Comments on: Special Little Snowflakes http://mathmojo.com/chronicles/2007/12/19/special-little-snowflakes/ The Official Blog of MathMojo.com - helping public school, homeschooling, unschooling students, parents, teachers and adults learn math with easy and effective methods. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:08:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Brian http://mathmojo.com/chronicles/2007/12/19/special-little-snowflakes/comment-page-1/#comment-33248 Brian Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:26:26 +0000 http://mathmojo.com/chronicles/2007/12/19/special-little-snowflakes/#comment-33248 Heather, The way you phrase your balanced reply is pretty cool. I think I'll remember that exact wording next time I need it. Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Hotcha! Brian Heather,

The way you phrase your balanced reply is pretty cool. I think I’ll remember that exact wording next time I need it.

Thanks for your thoughtful comments.

Hotcha!

Brian

]]> By: Heather http://mathmojo.com/chronicles/2007/12/19/special-little-snowflakes/comment-page-1/#comment-33246 Heather Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:53:16 +0000 http://mathmojo.com/chronicles/2007/12/19/special-little-snowflakes/#comment-33246 You're absolutely right. For me, this balance comes in the way of explaining as well as comforting. "I'm sorry, I know this is frustrating (hard, upsetting) for you. I know how that feels."... followed shortly by, "Sometimes life sucks (people are mean, we don't get what we want) and we have to find a way around it. What can we do next time to have a different outcome?" It's the difference between coddling and teaching; between justifying and learning from our mistakes. I also think a lot of parents feel guilt because of lack of interaction with their kids (for whatever reason), and rather than remedy that by actually *interacting* with them, they overcompensate with placating and permissiveness. You’re absolutely right. For me, this balance comes in the way of explaining as well as comforting. “I’m sorry, I know this is frustrating (hard, upsetting) for you. I know how that feels.”… followed shortly by, “Sometimes life sucks (people are mean, we don’t get what we want) and we have to find a way around it. What can we do next time to have a different outcome?” It’s the difference between coddling and teaching; between justifying and learning from our mistakes.

I also think a lot of parents feel guilt because of lack of interaction with their kids (for whatever reason), and rather than remedy that by actually *interacting* with them, they overcompensate with placating and permissiveness.

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