Being a skeptic has been given a bad rap in modern society. Why? Because skepticism is often confused with cynicism.

Let’s explore the distinctions and why it’s important to teach children the art of becoming a skeptic.

A cynic distrusts most information they see or hear, particularly when it challenges their own belief system. Most often, cynics hold views that cannot be changed by contrary evidence. Thus, they often become intolerant of other people’s ideas. It’s not difficult to find cynics everywhere in our society, from the halls of Congress to our own family dinner tables.

Skepticism, on the other hand, is a key part of critical thinking – a goal of education. The term skeptic is derived from the Greek skeptikos, meaning “to inquire” or “look around.” A skeptic requires additional evidence before accepting someone’s claims as true. They are willing to challenge the status quo with open-minded, deep questioning.

In today’s complex world, skeptics and cynics are often hard to differentiate. While the ability to challenge human authority has led to important innovation and reform, it has also made it possible, for a price, to prove our “rightness.” Oftentimes, what appear to be legitimate studies are manipulated to support a particular idea or outcome that a company, individual, or government believes is the truth. read more »

I used to believe learning was for the young. If we learned enough in school, we’d be prepared for careers and families. But as I have grown older — and hopefully wiser — I know that learning comes with each new day.

When we think of scholars like Socrates, Einstein, or Aristotle, we are reminded of great learners and their eternal quest for knowledge. But how do we develop that quest in children and teens – the drive that propels them to embrace the practice of learning throughout their lives?

Thanks to research in neuroscience and human development, scientists can now explain how learning happens from cradle to grave.  It turns out that lifelong learning is a natural part of being alive.

But some people are more open to learning throughout their lives than others. They seek out and respond to experiences in ways that challenge their minds, hearts, and bodies.  It is as though learning flows through them like blood through veins.

Becoming a seeker of lifelong learning is critical in today’s fast-changing world. Learning is not only a matter of absorbing information but a process of developing many other internal skills, like curiosity, perseverance, and the ability to tackle tough challenges. read more »

Do you parent, teach, or mentor a child with special needs? Of course you do!

As you know, the term special needs is most often associated with disabilities. It usually refers to a child who needs special assistance or accommodations for medical, psychological, or learning deficits.

But have we allowed the term special needs to create a cloud of darkness over children? Don’t all children have special needs? And can’t those special needs be sources of light and wisdom?

I raised a child with special needs, a daughter who was diagnosed with learning disabilities and ADHD. Of course, we gave her additional support and taught her how to advocate for her differences. But what most struck me from a developmental perspective was how much my daughter’s special needs were just like all of her peers.

The truth is that all children have special needs as they journey through childhood and adolescence. They feel awkward and different at times, insecure, and challenged by situations beyond their controls. read more »

With the beginning of each school year comes an opportunity to wipe the grade slate clean — to ramp up expectations for high academic achievement in our children.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with good grades. That is, unless the stress of getting an “A” causes children to fail at developing the kinds of abilities that matter much more than grades. Even for children who naturally perform well on academic tests, a good grade is only one measurement of success. A few things that school testing cannot measure include:

• Open-Mindedness
• Effort
• Social & Emotional Intelligence
• Critical thinking
• Initiative
• Creativity
• Collaboration
• Curiosity
• Respect
• Kindness
• Capacity to love
• Honesty
• Compassion

Internal strengths, like those listed above, are far more important to a life of success and well-being than whether a child earns an “A” on an Algebra exam or are accepted to a top-rated university. In fact, many tests only measure a student’s ability to produce a correctly memorized answer. read more »

For thousands of years, heroic stories have been used to inspire, motivate, and transfer cultural values to children. The stories have a common pattern.

They begin with a likeable hero who encounters a challenge or roadblock in life. And then, with the help of others, the hero emerges from the difficult situation transformed by his or her experiences.

Heroic stories are found everywhere in modern media.

Beautiful Snow White is protected from the wicked queen by the seven dwarfs. Her life is threatened when the queen, disguised as a peddler, finds Snow White and poisons her with an apple. Rescued by the Prince, she is transformed by true love.

In Avatar, Jake Sully is a paralyzed ex-Marine who has an opportunity to walk again through a proxy Na’vi body in the world of Pandora. But he encounters an unexpected challenge. He falls in love with a Na’vi woman, Neytin, and is forced to choose sides in an epic battle between the humans and the Na’vi people. With the help of many, Jake’s leadership prevails and the humans are defeated. Jake is permanently transformed in a Na’vi body where he lives the rest of his life with Neytin. read more »

It’s easy to think that parents of smart kids have it easy. After all, their kids have the potential to achieve their dreams. Right?

Well, not so fast. Fostering true potential in bright children isn’t as stress-free as it may look from the outside.

If you are parenting a bright or even gifted child, you know the journey can be challenging. Sometimes our definition of potential is limited by a narrow vision — a notion that success can be measured by impressive accomplishments like school grades or test scores. In our eagerness to support children’s achievement, we sometimes forget that potential is not a lofty end goal but the capacity to grow, learn, and adapt to change throughout life. It is about discovering a fulfilling and meaningful life, one that cannot be measured by numbers.

Reinforcing this broad view of potential, Smart Parenting for Smart Kids: Nurturing Your Child’s True Potential, is an excellent book by Eileen Kennedy-Moore, PhD, and Mark Lowenthal, PsyD, that provides well-researched guidance for parents of bright children. Suggesting that it takes more than school smarts to create fulfilling lives, they highlight some of the special challenges facing smart kids and provide helpful parenting strategies to support children’s positive growth and development. The following describe three common challenges some smart kids face. read more »

In 1970, the average age at which children watched television was four years old. Today, the average age is four months.

The typical child before the age of five is watching 4 ½ hours of television per day, 40% of their waking hours!

Recent studies have linked television to the over-stimulation of an infant’s brain, leading to the development of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in young children.

Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington, says that in the first two years of life, the brain triples in size. Connections that form in the brain, or synapses, are based on early life experiences. Prolonged exposure to rapid image changes during these first years of critical brain development preconditions the mind to expect high levels of stimulation. This, in turn, leads to inattention in later years. Studies have shown that the more kids watch TV before the age of three, the more likely they are to have attention problems in school. read more »

When President Obama gave his annual “Back-to-School” address in 2011, he praised three extraordinary high school students for giving back to their communities. One was Jake Bernstein.

Jake is 17, [pictured at left] who volunteers with Autism Speaks and co-launched StLouisVolunteen.com with his sister Simone. He is also on the Youth Advisory Board of generationOn, a national effort to inspire, equip, and mobilize youth to change the world and themselves through service. The President urged students to become engaged in their communities, saying “America needs your passion, your ideas, and your energy….Nothing inspires me more than knowing that young people all across the country are already making their marks.”

What the President did not say should come as no surprise to educators. Teachers play a significant role in fostering the passion, ideas, and energy that motivates students to become engaged in their communities. This meaningful and important work happens every day in and outside of K-12 classrooms. read more »

Where you one of the thousands of parents who just left your college freshman in an unfamiliar place? 

For college freshman and their families, September is usually a time of excitement and trepidation – an honored American rite of passage. But what has changed for you and your child? And how will your son or daughter continue to need your support?

It has been ten years since we traveled from Seattle to Washington D.C. to take our daughter to college. I clearly remember the buzz of freshman making their way through orientation, parents lining up at hardware stores to buy extra picture hangers, and the churning in my stomach as we said our goodbyes. What laid ahead for our daughter? Developmental growth and maturation facilitated by unpredictable life experiences and lots of parental love, guidance, and support! read more »