5 Ways Camp Grows Grit
“It turns out that grit predicts performance better than IQ or innate talent. Grit makes our kids productive and successful because it allows them to reach their long-term goals despite life’s inevitable setbacks. This ability to overcome challenges makes them stronger and more masterful at their tasks. Moreover, the ability to cope with difficulty –…
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7 Simple Steps to Teach Kids to Introduce Themselves
Hi! I’m Audrey Monke. Thanks for visiting my little corner of the internet here at Sunshine Parenting! Watch this 1-minute video to learn why I wrote this post about the importance of teaching kids how to introduce themselves to others: Because of my research on the importance of good social skills and positive relationships for a…
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How Camp Helps Parents Raise Adults
“The movie Stepford Wives came to mind as I watched my students live their college life still somehow looking to the sidelines for mom or dad’s direction, protection, or intervention as if they were five, playing soccer, and needed a parent to point in which direction to kick the ball. I began to wonder, I…
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Ready for Adulthood Check-List for Kids
What skills do our kids need in order to be ready for adulthood? Readiness is an interesting concept. Many things we do, like going to summer camp for the first time, starting college or a new job or becoming a parent, we’re not technically “ready” for. We haven’t had any practice yet! We learn best…
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[ENCORE] Ep. 85: Grit is Grown Outside the Comfort Zone (PEGtalk)
Today’s show, Episode 85, was recorded live at Pegasus School in Huntington Beach as part of their PEGtalks parent education series. I’m with my frequent guest, Sara Kuljis, the owner and director of Yosemite Sierra Summer Camp and Emerald Cove Day Camp. We talked about my book, Happy Campers and we discussed Camp Secret…
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10 Reasons Great Parents Choose Summer Camp for Their Kids
My shy, quiet nine-year-old went to camp not knowing a soul. Two weeks later, she came home transformed. She blossomed. She made friends, learned a multitude of activities, felt safe, loved, confident, and happy — really, really happy. As hard as it was on me, it was all worth it for her. It was the…
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Ep. 166: The Parent Compass
Show notes & links. Check out Audrey’s book, HAPPY CAMPERS. Join my PATREON squad for special perks, including bonus podcast episodes, exclusive posts, and resources. Subscribe to Sunshine Parenting email updates for free resources and ideas for happier, more connected families. Register for the Parenting in Place Masterclass Series. Links The Parent Compass: Navigating Your…
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Ep. 140: Good News About Our Kids’ Bad Behavior with Katherine Lewis
Link to show notes for this episode. Katherine Reynolds Lewis is an independent journalist, author and speaker based in the Washington D.C. area on topics including parenting, children, education, mental health, technology, work, entrepreneurship, caregiving, diversity, equity and inclusion. Her award-winning book, The Good News About Bad Behavior (PublicAffairs, April 2018), explains why modern kids…
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Is Kindness the Secret to a Successful Life?
Being a considerate, kind person who thinks about others is a character trait that helps children form good relationships and leads to a happier life as an adult. What does this mean for super competitive parents who want their children to succeed at all costs, even if it means cheating and being mean to others?…
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Sticky Note Solution: Chore Reminder
In my book, Happy Campers: 9 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults, each chapter ends with a “Bringing Camp Home” section with five different ideas ranging from simple to more indepth to address the character trait or practice covered in the chapter. In each “Bringing Camp Home” section, I offer a…
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Ep. 32: 10 Benefits of Summer Camp for Teens
It’s those deep relationships that are formed at summer camp that really have a dramatic influence on them. -Stephen Gray Wallace In Episode 32, I’m talking with Stephen Gray Wallace about his recent article for Teen Life : 10 Reasons Why High School Students Will Get a Lot from Summer Camp. Adolescents’ Three Primary Developmental Tasks Forming an…
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Ep. 27: Raising Teens who Thrive with Stephen Wallace
“We are highly focused on promoting favorable youth outcomes, things like positive identity formation, character development, leadership, civic engagement, social entrepreneurship, media and financial literacy, conflict resolution…. and we’re focused on prevention, working on issues like youth suicide, prescription drug use by young people, the opioid epidemic, those types of things.” Stephen Wallace Center for…
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