Empathy
Empathy is knowing how to understand someone else. English has a good expression for it: “walking in someone else's shoes.” I once actually gave it a go and put on my grandad's shoes out of curiosity. And it was strange. They were enormous, they gave me strength, but also responsibility.
Building a strong bond between parents and children
Around the time of my first labour, people started talking more intensely about first contact with the baby. How that moment is crucial for creating a lasting bond, and that we should ask the doctors to give us the baby after birth so we can hold them skin to skin.
Storytelling
Waiting for his friend was taking ages. My nine-year-old broke the silence:...
Your generation and parenting style: how the past shapes the present
Every generation carries with it unique values, beliefs and lifestyles that are passed on to parenting too. The influence of the generation we belong to on the way we bring up our children is undeniable, and the differences between generations can significantly shape parenting style and, consequently, a child's development.
How stories shape children's hearts
Every evening, before bed, I would tell my daughter stories. Often she was the main character. With every character and every adventure, I watched her eyes light up with excitement and curiosity.
Building social intelligence in children: the key to a successful future
Social intelligence is a distinct type of intelligence, made up of several interconnected abilities such as emotional sensitivity, social perceptiveness, good self-control, sociability, tolerance and social adaptability.