What I’ve Been Reading

Thomas the train at Botanical Gardens

It’s Thomas!

Since the election, I’ve drowned myself in post-Trump think pieces, but I’m sure everyone has seen more than enough of those. So I have included exactly zero of them here. Instead, there’s a lot on education, child psychology, and treating kids with respect.

There’s a lot that needs to be changed in our schools, but one of the most significant may be rethinking the K-12 mode. Kids who are below their grade level are often not getting enough services and kids above aren’t getting enough challenge.

Can you imagine taking a multi-family camping bike trip with four adults, two kids, and two toddlers? These families did it on the C&O Canal!

Everything feels “not fair” to kids, but using game theory can help children feel like they are being treated fairly.

“Think of the children” is often used to justify terrible policies, but this family court judge took that saying seriously when he wrote this judgment for a family.

I’m a huge board game geek, but there are some on this list from the Guardian I’ve never heard of. Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia sounds pretty awesome.

Science For the Win when it comes to parenting! These studies can help us raise less entitled kids.

Who knew? Actually having a conversation with your children like they are normal people works to have them tell you about their day!

What is the story your children are getting [about people of different races] and what is the story you’re trying to tell?

You will see that it’s not your fault. That you are a great mum. That you love your child but you are only human. That all you needed was a little help. And we can all help each other, we just need to be honest. We just need to talk.”

Helping our kids learn to understand and manage their emotions healthfully is one of the most important things we can teach them.

What should a four-year-old know?

Sprout is a little too young to come up with his own consequences, but I can totally see this working with older kids. I know as a kid, I would have come up with worse consequences than my mom would have.

Parenting is learning to be better every single day, even when that’s really hard.

In case you missed them, I wrote about interviewing for my dream job while I was literally in labor,  the main time I really don’t like my three-year-old, dressing as Wild Things as a family for Halloween, and what parents can do to push back against post-election hatred.

For more articles and photos throughout the week, check out my FacebookTwitter and Instagram!

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