by janetedgette | Nov 15, 2022 | Parent-Child communication, Parent-Teen communication, Parenting, Parenting teens, Parenting young children, Teenagers, Teens and school
When it comes to selecting indicators of a child’s favorable prospective adjustment to adult life, many Americans educators and parents have opted for the measurable and binary kinds—grades, class rankings, RBIs, how many extracurriculars, uses drugs or doesn’t, in...
by janetedgette | Apr 15, 2021 | Boys, Boys and sports, Family life, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parent-Child communication, Parenting young children
Many men credit sports as having served as the cornerstone in their relationship with their fathers, as does Keith Gessen in his article Game Over (3/22/21). Tossing a ball or driving to events together offers an easy backdrop for talking and hanging out as well as a...
by janetedgette | Nov 6, 2020 | Boy behavior, Boys, Boys and sports, Family life, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parenting young children, Self-esteem
Whether it’s innate, or acquired from their respective environments, or due to a lack of socialization, or some mix of these, boys have a long history of doing odd or mischievous things that amuse grown-ups and make them think, Well, there’s a boy for you! Norman...
by janetedgette | Dec 6, 2019 | Bullying, Family life, Mental health, Parent-Child communication, Parent-Teen communication, Parenting, Parenting young children, Self-esteem
People love Mr. Fred Rogers and the recent movie, It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, elegantly illustrated his abundance of empathy, generosity, emotional intelligence, and grace. Yes, he was kind, but there was something more that drew children toward him and...
by janetedgette | Jul 4, 2019 | Family life, Parent-Child communication, Parent-Teen communication, Parenting, Parenting teens, Parenting young children, Teenagers
A teenage girl stares at her mother who waits patiently and smiles kindly at the elderly man whose unfamiliarity with paying electronically is holding up the line at the register. “Why were you smiling at that guy?” the daughter asks on their way out, her impatience...
by janetedgette | May 3, 2019 | Boy behavior, Boys, Boys and sports, Kids who are afraid to play sports, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parenting young children, Self-esteem
In the agonizing moments before their names are called, those last boys picked for the kickball or basketball team during gym, or its un-legislated twin—recess—are getting a tutorial in what it means to be considered a liability. Alternating turns, the team...