In the world of kids, being a tattletale is a lot like being a rat in the mafia world. Even as adults, it can be hard to shed the distaste for the concept of reporting others' bad behaviors. But what happens when it’s the parents’ behavior you’re worried about? To tattle or not to tattle? Trying to decide whether to report another parent to the authorities can be an agonizing decision with serious consequences, no matter what you decide.
Aloha! Want to raise your kid in the happiest state of the union? Then you'd better pack your grass skirt and move to Hawaii, because even though school children there are forced to learn the impossible spelling (and pronunciation) of the state fish - Humuhumunukunukuapua'a, anyone? - they are the happiest people in our country. The outlook isn't so sunny in West Virginia, though, which was ranked the least happy state in the land. How does your state stack up?
Aah, the carefree abandon of childhood. Except when it isn't. What about the kids who are more serious and less outgoing than their peers? According to a new survey, they'll actually live longer, healthier lives. And the life of the happy-go-lucky party kids? Some of them actually party too much, taking poorer care of themselves, thus winding up with shorter life expectancies. Wondering if your child's the next David Beckham or Mia Hamm? What about the next Serena Williams or Andre Agassi? Marketers of a new genetic test claim that for less than $200 you can find out if your kid's the next great sports protégé- and will help identify which sport he or she is most likely to excel at. Sound too good to be true? A lot of doctors think so. Ethicists just think it's plain wrong.
If you set goals and try hard you can accomplish anything! Yeah, it reads like a cheesy inspirational poster but there's something to it. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, "A student's ability to set and achieve realistic goals is linked to higher grades, lower college-dropout rates and greater well-being in adulthood. Yet, according to a recent Gallup survey, only 42 percent of students between the ages of 10 and 18 are actively pursuing their goals. Now schools across the country are helping students learn how to effectively establish and work toward realistic goals.