Andy Whitney

For some children, a playground isn’t an inviting wonderland; it is a high-stakes obstacle course designed by someone who forgot how tall slides can look when you’re only three feet tall. If your child treats a plastic slide with the gravity of a skydiving jump, you aren’t alone. Some kids are simply born with a "safety first, second, and third" factory setting. While this wiring saves you from many emergency room visits, it can make everyday childhood adventures feel like unachievable tasks....

One of the most valuable lessons we can teach our children is how to respect people who believe differently than we do. Whether your family practices a particular faith or identifies as nonreligious, helping your child understand and appreciate different belief systems is a cornerstone of empathy, kindness, and respect. In a world that’s beautifully diverse, but sometimes divided, it’s important for children to grow up knowing that it’s okay for people to think, worship, and live differently....

Have you ever noticed that children are not born with social graces? If you’ve ever cheerfully prompted your young child to say hello—only to watch them stare at the person like they’ve been asked to deliver a TED Talk on particle theory, then you know what I am talking about. The “refuse greetings” phase is real. You’ve got a well-meaning grandparent leaning in with open arms, and your child responds by hiding behind your leg like a tiny secret agent on a mission: Do not engage. First, take...