Christine Carter's Blog, page 7
December 28, 2019
Why New Year’s Resolutions Succeed
Three steps to victory in keeping your New Year’s Resolutions You want to lose weight. Learn to meditate. Get out of debt. Eat more leafy greens. Call your mom more often. But you’re afraid to really try, because of all the times you’ve tried before and failed. I meet plenty of people who refuse to …
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December 25, 2019
So You Gave Your Kid a Phone for Christmas…Now What?
Many lucky kids got new smartphones or tablets over this holiday season; these days more than two-thirds of kids own a smartphone by age 12. But owning one comes with serious responsibilities, both for us as parents and for our kids. Unfortunately, research shows that nearly a quarter of young people engage in what researchers …
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December 19, 2019
Today: Comfort Yourself
This is a tricky time of year: We’re often tired and triggered and hopped up on sugar. Even when we really love the holidays, they can be brutal. It’s a time of unrealistically high expectations. Money gets a little tight. And many of us come into close contact with the most challenging people in our …
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December 17, 2019
Dear Christine: How Can I Set Boundaries for the Holidays?
Dear Christine, My brother and his family will be visiting us from out of town the week of Christmas, and I generally make myself too available and try to make everyone comfortable when they are in town. I am already starting to feel anxious about it. How can I set boundaries and not make myself …
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How to Calm a Stressed-Out Teen
Do you have a stressed-out teenager? You aren’t alone! A recent survey by the American Psychological Association found that fewer than half of teenagers today would rate their mental health as “excellent” or “very good.” And it doesn’t seem to get better as they get older; more than 90 percent of today’s 18 to 21-year-olds …
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December 12, 2019
Thursday Thought
On some level, our society has come to believe that our economy depends on a gift-giving extravaganza and that the holidays wouldn’t be the holidays without all the gifts. But meaningful traditions are the things that our children remember, and, importantly, it is our traditions and holiday rituals that actually bring lasting happiness. What traditions …
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December 10, 2019
Are We Wired to Want Stuff?
I’ll never forget a holiday moment several years ago, when I found myself in a negotiation with my daughter, then a first-grader, over her gift list. (Which, by the way, I don’t believe in. In theory, I’ve never wanted my kids to make lists of things they want for Christmas and Hanukkah. But we did …
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December 3, 2019
The Sanctity of Opportunity
Like Lateefah Simon, I believe deeply in the sanctity of opportunity. I also believe in Tipping Point, and the opportunity that this amazing organization is creating. On this #GivingTuesday, I hope you will join me in fighting poverty by making a donation to Tipping Point Community. Pre-ordering The New Adolescence is another way to give …
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November 21, 2019
Thursday Thought
Dinnertime conversation, I’ve found, goes really well when it’s structured. I’ve posed planned questions for my kids at dinnertime since they were in preschool, starting with “What are you grateful for”? and “What’s one good thing that happened today?” They are all teenagers now, and much better at conversation, but I’ve still found that they …
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November 19, 2019
Celebrate “No”vember with 5 Research-Based Ways to Say No
“No”vember means it’s time to start saying no to the people, places, and things draining your energy. ‘Tis the season to practice saying no. Many of us frequently say “yes” to invitations, favors, and requests in order to avoid the difficulty and discomfort of saying “no,” according to the research of Columbia psychologists Francis Flynn …
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