One of my main motivations behind creating my podcast Parenting for the Future is the desire to address how dramatically the world is changing in the environmental and technological sense. Many older children realize this — and that’s why more than 1 million protested about government inaction about climate change recently. I have been sharing those stories — and many others that I find compelling — nightly on my Facebook page, Twitter feed, Pinterest boards and as a weekly round-up on my blog.
Here are my picks for the top parenting stories this week
Why I went on strike for climate action
“As children and teenagers, we cannot vote. So we were doing one of the only things we can do to get the Government see our opinion and hear our voice – we skipped school,” writes a 15-year-old girl in Ireland in this letter to the Irish Times.
These Photos Of Kids Around The World Participating In ‘Climate Strike’ Will Give You Hope
More than a million kids in 123 countries have participated in the climate change protests. Here is a visual recap of this exciting movement.
To educate the world, we must amplify the inspirational voices in our own communities
In this powerful essay Vikas Pota, Chairman of the Varkey Foundation, writes about how social media is enabling ordinary people to be heard and how this will lead to change for the better.
School, sex, social media and more – what’s really on your teenager’s mind, and how can you help them?
The authors of “What’s My Child Thinking? Practical Child Psychology for Modern Parents” take on the teen brain in this must-read article for any teenage parent.
Looking for books that reflect diverse students, Minnesota teachers publish their own
These teachers in St. Paul are making inclusivity a priority.
One lesson from ‘Leaving Neverland’: Knowledge is power against predators
Many of us grapple with the right way to talk to our children about sexual abuse. This article offers concrete strategies for parents to use.
How To Raise Brilliant Children, According To Science
This interview with Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, author of Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children, presents the six C’s (collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation and confidence) and how parents can encourage development in those areas.
Teen suicides are on the rise. Here’s what parents can do to slow the trend
Researchers have found that younger teens are more likely than older teens to deny their pain. The Washington Post suggests six ways parents and schools can work together to “tackle the spike” in tween suicide.
Schools Find a New Way to Combat Student Absences: Laundry
For some students in need, having access to laundry facilities at school (who knew!) can translate into a significant boost in attendance. An interesting article and reminder of the power of creative thinking to address persistent challenges.
Women’s jobs most threatened by automation, but the future demands their skills
This Canadian report says that while women tend to work in less-specialized jobs compared to men, the abilities they are honing will be highly sought-after in the future.
PARENTING: Curiosity can stoke the flames of passion
Keep answering your kid’s questions, even when they feel never-ending. Curiosity can lead to passion!
Cheating the Future
This Forbes essay makes the case that American business seems reluctant to invest in new facilities, which is a fundamental threat to future prosperity.