By Amy Conner From an early age, independence should be cultivated in children to teach them self-motivation, increase their awareness of their surroundings, and encourage the self-fulfillment of their future needs. Of course, this isn’t instantaneous, and a lot of hard work is required from parents to instill that sense of comfort and responsibility very early on. In a study on the importance of promoting independence in young children, Anna Cerino describes that children wi

By Dr. Lauren​ Starnes, Chief Academic Officer at The Goddard School Prior to the pandemic, the National Survey of Children’s Health showed that 1-in-6 U.S. children had a treatable mental health disorder. Today, the mental health crisis among children has only worsened. In the first half of 2021, the Children’s Hospital Association reported cases of self-injury and suicide in children ages 5-17 at a 45% higher rate than during the same period in 2019. While awareness around

Contributed by Dustin Rhodes -- Over the course of the last 20 years, I have raised four boys and one girl. I am by no means an expert, even though many people ask me for parenting advice. This article is a snapshot of what I have seen in my own children and the children of friends that I have been lucky enough to watch as they grew into adults. Sequentially speaking, I had three boys before my little girl showed up. She was followed by my fourth and final son. I was always