Avant Parenting Archives
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Avant! Welcome to my parenting blog archives
As you can see by the dates below, this blog is no longer being updated. However, there’s lots of good stuff here, much of it as true now as when it was written. Please feel free to browse, or follow these links: One last piece of parenting advice: Enjoy today even if it’s a rough…
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Picking the scab off the nuclear family
The nuclear, 2-parent family, the gold standard of American parenting, is a relatively new concept. In the past and present, America and communities around the world function well—perhaps better—with a more communal approach to raising children. The pandemic, I’ve noticed, has been picking at the scab that holds the nuclear family together. Quarantined families, in…
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Parenting your LGBTQ+ child
I started a new online course for LGBTQ+ youth and their allies because I noticed that my queer students needed a place to congregate, learn about themselves, and be their full selves without fear. We’ll be learning about history, literature, film, health, mental health, and anything else that comes up during the semester. Some of…
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The Final Snub Says it All
The smallest snub can be the biggest gesture. Newspapers report that Melania Trump has not reached out to Jill Biden to welcome her to her new home. Now, I suppose this isn’t surprising. Her husband has never admitted that he lost the election. It may not be surprising, but it is deeply shocking. No matter…
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Educated: A belated book review
At the time it was published, I tried to ignore the chatter about “Educated” by Tara Westover. But this book is far from the “homeschooling as child abuse” story that I expected.
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What is “learning through success”?
Focusing on success doesn’t mean giving students empty praise. And it doesn’t mean ignoring their mistakes and lagging skills. It does mean giving them the energizing feeling of making positive forward motion. And that’s what learning is all about.