Read Together

Transforming a Child’s “I Can’t” into “I Can!”

Transforming a Child’s “I Can’t” into “I Can!”

As adults, we have a better sense of what is within our locus of control and how we can approach solving problems from our mature perspective, whereas young children see a lot of problems as big and insurmountable even if they are not. The good news is that we can cultivate the growth of our child’s sense of helpfulness over time in ways that match their developmental stage, while teaching about both agency AND the interconnectedness of humanity.

Navigating Difficult Conversations with Children

The last few years have pushed us to our limits as we watch our world become more and more polarized over conversations around gun laws, mental health, the pandemic, race, and a war that rages in Eastern Europe. It seems almost impossible to take a breath. I struggle with how much to share with my children, but I ultimately know that they need to hear the truth – in age appropriate ways – even when it breaks my heart to share it with them.
Here are my suggestions on having these challenging conversations along with some resources that have helped me – and might help you as well.

Our Storied History: Books for the Changemakers of Today and Tomorrow

Let’s make time to explore our nation’s storied history with our children. By cultivating a thorough, nuanced, and inclusive understanding of our shared history, we will be able to see each other with greater compassion as we work to build a more just society. DGT offers tools to get you started.

Raising Engaged Humans: A Book List for Big-Hearted Parents

Raising Engaged Humans: A Book List for Big-Hearted Parents

At DGT we know that books give us the gift of perspective, a sense that we are not alone on this journey to raise empowered, engaged kids. The books we’ve gathered here offer

  • inspiration to try something new when the status quo isn’t working,

  • encouragement and hope at the end of a hard day, and

  • practical, doable ideas to help you raise kind, community-minded kids.

The Inner Work of Childhood: How (and Why) To Become a Family of Philosophers

The Inner Work of Childhood: How (and Why) To Become a Family of Philosophers

There is a certain amount of “Who am I?” and “Why are we here?” work that needs to happen during our early years. At Doing Good Together, we have found that a great deal of the inner work happens when kids have the opportunity to ask big questions with adults in their lives. Our latest post gives you the scientific benefits of philosophical inquiry and offers practical tools to get you started.

Full Buckets, Happy Hearts, and a Kinder World

Since it came out in 2006, McCloud's book Have You Filled a Bucket Today: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids has become essential reading in schools and homes across the country.  I recently had the privilege of chatting with Carol McCloud and learning more about her bucket-filling adventures.

How to Change the World with a Book Your Tween Refuses to Read

The right book can do more than transport and entertain its readers. Powerful stories spark empathy for people we've never met. They inspire us to take action, to right injustices, or even simply to reach out to those around us. So how do you inspire your older child to put down the latest goofy series or dystopian saga and pick up a book full of big ideas?

5 Parenting Books for Big-Hearted Discipline

Thinking through your responses before discipline is required is a common theme in all of these books and was key to my family's successful management of our behavioral low point (to date). Pick one, read it, and feel that much more prepared next time you face a parenting challenge that threatens to trigger an explosion.