Browsing All Posts filed under »Parenting«

What’s In A Name? Parents, It May Be Your Child’s Diagnosis

May 30, 2012 by

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If I had to pick a country to win the highly competitive ’Unusual Connection to Its Own Ancient Language Award’ [a highly prestigious award, as I'm sure you're all aware], hands down it would be Israel. [I would have voted for the Irish, but they don't all actually speak Gaelic and use Gaelic names--the Israelis have got Hebrew, […]

My Kingdom For A. . . Marshmallow?: The Astounding Aftermath

May 8, 2012 by

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(by Myopics at flickr.com) Even four-year-olds and marshmallows, cute a combination as they are, get old after a while. So that, it seemed, was that, as sociologist Walter Mischel, lead researcher on the Stanford Marshmallow Study, got publication after publication out of his marshmallow-eating kids run, and he knew enough to be pretty pleased with himself. If you’ll remember […]

My Kingdom For A. . . Marshmallow?: The Initial Study

May 7, 2012 by

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If I had to pick my ‘top 3 favorite’ social science experiments, it’d really be no contest. [Now, if you're in awe of my mastery of the field of social science, you've forgotten an important point that I perhaps haven't repeated in nearly 2 weeks: My son is Professor Eli Finkel, social psychology professor at […]

Social Maladjustment: All Around Us–and A Risk Factor For Mental Illness

May 5, 2012 by

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My friend Evelyn has potential to be a terminally tedious grandparent. She talks about her grandkids as if we–meaning the world–are merely fortunate that these children have chosen to grace us with their presence. I try to act appropriately grateful.  I have heard about merit scholarships, acceptances to magnet schools, stellar performances on the recorder […]

Children Who Miss Social Cues–Is It Even Worse Than We Thought?

May 4, 2012 by

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Penny is in eighth grade, but quite childish. At school she uses a kleenex box to prop up the books on her desk, and it’s become something of an obsession. If someone–innocently–takes a piece of tissue, well, poor Penny crumbles. She has to leave the room to recover her equanimity and wipe her eyes, and […]

When College is A Means To No End: Financial Responsibility For a Murky Future, Finishing Up

March 22, 2012 by

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I grew up on the South Side of Chicago, a city away from all of those dedicated if deluded North Side of Chicago Cubs fans. As anyone from Chicago knows, these fans are famous their belief in “next year,” “the comeback,” and the eternal second chance. (see kslatz.blogspot.com) As far as I’m concerned, though, that sort of “it […]

When College is A Means To No End: Financial Responsibility For a Murky Future, Part II

March 21, 2012 by

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So let’s return to yesterday’s post, where I left you with a Comparative Literature Major, enthralled by the Gaelic tradition and busily writing a thesis on its impact on James Joyce, whose novels you–along with most of the literate world–never finished. And then there was the Theater Major, busily practicing for her role as the […]

When College is A Means To No End: Financial Responsibility For a Murky Future

March 20, 2012 by

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I fear that if I tell one more “in my day” story, readers will start to wonder if I’m in fact an ancient artifact, unearthed by some enterprising archeologist, dusted off, propped up in some Herman Miller chair, and taught to type (unlike any of today’s youth, who are expected to use computers without even a passing […]

“Stupid Young-Adult Children Tricks”–Never Again!

March 18, 2012 by

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So I hear congratulations are in order. Your young-adult child has managed to pull a maneuver at once so suave, so foolhardy, so dangerous, so. . . .stupid, that he is in the running for winning our Stupid Young-Adult Child Tricks Contest. You, like all parents whose children have entered this competition unbeknownst to them, […]

Stupid Young-Adult Children Tricks

March 17, 2012 by

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“Did you ever get the feeling there’s a wocket in your pocket?” Thus begins my youngest granddaughter’s favorite classic, named, appropriately, Wocket in My Pocket, by Dr. Seuss. You might think it’s just a silly book with goofy rhyming words that engages children so young they don’t understand a plot. A sly narrative about the […]

Adult Children Without Extenutating Circumstances: They Just Like It Here

March 16, 2012 by

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13. It always gets that bad ‘unlucky’ rap, even in these progressive days and times. There’s just no escaping it. So it will be no surprise to parents, who thought they saw the backsides of their children when they sent them off a full-paid college experience, that 13% of parents with grown children now claim […]

Adult Children With Extenuating Circumstances: Some Plan B’s

March 15, 2012 by

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Sometimes all the setting of boundaries, the just-say-no-ing, and the financial tough love can’t keep your adult children afloat in the outside world, and it’s time to let them come and rest their battered and weary heads in your home, under your protection, until they have the strength and wherewithal to head out again. If your child […]

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