S'mores and More

What summer camp can teach us.

by Steve Baskin

Fostering the Skills Critical to Success

Young adults lack many skills that are critical to success in the 21st century. Ironically, perhaps the best place to learn these modern skills is at one of the last tech-free environments: summer camp. Read More

Expecting More From Teenage Men

Male teens are a unique combination of testosterone and undeveloped judgement, but they have the potential to accomplish great things. Read More

Helping Kids Shine

Parents often strive to provide their children a wide array of activities, but they should spend more time finding environments that facilitate emotional growth. Read More

Super-Charged Safety

The role of the parent is two-fold: providing safety and protection while fostering independence and success. Typically, the modern parent overachieves on the safety front, which impedes independence and later success. Read More

The Fallacy of the Parental Fool

TV programs targeted at children portray adults and parents as fools. While this is amusing to children, it is harmful to their relationships with parents. Here are some suggestions to address this challenge. Read More

My Parents Aren't Cool!

Parents must always remember that their children have many friends, but only 2 parents. As such, they must be willing to set limits and say no. Read More

Reflections on Exercise and Depression

My travels in Asia have driven home the point that our bodies are designed to be active and outside. Our modern lifestyles, however, find us indoors and idle, resulting in increased depression. Read More

Homesickness and Growth in Children

Parents should strive to provide growth experiences for their children that stretch them. Summer camp can be a great opportunity to do this. Also, parents should embrace their role as emotional leaders with their children. Read More

Fighting the Flood of Facebook

Do our children lack skills that our grandparents had in abundance? The modern child and teenager is substituting face-to-face interaction with cyber-relationships. This electronic dis-intermediation can impair a child's ability to develop the wide array of skills that are critical to interpersonal relations. Read More

Finding a Framework for Failure

As response to my blog entitle "The Gift of Failure" made me realize that I may have failed in articulating my thoughts. I am a huge believer in support, love, and attachment. I, however, think the parenting pendulum has swung to over-protection versus resilience. Parents that understand this balance with provide their children with a critical gift. Read More

The Gift of Failure

As parents, we hate to see our children struggle or fail, but doing so is a critical aspect of parenting. While it is hard on us parents, it is vital for our children. Read More

Community and Contentment

During travels in Nepal, we saw people who were poor, yet content. The West seems to have wealth, but lacks the contentment of the Nepalese. What can we learn from this? Read More

The Best Memories Are Unscripted

We often fret and plan, hoping for perfection. Yet our best experiences occur when we are present and positive during challenging moments. Read More

Talking with Teens: Drugs and Pornography

On a 6 day trek through the Himalayan foothills, I found an opportunity to broach some challenging topics with my teenage sons. Read More

Strengthening a Child’s Appetite for Uncertainty

This morning, I awoke in Hong Kong. Tonight, I will sleep in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Traveling Asia is not inherently unusual, but this trip is fairly different. Read More

Creating Advantage in College

Parents are deeply focused on getting their children into the "right schools," but many spend less effort preparing them to shine once there. While few might suspect it, summer camp is an extraordinary opportunity to prepare a child for life beyond the home. Read More

Strengthening a Child's Inner Warrior

If you have ever watched cartoons, you have seen the angel/devil motif. In this familiar scenario, the cartoon's hero faces a difficult decision. Suddenly, a devil appears on one shoulder and offers advice that is selfish or manipulative. An angel then pops onto the other shoulder with advice that is selfless and loving. Read More