While acknowledging the complexity of President Bush's legacy, his commitment to serve something larger than himself is such an important standard for us today. I find myself reflecting on three specific elements of President Bush's leadership that remain relevant goals for us at Mark Day.
Our children live in a media-saturated world. U.S. tweens (8- to 12-year-olds) consume an average of six hours of entertainment media every day, according to a report published by Common Sense Media in 2015. This figure excludes time spent using media at school or for homework.
I recently attended a workshop by Lynn Lyons, an expert on helping kids and families manage anxiety. One of her pieces of advice for families was to help anxious kids identify not the content of a worry, but rather worry itself. Noticing that anxiety is at work enables a child to develop and pursue strategies that stymie anxiety's ability to paralyze or isolate the child--and instead give the child an opportunity to keep growing and keep connecting with others.
A couple of years ago my family got a puppy. This was definitely not a quick and easy decision. We did our research on different breeds, talked to all of our friends with dogs, and even thought about the best time of year for our family to take on the responsibility of a new puppy.
It's the end of the school day, and you are seeing your child for the first time after being apart since breakfast. For a parent or guardian, this is an exciting moment to reconnect and hear about the day.
