Because parenthood is challenging, we can sometimes forget how to just be happy in the midst of it all.
Consider which of these 15 items keeps you from happy parenting. Let them go. Allow yourself to be a happy parent for your child—and yourself!
1. Give up “supposed to”
We were conditioned by our own early family experiences to believe that parenthood or childhood are supposed to look a certain way. But if you hold onto the way things are “supposed” to be, you may miss enjoying how they actually are. Be willing...
This article from Psychology Today explains the dangers that come from parents micro-managing their child's education (and other aspects of life) without the substance of confidence to back it up. Of course we all want the best for our children - to provide the very best opportunities - but the most pampered and force-fed child is not always the most prepared. The one that has learned how to play the game, or better yet, learned how to manipulate mom and dad to manipulate the game often find out later they were playing the wrong game.
Perhaps proper preparation means that we allow them to fall down...
I spent a few days with some of the greatest creative minds in education. The 2013 Advanc-Ed Summit was held in Washington DC and the focus was Successful Learning in the Digital Age. While I was really looking forward to the inspirational architecture, history and messaging intertwined throughout the sites of our nation's capital, I was surprised to find just as much stimulating insight through the events and speakers at the Summit.
I was honored to meet Sir Ken Robinson, author, inspirational TedTalk speaker, advocate for education revolution, and the keynote speaker for the event. He spoke about the immense opportunities to lead the changes for education out of the industrial age and into the digital age. Sir Ken's School Kills Creativity...
As most of you know, CP begins the day with a reflective reading or a moment of silence. And Academy practices begins with ALPHA - a silent moment of visualization and focus. Why do we do this? Because this meditative technique engages the mind-body and precedes true learning.
This youtube video on Mind Science by Dan Rather describes the effects of meditation on the mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=FkXtz72hjDI&feature=player_embedded#
Silence is Key for Learning
Meditation is an age-old tradition practiced by Tibetan monks (among many others) that affords us the ability to relax...
To the community, from ATA CP Parent, Rachel O'Malley
Dear Carol:
Recently, I was given the advice to approach life with "independent curiosity" by observing, being present without always engaging, being patient about drawing conclusions and refraining from immediate action. Using these skills has been rather enlightening for me. They have enabled me to question previous assumptions and analyze situations using a more compassionate awareness, with the end result being a difference in how Mike and I parent our girls...
Saturday night marked the end of one journey and the beginning of another for Jonah, Morgan, Justin and AJ as we celebrated the Class of 2013...
When I was in 7th grade, my classmate was caught smoking cigarettes by her father. He did not yell or scream; he did not tell her she was ruining her life; he did not lecture her on the dangers of smoking. Instead he sat her down in the living room and had her smoke a cigarette in front of him... one after another... and then another. She basically had to smoke until she threw up. As she related this story to me the next day (embarrassed and a bit green), I was horrified. What kind of father would do this to his child? However, the result was... she never smoked again ( at least not through middle and high school). Dad was a genius. He imprinted upon her the taste of smoking until you puke.
On a similar note:
As a culminating event to our year long study and education of healthy nutrition for the elite athlete, today began the Belly Brain Experiment...
"The decline in SAT scores has a lot to do with not reading ... The ability to read is linked to the ability to process, analyze and comprehend information, ... I guess that's called thinking." ~Donald M. Stewart, College Board President
Michael Silverblatt of "Bookworm" uses an analogy that young people might find more persuasive: "Just as people who don't work out can't do certain things with their bodies, people who don't read can't do certain things with their minds."
There is no way to cram for reading comprehension... just as there is no way to cram for stamina. You may want to run a marathon, but you won't be able to...
Led by Dio Miranda, and with the support of coaches, parents, and teachers alike, next week the students of ATA CP will embark on the "Belly/Brain Experiment". This will be a five-day lesson exploring the effect of different types of foods on the mental, physical and emotional state of the athlete's body.
We will begin Tuesday with the more unfavorable meal choices – donuts, fried chicken, soda, various candies – move into Wednesday as a normal meal day at CP; on Thursday we will provide a plethora of healthier options...
from Coach Newman
I recently posted to my Facebook page that one of the best parts of my job is participating in the community building events that surround the Austin Tennis Academy. A week ago Sunday it was participating in Esmeralda's run. Tonight is was being the Master of Ceremonies for three ATA Seniors signing their national letters of intent to play college tennis. Allie Carlisle: UT Tyler, Austin Priess: Abilene Christian University and Austin Mayo, Northern Colorado University all went through their ceremony this evening.
These events are rituals. We have a formula, we follow the formula, it is comfortable...
Chalk up another CP field trip... this time for girls only. Why did we choose a movie day instead of a day in the classroom? Today, we traveled around the globe to learn the stories of nine young girls who face a litany of injustices - like child slavery, abuse, and arranged marriages - mostly before age 11. Even under the threat of enormous obstacles, these brave girls tell their story of hope and determination...
| Financial Forces | Belly Brain | Art Attack | Big Decisions
Amazing qualities of the people that make up the ATA community are apparent, not only through the breadth of knowledge, but also through the generosity of giving and sharing. This semester CP students are gaining valuable information from guest instructors, John Spencer, Dio Miranda, Linda Racino, and Susan Steffes.
Financial Forces
ATA patron, John Spencer, offers his expertise and passion by teaching an upper level course on Finance and Economics. Students are learning 1) practical tools...
“The fish trap exists because of the fish. Once you’ve gotten the fish you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit. Once you’ve gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning. Once you’ve gotten the meaning, you can forget the words.” ~Chuang-tzu
The five-paragraphy essay is a formula. It does not lend itself to creative thinking. It asks the writer to contrive thoughts on a given topic into an artificial container. It has no real purpose after 8th grade. So what is the purpose of writing? I recently asked a few students "For whom are you writing that paper?". They answer...
Austin Tennis Academy and ATA College Prep are constantly striving to grasp the power of technology to better serve its students. Through interaction via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and the ATA website, or analyzing intricate technique with the latest in video sharing technology, ATA works to be at the forefront of using these tools to offer the best possible product to its community...
Wow! Parent-Teacher Night... this community never ceases to amaze me!
If you were a fly on the wall: 1) you would have witnessed a community of devoted and caring parents sitting side by side, packed like sardines, on the picnic tables in the rec room; 2) you would have heard the passion in our instructors' voices as they presented course objectives from the simple to the complex; 3) you would have heard...
Today...
Two middle school students sit down in the Library in front of the white board and, by memory, hand draw a map of the world. Four others are outside wrangling the horses and learning how to manage not only large animals that are bigger and stronger, but how their own energies affect them, conquering fear and feeling compassion. A gap year student is teaching 6th grade math and designing projects to complete the year since they have completed the required curriculum 8 weeks ahead of schedule. Latin class is at Starbucks. A community member is requesting our upper level students to contemplate the meaning of money...
"Race to Nowhere" is an education documentary that challenges current thinking about how to best prepare our students for success. It encourages us to rethink not only WHAT it is we are preparing our children for but HOW we go about doing it... and more importantly... WHY we do it.
I first viewed Race to Nowhere in an auditorium filled with parents and public school teachers and administrators at Austin High School...
