As an elementary school counselor, I have a favor to ask. Please stop yelling at your kids.
I know that no one is perfect, including me. I yell at my kids more than I like to admit.
We need to be better though. Our kids love us and look up to us. And when we yell at them they shut down, they don't learn, and we break their heart.
I understand that sometimes kids' behaviors need to be corrected. We can do that without always yelling at them
You are good parents! And your kids are good kids! And I know that you love them. Let's just remind them of that a bit more.
Please be careful with your back to school photos. You are probably sharing more information than you think.
Please teach your kids to look out for those lonely kids who need someone to kind to them.
Please teach your kids to be kind. Please teach them to see those people who are struggling and please teach them to stick up for them and to be a friend to them
From personal experience I can tell you that those kids will never forget the acts of kindness they receive. And it will mean the world to them.
Let's help more invisible kids feel seen
Recently Congress passed the kids online safety act (KOSA) it's not perfect, but it sure is a step in the right direction. What are your thoughts?
TLDR: the best thing you can do for your kids academic success is to delay giving them a smartphone as long as possible.
LIFE UPDATE: I've decided to return to a normal 9:00 to 5:00 as an elementary school counselor.
Last school year was a dream being able to speak full-time to students and parents about raising resilient kids in a tech heavy world, and advocating against the dangers of social media.
I was also grateful I was able to provide for my family. But at the end of the school year I felt like I had worked three times as hard for less money than I mad as a counselor, and I felt like I was focusing so much on money, and not enough on saving kids.
I also learned that I'm not an entrepreneur at heart, and running a small business did not leave me with the emotional energy I needed to be the type of dad I want to be for my own kids.
So I decided to practice what I preach. I'm excited to be a normal guy with a normal job and a passionate side hustle with a dream to save some kids.
I'll still do some assemblies with my paid time off and plenty of parent nights after work.
If you have any questions let me know :-)
A good discussion to have before school starts
Do you want to preserve your child's childhood? If yes, talk to them about 🌽
Here's some advice on preserving your kids childhood
Talk more about the stuff you don't want them to Google.
I said what I said
Happiness is right in front of you. You just have to have your eyes open.
Hey dads, this one is for you
You're doing a great job. I know there is so much pressure to provide for your family right now. So much pressure to find that dream home, that dream car, and to provide your kids with the best possible childhood.
Trust me, I know how easy it is to feel like you're not doing enough and how easy it is to feel like you are not enough for your family.
I'm here to tell you that you are enough. That you are doing a lot better than you think. That as long as your kids know that you love them, and that they are safe with you, all the other stuff doesn't really matter.
Keep your head up, you are doing better than you think ♥️
I know a lot of parents struggle with getting their kids to talk to them.
as a school counselor I noticed kids were most comfortable talking to their parents when their parents took the time to connect with their kids.
It doesn't have to be complicated, and it's actually best when it is simple. Spend some time with your kids. Engaging activities that your kids want to do. And as your kid engages in activities they enjoy, they let their guard down, and they start to open up.
All it takes is 10 minutes every single day. But it does take time. You have to earn their trust. But it does work. I can promise you that.
Happy early 4th of july! You guys know me, I won't be on social media much tomorrow. But there's something I wanted to say today.
Please let yourselves enjoy tomorrow. Don't get so caught up with recording every single little detail that you forget to just have fun. There's so many wonderful events happening with this wonderful holiday. The parade, the festivities, the fireworks, and so much more! So many wonderful memories to be made that don't all have to get recorded on your phone.
You'll find yourself enjoying everything so much more. And better yet, you'll be experiencing it with the people that you love.
I am so grateful for this wonderful country that we live in. I am very much aware of the flaws that it has, and the work we need to do, but I am still so grateful.
Phone down. Look up. Happy birthday America.
The best thing you can do for your kids mental health has nothing to do with screens. Say what?! 🤔
If you know me, you know that I believe in delaying smartphones and social media for a very long time.
Here's the thing. Kids turn to their screens when they don't think they can turn to their parents or loved ones. 📱
So if we can develop a relationship with our kids so they know they can talk to us about anything, that is going to set the foundation for their resiliency.
If you can be an involved parent, that's connected, that is present, that is not distracted by the phone in your own hands, THAT is going to be the biggest factor that makes a difference in your child's childhood. 🫡
Your kids are amazing! Just make sure you let them know how amazing they are ♥️
Why are our kids so hard on themselves?
I think it's about time we rethink how we are approaching tech. Yes, we need to delay giving kids smartphones. But that is only half of the equation. Education and communication so your kids can have experiences under your supervision are going to set them up for success after they leave the home
Make your tech make sense
People talk about the dangers of video gaming a lot. Mostly how the video games itself affect the brain of a child.
But can we please talk more about the toxic and gaming environment? Where people think it's okay to harass belittle, and bully other people. Grown adults telling children that they should go and their life. Or in this case, teenagers k*lling teenagers.
I promise you, kids talk differently online than they do in real life. And because of it, kids are dying. It's a toxic culture and one that your kids do not need in their life.
In our quest for connection and relating to others and feeling seen, we often share some of our kids' toughest learning moments without their consent.
Whether it be a tantrum, a scary moment, or a big mistake. Someday our kids will be old enough to realize that their mistakes and low points have been shared with thousands of strangers.
Kids deserve some grace too. Their low points and mistakes deserve to be forgotten too. We don't have to put everything online. Some lessons are best learned, not documented.
