Category Archives: parenting kids
John Wooden and the Perfect Baseball Game
John Wooden was so well known for his leadership role as a basketball coach and player that not everyone knew he had also lettered in varsity baseball his freshman year in college. He later coached baseball and his love of the game continued throughout his life. With his keen sense of moral principles, Coach Wooden would have been proud of the behavior recently exhibited by the Detroit Tiger’s pitcher Armando Galarraga and the umpire, Jim Joyce, who prevented Galarraga from being credited with a perfect game. When umpire Joyce incorrectly … Continue reading
John Wooden as Role Model
Having celebrated and thought about the family men in my life yesterday, I remembered that our Los Angeles icon John Wooden had once been described as a “walking Father’s Day card.” His philosophy of life – as well as his entire persona – exemplified everything we could wish for as a role model for our children. We were fortunate to be able see him here, on occasion, during the years of his retirement from basketball. He was an accessible fixture in our community – breakfasting at a local diner, speaking … Continue reading
Posted in parenting kids, your self
Tagged " coach, basketball, courage and lessons learned, family, John Wooden, men, teacher, UCLA
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Resiliency in Difficult Times
Do you feel inundated by bad news coming at you from all sides? The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is spreading and the gushing thousands of feet below the surface has yet to be fully contained; new unemployment figures in the U.S. confirm the dismal private sector job creation that continues to lag; international conflicts rage and at home citizens are divided about immigrants’ rights. World news reflects the tensions you may be feeling in your own relationships. How do you deal with the challenges coming from the … Continue reading
Helicopter Parents: Give Your Kids the Gift of Independence
Do you recognize yourself – hovering over your kids’ lives, kind of on the fringe and not really letting them figure it out on their own? The best thing you can do is give them more responsibility and have them handle their own issues without stepping in. Try to let go a little at a time. Minimize financial assistance. Sure, you need to be responsible for the basic necessities. But give your children a weekly allowance and, beginning in high school, encourage them to get part-time jobs. They need to … Continue reading
