, they’ll take a mile. And there’s plenty of anecdotal data to back up that wisdom. Like most adults I know, I’ve occasionally had to enforce rules I really didn’t want to…
Until recently, I thought there would come a point when I’d cured myself of all my bad habits and eliminated all of my counterproductive thought patterns. Then I’d be perfect, and write articles telling the rest of you how to be perfect, too. But at best, I’ve only got about fifty years left. I don’t…