Nov 02 / Simcha

In Defense of Barbie

I loved my Barbie doll growing up in the sixties. My daughter loved HER Barbie doll growing up in the eighties (offers to play with Barbie were made to my sons as well, but they weren’t interested). Did I fail to live up to my excellent feminist college education in the seventies by not banning Barbie from my home?

Author Sloane Crosley*, in the following article from Smithsonian Magazine, suggests that it’s time we cut Barbie some slack, and asks whether the doll really represents such a menace to society.

Aug 31 / Simcha

Building Self-Esteem in Your Children: A simple tip

In this video clip from her show, Oprah Winfrey shares an aha! moment when interviewing author Toni Morrison (author of The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon and Beloved) in 2000.

Appreciation and validation build our sense of importance and security in the world. Does your face light up when you see your children? Here is one simple way to validate your child, to let him/her know s/he is loved and appreciated.

Aug 27 / Simcha

How to Talk to Your Daughter About Her Body (S. Koppelkam)

Wesleyan University student Sarah Koppelkam has wise words for parents on the topic of keeping our female children healthy. Her personal blog entry was picked up and reprinted last month in the Huffington Post. Although this refreshing reminder is aimed at mothers, it contains much that fathers will find helpful as well.

Aug 26 / Simcha

On Spanx and Letting Your Kids Fail

spanx Entrepreneur Sara Blakely transformed $5,000 in savings into a $500 million dollar-a-year company called Spanx, and in so doing revolutionized women’s undergarments in the process. She had never taken a business class in her life, and had never worked in the fashion or retail industries.

Apr 12 / Simcha

The Value of Family Narrative (B. Feiler)

Ben Feiler’s lovely New York Times piece (“The Stories That Bind Us”, 3.15.2013) is adapted from his recently published book, “The Secrets of Happy Families: How to Improve Your Morning, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smart, Go Out and Play, and Much More.”

Apr 01 / Simcha

11% of American Children Struggle with ADHD…. Really?? (Schwarz & Cohen)

Image: PsychologyToday.com — Image: PsychologyToday

According to the findings of a 2011-2012 CDC (Center for Disease Control) study of some 76,000 families, one in five high-school age boys in the United States and 11 percent of school-age children have received a medical diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is described by most experts as resulting from abnormal chemical levels in the brain that impair a person’s impulse control and attention skills.

Dec 17 / Simcha

Speaking to Children about the Unspeakable (M.E. Edwards)

Martha E. Edwards, Ph.D., Director of the Center for the Developing Child and Family at New York City’s Ackerman Institute for the Family, shares some ways to help children cope following the senseless tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Dec 13 / Simcha

How Do Children Develop Empathy? (P. Klass)

A popular nature-vs-nurture discussion in recent months focuses on how children develop “prosocial behavior,” the capacity to notice the distress of others and to be moved by it. In the following selection from a longer article in the NYTimes (12.10.12), Dr. Perri Klass examines the research on “how and why we become our better selves.”