It’s March, and for a few months longer on the northern hemisphere, until dimmed by the long summer days, the stars will strew the night sky. This is a good time of year to head out with your child after nightfall, to introduce her to the North Star, this fixed axis point on the firmament […]
values
Making humans who serve life
There was a time in your ancestry, either within living memory or well beyond depending on your particular lineage, when a child was raised not to be all that she could be, but to serve life. Raising a child like that takes a lot of cultural savvy. The songs, the stories, the games, the rituals, […]
What if your child doesn’t say thank you?
A friend came to stay with us and brought gifts for our children–two really cool, powerful flashlights. The boys loved them, but they didn’t say thank you. They rarely do, and that’s ok for us, but sometimes it rankles people. This is all our fault; we’ve never told them to say thank you when receiving […]
One-liners: parenting in a single sentence
“It’s only a mistake if you don’t learn from it.” My son spoke this sentence today. We were stuck with the car in an icy ditch. Foolishly, I had tried to reverse uphill on a crust of compacted snow and rain. There was a lot for me to learn here (and model too!). He’s heard […]
Teaching family values by teasing a child
The San Bushmen, our oldest ancestors, value equality and generosity. When a young hunter returns to the village with prey, he might be proud of his skills and magnaminity. He should know better. The elders immediately tease him. They laugh at the size of his catch. And they poke loving fun until they’ve mellowed his […]
Discipline asks that you’re clear on what you value
Discipline is teaching, and teaching works best when there’s a relationship of trust with your child. We build trustful relationships over time. It requires consistency and clarity and good role modelling. If like many parents you’re unsure how to discipline your child, start by getting clear on what your core values are. Your values are […]