Category Archives for Happiness

Ep. 19: Being a “Tech Positive” Parent with Devorah Heitner

Earlier this year, I devoured Devorah Heitner’s book Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World during a single plane trip. Heitner’s insights changed my previously (and very opinionated) negative view of my kids’ screen use. I highly recommend all parents read Screenwise, as the book provides new insights into our kids’ digital world and helps parents…

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Connection Through Questions

If you were to ask me the most important thing parents can provide their children, camp counselors can provide campers, and teachers can provide students, I can sum it up with one word. Connection. Building a relationship and connecting with kids—while also helping them learn to connect with each other and form friendships—is the most…

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The Four Tendencies: An Obliger’s Story

I’ve been enjoying Gretchen Rubin’s books since my oldest daughter (also named Gretchen) gave me The Happiness Project (Revised Edition): Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun several years ago. I listen to Rubin’s podcast (Happier) and subscribe to…

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11 Ways to Help Kids Create REAL Connections

A 75 year longitudinal study of adult development at Harvard Medical School had two main findings. Researchers George Vaillant and Sheldon Glueck determined that “good relationships”—not wealth or accolades or privilege—“keep us happier and healthier.” Their second, almost tongue-in-cheek finding was that “if alcoholism is not the root of all evil, it is closely correlated…

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