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Two kids + 1 bottle of bubbles = BIG problem! Sound familiar?I watched from across the driveway as my granddaughters went at it! My first instinct was to go into the house and pull out another bottle of the bubbles that was stashed in the closet, then both girls could each have their own. Boy, am I glad I didn’t do that! A few minutes later, my son stepped in… “Hey girls, that’s enough. I think this bottle of bubbles wants both of you to have a turn. Let’s compromise and flip a co …

If you are in the field of Education, there’s no doubt you have heard the term Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). As a social scientist who has always been fascinated with people, cultures and emotions; the fact that this topic is trending in education excites me! But I also find myself imagining what my grandpa might have said if I tried to explain the importance of SEL to him. It would probably be something like, “Why do kids need to learn all that touchy feely stuff in school, w …

When children are young, we teach by showing. We show them what money looks like when we count it. We take more abstract concepts, like addition and subtraction, and physically show them how it looks to add one apple to a group of three or subtract two blocks from a group of five. Basic counting eventually turns into algebra, trigonometry, or calculus. So, too, goes the teaching of social skills or positive character traits like being kind to others. We start simply by showing them, a …

The feeling of accomplishment is something most people cherish. You did it! You got all the laundry put away! You organized your office! You worked out! You slept eight hours last night! You feel great! And, then, somehow it fades away. You have more laundry to wash and put away. Your office looks cluttered and you can’t find that paper you need. You’ve gone days in a row without exercising. You stayed up too late last night and you’re tired. What happened? Why didn’t the feeling of accomplis …

Certain social situations can be tricky. Working collaboratively with people who don't share the same opinion as you, telling the truth in a kind way, calming down in the face of frustration, and meeting new people are all scenarios that can challenge even the most socially adept adults. For kids, experiencing social situations like these for the first time can range anywhere from intimidating to impossible.The Boys Town Press titles for Spring 2020 are designed to tackle a number of these stick …