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Parents–Behave Yourselves on the Sidelines!

When my children were younger, I spent years volunteering as a coach for various sports and teams. I saw all sorts of personalities and parents and have had a front-row seat to some rather unseemly parental sideline behavior. I know you’ve probably read reports and articles about poorly-behaved sports-crazy parents, but even some of the milder forms of overly-competitive parents can make the entire experience rather un-fun for the children involved. Remember that old saying, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all?” Well, this goes double for cheering on your child’s sports teams. Absolutely no coaching, … Continue reading →

Find Out the Background of Coaches, Leaders, and Instructors

I have written before about how important it is for our children to make connections with other adults–coaches, scout leaders, art class instructors, teachers, etc. BUT, I also have to admit that a day does not go by that I don’t read about some misuse of these positions by an adult who has abused a child or children. As parents, we might just automatically think that a person has been through a thorough screening and background check in order to step into such a powerful and influential position and not want to be the nervous cynic–but some diligence might be … Continue reading →

Start With Something Pleasant

When it comes to business conversations and sales pitches, I do not agree with the idea that starting out with “good news, bad news” or a potentially negative thought or comment is a good thing. I belong to the other school of thought, which is, start a conversation by saying something pleasant… I really do feel strongly that in the world of business, pleasantries and friendly conversation are a strength. When you walk into a room for a meeting, a networking event, or a contract negotiation, I know that some people think that a person should come off as stern … Continue reading →

Hurt Feelings and Rejection

In a recent poll conducted by Child Magazine, 71% of respondents oppose policies that are designed to protect a child’s feelings of rejection. This includes not keeping scores at sporting events and giving all players, not just the winners, trophies. This was the first time I had heard of such a policy and I must say I am shocked that such a policy would exist. Rejection is a part of life and kids have to learn to deal with it. Are we doing our kids a disservice by not preparing them for the real world? In a word, “yes”. Remember … Continue reading →