“That’s not fair!” Have you ever said that? I’m guessing that you probably have. Maybe you said it when you went to an ice cream store, and your brother got a cone with two scoops of ice cream, and your cone only had one scoop. Another word for fairness is justice. We usually think it…
This story is about a five-year-old boy named Tommy. It was time for Tommy to go to kindergarten, but Tommy wasn’t sure whether he was going to like kindergarten. He had been told that it would be lots of fun, and that he would learn interesting things and play with new friends. But he would…
The Book of Belonging is a gentle and imaginative collection of Bible stories for children shaped by the belief that God welcomes and cherishes everyone. In her introduction, author Mariko Clark addresses her young readers and shares her hope that they will know, “God is trustworthy, and God’s names for you are true. You Belong….
Last month, I discussed a large, well-designed study of early school math ability in girls and boys. At the start of Grade One, the study found no difference between boys’ and girls’ math abilities. Some girls and boys perform well, while others struggle, but girls generally match boys’ performance on standardized math tests. Yet four…
When I was a child, I loved chocolate pudding. We’d put a little milk, just the right amount, on top and then use our spoon to create reservoirs, mountains, creeks and rivers. And then eat the geographic world we’d created. When I was a child, I loved rainstorms so we could take popsicle sticks, sharpen…
In my last column, I suggested that parents and teachers have a responsibility to vet the appropriateness of the materials that their children read, but that care must be taken not to judge a literary work on superficial moralistic grounds. An example of this moralistic impulse is the frequent banning of Mark Twain’s classic, The…
People differ in their mathematical ability. We all know this. Some of us suffered through high school math classes; others excelled. When looking at the overall distribution of scores on standardized math tests, a curious fact emerges: male students, on average, score higher than female students. Of course, individual females can have very high scores,…
Looking for a new nature-themed book to share with the kids in your life this summer? In this lovely children’s book, author Jordan Zwetchkenbaum shares her passion for planting and nurturing her garden for the pollinators that inhabit it and for the betterment of the earth. With a vivacious child as their guide, kids will…
A table filled with stacks of handwritten name tags and clean, folded, blue jerseys waits patiently, just inside the church doors. Every Tuesday night, ClearView Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in Oakville, Ontario, is ready to welcome youth ages eight to 13 for Sports League. In the gym, volunteer coaches prepare for the sport of the…
In their delightful, humour-packed book geared to female readers, literary enthusiasts and food connoisseurs Lorilee Craker and Jenny Williams invite heroines to join them “around the (metaphorical) table for a feast for the soul where kindred spirits gather and there is room for everyone. . . . Experience your favorite books, characters and authors in…
I believe in the magic of make-believe, the power of one’s imagination and the beauty of simplicity. So did Mr. Dressup. For those who didn’t grow up watching this kind and creative man, watching the documentary entitled “Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make Believe” will make you wish you had. While enjoying this film, I…
Being blessed financially allows parents to do some neat things with and for their kids and provides some great advantages. However, financial wealth also brings complexity and unique risks. It is hard to walk the fine line between using our money to bless our kids and overdoing it such that our financial blessing starts to…
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