shadowwonder

  . . . blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
  whose confidence is in him.   They will be like a tree planted by the water
 that sends out its roots by the stream.
   It does not fear when heat comes;
   its leaves are always green.
 It has no worries in a year of drought
 and never fails to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV) Welcome back!   Before we go any further, here are some of the main ideas we’ve discussed so far: Most people believe a person’s  intelligence  is what leads to academic and life success.   But research shows that traits such as grit, perseverance, and resilience—in other words, the non-cognitive traits—are far more crucial than IQ, or cognitive ability. From kindergarten to college, many of today’s youth seem to possess only the most meager supply of these characteristics. This means it’s important for moms and dads—that’s you and me--to be intentional about nurturing their children’s non-cognitive qualities.   We can

Thanks to my talented friend, Suzanne Stelling, for this amazing picture! Hopefully, you’ve been able to rest, relax and laugh with your family since reading the last post.   If not, I hope you’ll find that time soon.  In fact (and I’m sure you already know this!), it’s always okay to put this material on hold if you need downtime with your loved ones or just by yourself.  Those moments can be rare (especially for mamas with young children), but they are so important. Don’t be afraid to create time for them!  J If you’re ready, though, we’ll start by revisiting the question from the end of the most recent post: Alright.   I get what the non-cognitive traits are and  why they’re important . . .  . . . for GROWN-UPS! But what does this have to do with my family right now ?   After all, let’s face it:   we’re still in diapers around here. Boy, do I remember the years when I was home with my children.   It seemed like light years until my preschoolers would

After reading the introduction to this year’s Moms N More material, I’m hoping you’re beginning to become acquainted with the concept of cognitive and non-cognitive traits.    (Click here if you’d like to glance back at that post.)   I also hope you’re beginning to have a few questions . . . perhaps like these: First :  Can you help me understand more about the difference between cognitive and non-cognitive traits? Absolutely!   Here’s a little more information. Cognitive traits involve a person’s natural aptitude for educationally oriented tasks such as computing (math), reading, and writing.   Schools assess these abilities with tests requiring students to demonstrate knowledge of an academic subject by performing well (knowing the right answers).   So, for example, if Sally has a strong cognitive aptitude for math, this can help her earn a high score on her algebra test this Friday.   Many experts link c