The kids do not believe me when I speak to them about current events or anything fact-based. When they ask an adult at large to spell something, and I reply, they check my response with another adult. I told one of them a medical fact, and they told me flatly that their parent was much, much smarter, and their parent said otherwise, so I must be wrong.
I am a 44-year-old man, with a seven-year-old son. His mother and I are divorced, and I moved out when he was three. We share custody; he is with me three days/nights a week including part of the weekend. He is doing well at school and has varied interests. He is a very happy child and the most precious thing to me.
Parenting is hard. Children of all ages run into problems and challenges around every turn. Whether their kids are struggling with a hula hoop or a driver's test, parents have to decide when to step in and help, and when to let their child struggle toward their own solution. It's not always clear or intuitive how to respond. It's fairly easy for caring and well-meaning parents to become overly involved or even controlling of their child, beyond what is developmentally appropriate.
"My daughter's dad and I really pride ourselves in the fact that we have not fought in front of her since she was like six months old. She's almost five now, and we don't talk crap on the other parent in front of her," TikTok mom, angelehlers_, explained. "So, she has no idea why we wouldn't be friends, why we wouldn't all hang out. Like she just genuinely just thinks like we're all just like friends, like her best friends,"
Before I had kids, I was skeptical of kid-specific products. Why would kids need a special bowl or spoon when adults already have small versions of those things, I wondered. Why would kids need plastic, character-driven versions of a household item, like a broom - couldn't we just teach them to use the normal kind? But then, of course, I had kids and I understood. By creating kid-friendly versions of household items, we reach kids on their level.
The general attitude was, 'Well, what are you going to do? The technology is here to stay. This is the way the kids connect. You can't fight the future,' Haidt tells TODAY.com after his broadcast appearance on Sept. 11. He has been advocating for a play-based childhood rather than a phone-based one.
We've all heard it before: "You are the way you are because of your genes." And yes, biology does shape us. But it's not the entire story and definitely not the final one. Our genes don't hand us a fixed script. They just give us a rough draft, an opening scene, a few characters, and some possibilities. Then life shows up, changes the plot, adds new chapters, and helps us write something completely different.
Riding a bike as a kid wasn't just fun-it was independence. That feeling is one of the biggest reasons cycling became such an important part of my life. It gave me confidence. It gave me joy. And it taught me how to move through the world on my own terms. But I look around today, and I don't see nearly as many kids on bikes.
Ten is an age unlike any other. Childhood still lingers like a soft melody, yet the whispers of adolescence are beginning to stir. At ten, children live in a magical balance-half dreamer, half discoverer. They are bold, curious, and ready to stretch their wings, but they still find delight in wonder, play, and imagination. The toys we give a 10-year-old are more than gifts. They are tools of growth, bridges of connection, and vessels of joy. A toy at this age is not simply plastic and color-it is a spark that shapes confidence, creativity, and lifelong passions.
Snowplow parenting, experts say, is usually born out of love and care, but can lead to issues for the child later in life. What Is a Snowplow Parent? A parent who regularly removes obstacles from their child's figurative path is often referred to as a snowplow parent. Just as a snowplow smoothes the path for those behind it, a snowplow parent steps in to smooth things over before their child has an opportunity to encounter a challenge.
What exactly constitutes a meltdown? As Lorain Moorehead, an individual and family therapist, explains, a meltdown is, on some level, a child's expression of their opinion or preference. "Their body is dysregulated either because of their real or perceived need not being met, and they are communicating it with the tools they have available in the moment, which in the case of a meltdown might be tears, volume, or other means to return to a state of control," she says.
In South American Indigenous communities, a child's place is wherever they choose to be. Babies crawl on the earthen floor, approach the fire, investigate anthills, and experience the world with their whole bodies. They learn by feeling: discovering limits, recognizing dangers, and gathering lessons no manual could ever teach. In urban contexts, by contrast, children are often confined to spaces designed for adults, filled with rules that-though well-intentioned-tend to distance them from essential experiences.
"Me help? Me help?" If you're a parent to a toddler, you've likely heard this enthusiastic phrase countless times. Toddlers are naturally curious and thrive on routine, and they genuinely get a sense of joy and accomplishment from helping around the house. However, finding toddler-friendly chores that are safe, age-appropriate, and manageable can sometimes be a challenge. Many household chores require fine or gross motor skills that toddlers simply haven't mastered yet, making it essential to find tasks that fit their abilities.
While part of me feels guilty that we didn't work on the core skills as intended, I probably wouldn't do things differently even if we could somehow do the summer over again. My daughter made significant advances in vocabulary from all of her audiobooks, now using words like "quivering" in sentences.
