Welcome to Kathy Seal's Website and Blog

Dealing with the pressures parents face today

Should We Make our Kids Do Certain Activities?

December 12, 2008

Tags: parenting, structure, autonomy, persistence, activities, forcing kids, reading for pleasure, PTA meeting, theater, music

After I spoke to a PTA group recently about Pressured Parents, Stressed-out Kids, a dad approached me. "You say to support kids' autonomy and not pressure them, but when I was a kid my parents took me to the theater twice a year -- even when I said 'Hey I wanna stay home and play (more…)

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A Way We Can All Take Part in Slowing Global Warming

December 11, 2008

Tags: globa warming, AB 32, California

Today we veer away from parenting our children to taking care of the earth. Here's an article I coauthored for the San Diego Union-Tribune, offering a way for us all to take part in slowing down global warming: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20081211/news_lz1e11chase.html

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Sports Gene: a New Way to Pressure Kids

December 2, 2008

Tags: sports gene, competition, pressure, parental anxiety, stressed-out kids

What will they think of next? When it comes to extracting money from worried parents, there's no shortage of business models. Now the so-called "sports gene" test for only $149 is finding a market for one reason only: because we parents are under so much pressure these days to make sure our kids succeed. That's (more…)

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Books and Articles

Helping Kids Deal with Bullies
Scouting Magazine

Are Parents Too Involved with Their Children?
The short answer is "no."

Saying No to Kids in a Yes Culture
Why Limits are Good for Kids

Marketing of Colleges Increases Family Stress
A Better Way to Choose a College

Pay to Learn Shortchanges Kids
What the research tells us

Too Much Homework, Too Little Play
New York Times

The Trouble with Talent
Lear's

Giving People a Clear Sign They're Curbing Global Warming
from the San Diego Union-Tribune

Transforming Teaching & Learning Through Technology
Carnegie Reporter

Alternative Pathways to College
Carnegie Reporter

The Tales Old Cookbooks Tell
Family Circle