By: Kurt Greenbaum The National Association of School Psychologists has an online resource guide with ideas about how to address issues of tolerance and social justice with children. A few of their tips (with the full menu available online here) include: Remind children not to characterize an entire group or class of people by how a few of them behave. Note that one of America’s core strengths is its diversity. Reinforce this core principle: Treat people with fairness, respec

By Kurt Greenbaum “We want our children to have faith in the bedrock institutions of our country. But, they also must learn that like the humans that comprise them, institutions and systems are imperfect.” From a column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Nov. 26, 2014, by parenting writer Aisha Sultan. PBS Parents suggests that families can go further than seeking out volunteer opportunities to help their community. They can actively work to expose children to issues involving

By Kurt Greenbaum In the aftermath of events that make your children question some of their most basic needs and personal safety, your children will surely have questions - some that they share and others they internalize - about their wellbeing, that of their family and friends, the events the precipitated the unrest and what's to come. Just as before, be sure to reassure children that they are safe, and that schools are a safe place for them to be. In fact, your school has

By: Kurt Greenbaum Psychologists who deal with children and schools agree on the one most important thing parents must do during difficult times: Reassure children that they are safe and cared for. The National Association of School Psychologists counsels parents to “explain that all feelings are OK when a tragedy occurs. Let children talk about their feelings, help put them into perspective, and assist them in expressing these feelings appropriately.” The strategy for talkin