Tag: Family & Education

On Thanksgiving Day, A Grieving Family Found Love and Solace in Each Other

In the backyard of the Boyd’s home in Birmingham, the sun beamed, drying up the glistening dew on the grass, bringing warmth to the mildly chilly day. The sky gleamed with that deep purple you only see when the air is clear and cold, and when the V-formations of relentless geese fly overhead toward warmer…


Simplifying Christmas Shopping for Your Kids

Parents tend to bend over backward to make Christmas magical for their children. Their hearts are, of course, in the right place. Despite their best intentions, however, many overdo it when it comes to purchasing gifts and can regret the sheer quantity (not to mention cost) of their overzealous shopping. Just like you can have…


Teaching Children Habits and Principles

Several months ago, I was walking with my three young children in Manhattan when a well-dressed man stopped and, in a brief conversation, entreated me to enjoy them. His son—a teenager—was out of control, it seems, on social media and in life. This encounter renewed my resolve to understand better what I can do as…


Should Boys Start Kindergarten 1 Year Later Than Girls?

I launched my medical practice in Montgomery County, Maryland, in March 1990. Because I’m both a medical doctor and a doctoral psychologist, my practice soon attracted parents who had concerns about how their kids were doing in school. Beginning in the mid-to-late 1990s, I began to notice a growing cohort of young boys who weren’t…


Leaving a Legacy Through Simplicity

A few weeks ago, I came across a story in The Washington Post about a young woman, Rosie Grant, who scours graveyards across the country looking for recipes to make. Recipes in a graveyard? Yes, it does sound weird, but Grant was intrigued upon hearing the concept. The first gravestone recipe she came across was featured on Naomi…


How to Connect Teens With Good Books

Lately, I’ve been reading from M.F.K. Fisher’s “The Art of Eating.” I say “from” because this thick volume contains five books that Fisher wrote on cooking and dining. And her prose is as exquisite as the dishes she recommends. While reading this book, the thought suddenly hit me: Why aren’t our students reading this sort…


Homeschooling Through the Holidays

Holiday time is the perfect time to breathe new life into your homeschool. Just at the point in the year when things may begin to feel monotonous and motivation may start to dwindle, it’s time to incorporate crafting and baking and making merry! Here are seven simple ideas to add a bit of magic to…


The Healing Power of Gratitude

The holiday season provides an annual reminder to pause and be grateful for all we have. That reminder is needed and helpful because it’s human nature to focus instead on all of the things we don’t have. The culture we live in bombards us with messages that we should have more, do more, and be…


Communication Skills in the Office Can Mean the Difference Between Failure and Success

It was once common for military commanders to use runners to deliver questions or a change in tactics to other units. The wise officer had this messenger repeat back his instructions to ensure that they arrived verbatim when delivered. On my bookshelves are two collections of Civil War correspondence between commanders and their subordinates. Though…


It’s a Baby! The Secrets of Baby Shower Etiquette

When a family member, friend, or co-worker is expecting, hosting a shower is a great way to ensure the new parents have the gear they need for the new arrival. Here’s how to make it an unforgettable event. Pick a Date Traditionally, a shower is scheduled to take place four to eight weeks before the…