As a psychologist, I am often struck by how both children and adults desire to change, but when faced with the obstacle they want to tackle, they fall back onto old habits. I recently read a number of books on willpower and habit formation* and realized that these books hold the key to making the […]
Continue ReadingI recently had an addition to my family, no not another baby, but rather a puppy. I have always wanted a dog and despite begging and pleading with my own parents for one, I needed to wait for my 40th birthday to receive a dog from my mother. My dog, Brandy, was my 40th birthday […]
Continue ReadingBeneath Amy Chua’s personal struggle in Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother lies a deeper ambivalence about learning: What on earth should we do with our children outside of school, during unstructured free time? Chua is at times conflicted but wryly proud of her intense, authoritarian solution, a luxury reserved for high-achieving, high-functioning […]
Continue ReadingThe fact is, a little bit of worry is a good thing for children and adults — it motivates and helps children with performance. Also, in the case of a true emergency, some concern is biologically advantageous. However, when worry turns to anxiety, there is no longer an advantage. To the contrary, performance is […]
Continue Reading