kids.now

Getting our kids to engage in "healthy thinking" can make a big difference in their lives.  In honour of our 10th birthday, kids.now is pleased to bring you this special section that offers helpful tips, tools and resources to start a healthy thinking dialogue with a kid in your life.  Read on for expert advice on boosting optimism, building resilience, and developing leadership and life skills in your kids.  

The Skills Our Kids Really Need

By John Hoffman

Barbara Coloroso weighs in on leadership, positive choices and the skills that really matter.

No matter what assets children might be born with—intelligence, a good family, even good looks—they have the best chance at a happy, productive life if they develop sound leadership and life skills.

Life skills are the core abilities that enable people to be productive members of society. That includes being able to communicate and get along with people, to set goals, manage stress and solve problems. "Life and leadership skills help children develop confidence in their ability to think for themselves, to make good choices and to take responsibility for their actions," explains inter­nationally renowned parenting author and speaker, Barbara Coloroso. "That includes being able to make hard ethical decisions in the face of peer pressure, such as standing up for someone who is being bullied or shunned by their peers." Read more...

Top 10 Tips for nurturing leadership, life skills, and a strong sense of self in kids

By John Hoffman

Reading, writing, 'rithmetic...and resilience!

By Dr. Michael Ungar

Michael Ungar, family therapist and author, talks about youth resiliency and how to help kids develop the skills to overcome life's obstacles.

Most of us want to believe that if our children master the three Rs—reading, writing and arithmetic—they're guaranteed a good future. While there is a connection between how well a child does in grade three and how much he'll earn over his or her lifetime, a child needs a lot more than just these few skills to thrive. When life knocks our children off their feet, it's resilience, the fourth "R", that will predict how well they do. Read More...

10 Top Tips for building resilient kids

By Dr. Michael Ungar

How to Raise an Optimistic Child

By Dr. Karen Reivich

Parenting expert, Dr. Karen Reivich offers simple, everyday activities and strategies to help kids think optimistically.

I've been studying optimism — and how to teach it to children — for more than 15 years. The research is clear: optimism is a critical skill for happiness, health and success. When we compare optimists to pessimists, we find that optimists are less likely to become depressed or anxious, and they do better in school and work. They're also more resilient and they live longer! The good news is that unlike eye color or how tall a child will be, optimism is something that we can change and also teach. Read more...