This was originally published for my regular Generation Next column. I have a saying that my teaching colleagues will be able to appreciate. Interesting kids have very interesting parents. I spent the past two years resisting invitations from schools to give parent talks. My reasoning was that whilst after 15+ years teaching, I can speak with some authority with regards to working with school students, I have only been a parent for the past five years, and I reckon parenting […]
Are You Too Busy For a Thumbs Up?
This was originally written for my regular Generation Next Column. It has a handful of comments there that you might like to read. My 5-year-old son attends swimming lessons each and every Sunday. It’s a busy pool with multiple classes going on at once. During lessons parents sit around the pool and watch their offspring splash around, offering words of encouragement, the occasional ‘thumbs up’ and many smiles of pride. You can picture it can’t you? It was pretty much […]