Misfit Mentions: "Dear Children", "Raising Neurodivergence", and More.....
A few articles that really caught my attention recently
I wanted to share a few articles that really caught my attention recently. They're interesting, practical, and right in line with the topics we usually explore at The Misfit Memo
Here’s what I’ve been reading:
Kids, life is complex. If anyone offers to explain life to you in a simple, one dimensional way, walk away. Life’s too short to suffer fools and it would do you well to recognize them when they are open about it
I feel spoilt for good writing and interviews on my special interests: autism, neurodivergence more generally - and educating our neurodivergent children.
But, wait! Your kid is obedient at home. He isn’t allowed on his device until he finishes his homework. True, you don't really love how much time he spends gaming, but it doesn’t seem to be hurting him. His grades are fine. If they drop, taking away screens motivates him to get his grades back up in a hurry.
Catch up with The Misfit Memo
Children behave better for some adults than others, it’s just a fact. But why? Is it a gender thing? A personality type? Or is it just that some people find it easier to impose consistent consequences on children’s actions.
Today, the idea of children roaming the neighbourhood unsupervised until dinner seems reckless, and latchkey living is frowned upon. As parents become increasingly over-protective, we’re also seeing an escalating youth mental health crisis. Is that a coincidence?
Helicopter parents or surveillance drones?
“Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times”
It is concerning that four well-behaved kids at a restaurant with no devices, is deemed witchcraft these days, yet was normal in the nineties. The haste at which difficult children are being referred, diagnosed and medicated, without considering ill-discipline, should be alarming, especially, when there is little effort to educate parents and caregivers about tried and tested behaviour modification strategies.
The Epidemic of Discipline Deficit Disorder
Discipline beats motivation every time. It makes you do things even when you don’t want to. If we only do things that we are motivated by, then we leave success up to chance.
Great format for an article - so useful to have some curated content from someone who publishes interesting articles. Thanks for sharing!