S'mores and More

Resilience

A Manifesto for Strength

Steve Baskin on February 13, 2019

A challenge to parents to allow their children to embrace challenge and discomfort. Summer camp is a great place to begin the process.

A challenge to parents to allow their children to embrace challenge and discomfort. Summer camp is a great place to begin the process.

Resilience

Beyond Resilience: Fostering Anti-Fragile Children

Steve Baskin on February 12, 2019

Children are increasingly anxious or lonely. Many parents see their child as fragile and wish they were resilient. I encourage them to strive for a higher goal: anti-fragile.

Children are increasingly anxious or lonely. Many parents see their child as fragile and wish they were resilient. I encourage them to strive for a higher goal: anti-fragile.

Fear

Summer Camp and Disruptive Moments

Steve Baskin on July 26, 2015

Former summer campers often describe their experiences as "life changing", despite the fact that they spend far less time at camp than home or school. This article discusses one reason that camps have a disproportionate impact on the children they serve.

Former summer campers often describe their experiences as "life changing", despite the fact that they spend far less time at camp than home or school. This article discusses one reason that camps have a disproportionate impact on the children they serve.

Attention

Interview for Power, Not Pain

Steve Baskin on August 18, 2014

Parents often make a basic mistake when they talk with their children: They focus on the challenges rather than the triumphs of the day. Taking a different approach—interviewing for power rather than pain—helps develop capability and optimism in their children.

Parents often make a basic mistake when they talk with their children: They focus on the challenges rather than the triumphs of the day. Taking a different approach—interviewing for power rather than pain—helps develop capability and optimism in their children.

Parenting

In Parenting, Less Can Be More

Steve Baskin on April 18, 2014

Parents deep desire to help their children often leads them to do too much. From their children's social lives to their academic performance, they provide more help than their children truly need, overestimating their ability to affect outcomes. Instead, they should create narratives for their children that prime them for success. After that, they should simply do less.

Parents deep desire to help their children often leads them to do too much. From their children's social lives to their academic performance, they provide more help than their children truly need, overestimating their ability to affect outcomes. Instead, they should create narratives for their children that prime them for success. After that, they should simply do less.

A recent Kent State University study links frequent cell phone usage to reduced happiness. This article suggests 5 reasons that this happens.

A Kent State University study linked frequent cell phone usage to reduced happiness in students, but did not prove causality. This article provides evidence that the relationship is, in fact causal: the cell phone usage causes the reduction in happiness for the users.

Parenting

Keeping Grandparents Relevant

Steve Baskin on December 6, 2013

Grandparents can be powerful parenting partners, but our culture tends to "de-venerate" our elders. Here is a plan to increase the impact of grandparents.

Grandparents can be powerful parenting partners, but our culture tends to "de-venerate" our elders. Here is a plan to increase the impact of grandparents.

Stories frame the way we see the world. As a result, parents must be intentional in selecting the stories that their children hear and believe.

Parents' desire to create advantage for their children in college may actually create long-term disadvantage.

Trust

Demanding Excellence — and Getting It

Steve Baskin on May 9, 2013

Children will rise to the expectations of their teachers and coaches. Exceptional youth development professionals know this and demand the best from their charges - and get great results.

Children will rise to the expectations of their teachers and coaches. Exceptional youth development professionals know this and demand the best from their charges - and get great results.

Education

Creating Education for Success

Steve Baskin on March 8, 2013

Technology provides many exciting options for education, but it can also impede the development of critical skills. These skills are interpersonal (oral communication & collaboration) and non cognitive (grit, optimism, self control). Any discussion of education must include options that are non-technological if we want to create truly successful adults.

Technology provides many exciting options for education, but it can also impede the development of critical skills. These skills are interpersonal (oral communication & collaboration) and non cognitive (grit, optimism, self control). Any discussion of education must include options that are non-technological if we want to create truly successful adults.

Leadership

Teaching Teens to Lead

Steve Baskin on December 6, 2012

We have a leadership gap in our nation. This gap is largely the result of a lack of opportunities to learn leadership skills. This article discusses how young people can acquire and hone these skills.

We have a leadership gap in our nation. This gap is largely the result of a lack of opportunities to learn leadership skills. This article discusses how young people can acquire and hone these skills.

Parents worry that technology has too strong a hold on their children but are unsure how to reduce tech usage. Their children do not want arbitrary limits. The following approach changes the conversation and increases the chances for success.

Parenting

The Irony of Parenting

Steve Baskin on July 6, 2012

Being a parent is a series of mini-separations that make our children stronger even as they can make us sadder.

Being a parent is a series of mini-separations that make our children stronger even as they can make us sadder.

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.

Adolescence

Expecting More From Teenage Men

Steve Baskin on May 5, 2012

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

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

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

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.

Relationships

The Fallacy of the Parental Fool

Steve Baskin on February 16, 2012

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.

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.