One of the major reasons we decided to homeschool our kids was to preserve their love of learning. We want our kids to be self-directed learners, learning about the things they are passionate about. That being said, there are certain things we really want our kids to know. Things that their passions may not lead […]
You might think meetings are for work, but your family is the most important organization and YOU are the CEO. This is why I think of the weekly meeting as the most important parenting habit. In this article, I want to give you an inside look at how we conduct our family meetings. Why the […]
Did school prepare you to succeed in the real world? I think most of us would answer with a resounding no. When we decided to homeschool our kids, we thought long and hard about the kind of adults we want our kids to become. I quickly realized that memorizing random facts about science or American history […]
Psychology textbooks will tell you that there are two types of cultures: Individualistic and collectivistic cultures. American culture is often criticized for being too individualistic: “You’re so selfish! All you care about is me, me, me!” And Asian cultures are often criticized for being too collectivistic: “Your parents moved with you to college? Talk about […]
When I first became a dad, I was overflowing with enthusiasm (and a good amount of ignorance). I thought that my love would be more than enough to succeed as a father. Afterall, “love is all you need,” right? THE MORE PARENTING TOOLS, THE BETTERI quickly discovered that love by itself often failed to provide […]
Out of the countless self-improvement books I’ve read over the past few years, none of them can compare to the impact that Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg had on my life. It improved my parenting more than any parenting book. It improved my marriage better than any marriage book. And it improved my relationship with […]
As humans, we all have a need for some level of control. I see this everyday with my 4-year-old son. He wants to choose where he sits at the dinner table, what he eats, and even which parts of the meal he helps prepare. I also see this in myself as a parent, wanting some […]
“I’ll always love you.” It’s a powerful phrase. It’s a promise found in most wedding vows, and most parents will say it to their children. But, what does it mean to always love someone? What would it look like to truly love someone unconditionally? Is it even possible? I believe it is. And I believe […]
Ever wonder why biker gang members ride in packs, all sporting the same sleeveless leather jackets, riding the same brand of bike, and wearing the same "helmet" (aka their super cool hairdos)? These similarities represent biker gang culture. Their strong culture acts like social super glue, bonding group members together while encouraging similar (1) values, […]