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Caring

Back-to-school articles

Best Back-to-School Articles for Parents: 2023

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 2023-24 school year. Some articles focus on the challenges of schooling during the […]

Compass-Inspired
Caring children

New Strategies to Grow Caring Children & Compassionate Citizens

Do you describe your sons, daughters, or students as caring children? In today’s divided political climate, does it matter if children and teens find meaningful ways to connect with and care about others who are different from themselves? The importance of educating and raising caring children was brought to national […]

Empathy
Character traits for kids

Character Traits for Kids and How Families Nurture Them

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
Substance Abuse Prevention Starts at Home

Substance Abuse Prevention Starts at Home

Substance abuse prevention in children and teens requires much more attention and discussion among parents. Instead of anxiously waiting to see what addictions may befall children in their teen years or magical thinking that “it won’t happen to my child,” experts know a lot about who gets addicted and why. […]

Resilience
Hope

Positive Words Impact a Child’s Brain Development

Positive words are not always easy for parents to speak, especially during moments when they wish their child were behaving differently. Yet the power of positive words from a supportive parent is undeniable. During these unprecedented times, the importance of raising resilient children is more important than ever. Research at […]

Resilience
Parenting Educators to Follow

Parenting Educators to Follow!

Finding exceptional parenting educators can be challenging in the Information Age, even when every conceivable parenting topic can be instantly found via a search engine. Parents can share their experiences with “Mommy or Daddy Bloggers” and get feedback from almost anyone willing to respond to questions. But in the end, […]

Compass-Inspired
Empathy comes from the heart

How to Teach Empathy: A Framework for Parents and Teachers

Learning how to teach empathy begins with the nurturing relationships we enjoy with children. Empathy is our ability to recognize, feel, and respond to the needs and suffering of other people. It is the north point of the Compass Advantage, symbolizing the powerful outward impact that empathy has in our […]

Empathy

The Heart and Science of Raising a Human

When you become a parent, you often have this idealized notion of how it is going to go. You will fall in love with your baby and your baby will fall in love with you. You will figure out how to help them grow. It will all work out. After […]

Compass-Inspired
Character Strengths: What Are They and Why They Matter? | Roots of Action

Character Strengths: What Are They and Why They Matter?

What are character strengths? What meaningful role does character play in child and adult development? It is widely acknowledged that character –not beauty, high test scores, or wealth–account for life satisfaction and well-being. Derived from the field of positive psychology, the term character strengths has become synonymous with a group […]

Resilience
Character Education: What Good Teachers Do Best | Roots of Action

Character Education: What Good Teachers Do Best

Good teachers understand that character education is at least half their jobs.  While teachers are hired to develop children’s skills and abilities in academics like reading, writing, history, geography, and math, there is a lot more going on in the classroom than meets the eye. Opportunities abound for students to […]

Integrity