Back-to-school is always a time when parents and teachers revisit what is important for children and how to best support their positive development. This popular list of back-to-school articles, started in 2012, has been updated for the 2024-25 school year. Most articles bring you the latest thinking and research on […]
Compass-Inspired
When I was a teenager, we didn’t have a term for service-learning. There were opportunities to volunteer in our communities but not many people thought about the lifelong value of such experiences. As I reflect on my early volunteer experiences, I know for certain that my life was changed as […]
Empathy
Parents and families play key roles in developing character traits for kids. Parents who create positive home learning environments also understand that fostering character traits for kids is as important as academics and homework. They know that family values get passed from one generation to the next. But how to instill values […]
Self-Awareness
In today’s culture of high stakes testing and tough competition for college admissions, perfectionism in children can be viewed as a desirable trait. But recent research shows that perfectionism can interfere with a child’s ability to achieve goals and shape their futures–the core of what it means to be resourceful. […]
Resourcefulness
Learning from mistakes and errors is an important part of child and adolescent development. Most adults understand this concept. Yet, we have failed to teach our children that there is a positive side to getting things wrong. Many children grow up in a society that pressures them to be […]
Resilience
If you’re looking for creative science experiments for kids, we’ve got some great resources for you! Whether or not you have a budding ecologist, neuroscientist, or engineer, all children gain important abilities when parents support and encourage doing at-home, easy science experiments. For kids of all ages, the benefits are […]
Resourcefulness
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 […]
Sociability
How do children learn to care? How do they feel connected to their communities and know they can make a difference in the world? The answer isn’t as complex as it might seem. Like many college students who became committed to social and environmental causes, Danielle talked about developing compassion at a […]
Empathy
Meet Dorothy Law Nolte. She’s a woman who understood the field of positive youth development before it was invented. Born in 1924, Dorothy Law Nolte became a parent educator, family counselor, and writer known for her inspirational poem, Children Learn What They Live. First published in 1954, it was pasted […]
Compass-Inspired
Do you ever wonder how children grow up to be happy, fulfilled, and engaged in life? While there are no easy answers, research shows that three things make a big difference. First, children need positive life experiences that engage them in meaningful activities. Second, they need adults who help […]
Self-Awareness
