According to numerous studies, the first five years of a child’s life are the most crucial. It is during this time that children develop the necessary life skills that will contribute to their long-term success and happiness. Some of these include self-regulation, motivation, decision-making skills, self-confidence, gaining independence, building strong relationships, and learning compassion.
Charles R. Swindoll said, “Each day of our lives, we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.” Some of these deposits are the unavoidable daily routines of early mornings and after-school activities, but dedicating time to a mutual hobby creates family experiences that are worth their weight in gold. These meaningful moments build family bonds, self-esteem in children, and lifelong, legendary memories.
Selecting hobbies that will work for your family depends upon what your clan likes as well as what they might need. Looking for a little inspiration? Here are some all-ages hobbies to adopt as a family.
Bullying continues to show up in the real world at every level of authority. I believe there are ways to change this narrative. The following tips stem from my own learning, including my conversations with Dr. Barbara Coloroso about her book, The Bully, the Bullied, and the Not-So-Innocent Bystander (2015).
There are moments in parenting that stand out in the midst of all the day-to-day goings-on. One such moment took place on a hot day in July. It was the day of the epic meltdown of my then three-and-a-half-year-old, which certainly changed the trajectory of several young people's lives on that train from Kingston to Niagara Falls, Ontario. Yes, there were several young people on that ride who would have firmly decided against parenthood after the very loud and tearful meltdown that seemed unending to everyone in its vicinity, but especially to his frazzled mother.
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