Articles
What’s destroying the kids – smartphones or distracted parents?
We all know that kids use their phones too much. They are too much on Snapchat or texting their friends. They would take their phones to bed if no-one stopped them…
Should smart teens have smartphones?
Smart phones are here to stay. Actually, that is not entirely true, for they will gradually be replaced by more sophisticated tools. But it is true that smart phones are commonly used these days…
Whom should you love more: your spouse or your kids?
A while ago, my husband brought up an interesting question: should you love your spouse more than your kids, or vice versa? After a bit of discussion, we agreed…
5 keys for a happy marriage
Sometimes, in places which are known for the inane, you discover a gem. Memes on Facebook are a great example. Neither I nor my husband are prolific “Facebookers”, but we both know what memes are…
Loving the difficult child
Once in a while, one of my kids fall into a funk, a period of negativity and difficult behavior which makes parenting a real challenge. When this happens, not only do I feel sorrow for my child, but I also feel…
“Just” a stay-at-home mum
There are so many times when the word ‘just’ is appropriately used, but describing motherhood is not one of them. Before being at home with my baby, I knew in theory that the work of the home is demanding.
Unhappily married right now? Stick with it; you can find a way through
Today we have been married over thirty years and have six children. Both of us would readily admit that it has subsequently …
Can we stop teens talking to no—one but each other?
The other day a simple and all too regular event crystallised my understanding of how limiting it is now to be a child.
I’m a parent, therefore I am: thoughts on the value of caregiving
I’ve had a rather major life change recently. My youngest child has started school. Thus, for the first time in 16-and-a-half years…
A tribute to A.A. Milne
Of the many books that were read and re-read to me in early childhood before I could read, my favourites were A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. Especially appealing were the difficulties facing Pooh that he didn’t know how to resolve, like getting down from a tree…
To strengthen schools, start with the family
Successful Schools New research shows family structure is strongly linked to educational success. If your country is anything like mine, you will hear teacher organizations constantly complaining about the government’s miserliness towards schools and smallness of teachers’ pay packets.
Chaste – and happier – Millennials
The idea that you can enjoy life without having sex is catching on. The News Story: Less Sex Please, We’re Millennials—Study The British Guardian reported recently on an American study revealing—to the surprise of everyone involved—that millennials are having…
After 140 years, Tom Sawyer is still a beloved character
This story follows Tom’s very unique personality through a range of adventures including getting stuck in a cave and cleverly …
For the Richer, Not the Poorer: Marriage as a Class Affair
A constant theme in today’s news and comment is inequality – the increasing gap between rich and poor. You will hear or read…
Why good values alone aren’t good enough in parenting
My husband and I went to a really great parenting talk last week by educator Andrew Mullins from Australia… I liked it a lot…
Getting Teens to Obey (the right people)
As children approach their adolescent years, they sometimes revert to their terrible twos as they exert their independence and question our authority. This becomes an important time to work on the third degree of obedience: full submission of one’s judgement, for this is when obedience really becomes virtuous.
Build good habits if you want your child to be happy
Character equals good habits. If you are systematic and persevering in sculpting good habits of thinking and acting in your child, you will have a happy child and a happy adult. You must carve these habits from the living rock of a deep and loving respect for others.
Teach detachment from material things
Graffiti along my favourite jogging route reads, ‘I shop therefore I am’. Descartes would squirm! How enthusiastically did you take possession of your new car? What glossy magazines and mobiles catch your eye? Which advertisements? How therapeutic do you find shopping for clothes?
Find new ways to keep communicating
Respect your child’s right to self-determination. Don’t just tell them what their goals should be. Don’t try to manipulate your child into a career path, a subject choice, musical tuition or your favourite sport. No matter how much energy it takes, engage with that young person…
Delegate, even if it takes more time to get the job done
Children take so long to do things. No wonder parents end up doing so much for their children – cleaning up after them, picking up after them, making their beds. It can seem more efficient not to delegate, and it is certainly a lot less trouble. But this is short-term thinking.