With summer around the corner, it’s time to begin thinking about the wonderful art projects for kids that make learning fun! While engaging in kid’s arts and crafts should not be limited by season, summer is a great time to dive into projects without lots of homework on the back […]
Creativity
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
Coaching youth sports is a rewarding job, particularly for adults who see their roles beyond winning and losing. Coaches of youth sports are role models and key players in making sports experiences gratifying and beneficial for children and teens. According to the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS), “sports participation […]
Resilience
Parents, are you ready for back-to-school? Teachers, would you like to share some great parenting articles with students’ families? This popular list of back-to-school articles was just updated for the 2018-2019 school year. It contains some of the latest thinking and research on learning, achievement, family well-being, parent engagement, special needs […]
Compass-Inspired
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
Gift giving is a traditional practice in most families. On special occasions throughout the year, and especially during the holiday season, children are faced with gift-giving decisions that will shape their lifelong values about giving. If we look beyond the external act of giving gifts, research in child development tells […]
Empathy
Learning to take initiative is a behavior that helps kids navigate their lives with courage and optimism. Alfred D. Souza makes a great point: “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to […]
Resilience
Is critical thinking for kids? Absolutely! The art of critical thinking begins in childhood. What kind of thinker is your child? Does he believe everything on TV? Does she always figure out how to get what she wants? Does he ask questions? Does she go along with what her friends […]
Curiosity
A positive role model serves as an example–inspiring children to live meaningful lives. Role models show young people how to live with integrity, optimism, hope, determination, and compassion. They play an essential part in a child’s positive development. Natalie, age 18, described her role model as a person with “a […]
Integrity
Positive youth development is the practice of nurturing core internal strengths and abilities in children and teens. It is about providing opportunities for youth to believe in themselves and their abilities to influence their lives and the world around them. As families, schools, and communities, we share one goal. We want […]
Compass-Inspired
What is emotional intelligence? How do parents and teachers nurture it at home and in the classroom? What methods are working? Emotional intelligence (EI for short) has become a popular term since Daniel Goleman authored his book with the same title in 1995. Several decades of research not only confirms the […]
Sociability
Every parent wants to know the key to success that will help a son or daughter thrive in life, that “secret sauce” for raising a healthy child. Does such a sauce exist? The answer depends on your mindset as a parent and how you turn your mindset into practice with […]
Empathy
