Dan’s Blog
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Start of School Goals
Welcome to the new school year. Consider kicking it off by working with your students on setting behavior and/or academic goals. I tell younger students, “One goal makes our heart happier, and the other makes our brain smarter.” Frame the discussion in terms of strengths and opportunities. “We are all good at some things, and…
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School’s About to Start! Woo Hoo! …or not
While at a restaurant earlier this week, I really enjoyed a conversation coming from the booth next to me. Two brothers were talking about the start of school. The soon-to-be first grader told the waitress he couldn’t wait! The soon-to-be eighth grader…not so much. It made me sad, and it made me think. As a…
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A New Year
As we said goodbye to 2025 earlier this week, I was thinking about one of my favorite animated children’s specials, Rudolph’s Shiny New Year. In it, Father Time tells Rudolph that if the horrible vulture, Eon the Terrible, takes Happy, the Baby New Year, time stops and the current year never ends. 2025 on continual…
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Enjoy the Journey
Perspective and attitude carry a great deal of weight when it comes to behavior. Accordingly, I need to slow down during this hectic month. Of course, my tendency is to speed up. I make a list of all the tasks needing completion before the year’s end and check it twice. Can you relate? The problem…
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Homeostasis
You might have noticed I stepped away from technology over the past few months. It wasn’t a choice at first. 2025 has been a challenging year – and one that has reminded me of the importance of homeostasis. A simple definition of homeostasis is “any process we use to maintain stable conditions necessary for survival.”…
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Using Our Time Wisely
So, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Sorry – this was not my intent. As I mentioned in a prior blog, my wife and I spent a great deal of time over the summer in Ohio with a lifelong friend who is now in hospice care. We’ve felt fortunate to be able to do…
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Unseen Challenges
We don’t know what we don’t know – this is the mantra that’s circled through my brain on several occasions this summer. People have all kinds of challenges that are not always visible to outsiders. And when we don’t know the full story behind people’s behaviors, we often fill in the gaps making wrong assumptions.…
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Acknowledge, Defer, Step Away
So parents, are you enjoying time with your kids while school is out? Though summer can be great for families, it can also present challenges. Close quarters, combined with high amounts of together time, can become a breeding ground for conflict. Keep in mind that when overly stressed, kids and adults shift into survival mode…
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Blooming Challenges
II’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Parents, you are going to get frustrated with your kids. But when that happens, find an activity you enjoy and step away. This strategy help you avoid a power struggle, and more importantly, adjusts your perspective. Personally, I like gardening. We’ve recently been blessed with a…
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Time to Refuel
Educators, this is just a reminder that It’s called summer break for a reason. Your work August through May is draining, which takes a toll on your physical, emotional and mental health. You might not be consciously aware of this now because when your brain and body are still in “go” mode, moving full steam…
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Mother’s Day – A Collective Effort
It’s Mother’s Day – and the end of Teacher Appreciation Week. This seems appropriate since most teachers play the role of surrogate mom about 180 days per year. Teachers nurture, support, encourage, provide boundaries, model, listen, and teach. These aren’t their only jobs, but if you just look at the traits, it is hard to…