Raising Boys in a Culture of Toxic Masculinity
By now we have all seen the Gillette ad addressing toxic masculinity. Kudos to them for thrusting this important conversation into the spotlight. If we want to put an end to sexual harassment and truly embrace gender equality we need to get rid of outdated gender stereotypes. The notion that boys are supposed to be strong […]
How to use Elf on the Shelf to Build Strong Kids
It is a magical time of year, full of family, fun and heart-warming traditions. Unfortunately, in my house, it is also the time of year when my kids start making long lists of things they want (so much for being thankful for what we have). Furthermore, the message is everywhere around them that they will […]
4 Dinnertime Questions That Make Connection a Habit
Great communication begins with connection. Dinner time is the perfect time to connect as a family and have a meaningful conversation with your kids. When it is done right there is potential to create a powerful habit of engaging and emotional reflection without kids realizing (and being resistant) to this type of dialogue. The key […]
Looking Beyond STEM: Kids with Emotional Intelligence Will Lead the Future
Looking Beyond STEM: Kids with Emotional Intelligence Will Lead the Future In recent weeks, there have been a number of high-profile articles floating around social media urging us to look beyond STEM skills when considering how best to prepare our kids for the world they will face in the future. Google came out with a […]
5 Children’s Books To Build Resilience
Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Resilience is not something children have or don’t have, but rather something that they can learn. Children face varying degrees of difficulties on a regular basis, like learning to tie their shoes, ride a bike and read a book. Do your children say “I am not […]
7 Children’s Books To Build Confidence
Helping our children build confidence is a tricky thing. It’s not something we can teach, in the same way we teach our kids to ride a bike or tie their shoes. It’s something that each person needs to find for themselves, and it’s not something that happens all at once. It builds over time as […]
5 Ways Parents Can Help Their Sons Express Emotions and Redefine Masculinity
The tragedy in Florida has the whole nation asking, “How we can prevent this from happening again?” Aside from the obvious conversation that needs to take place about regulating guns, there is another much more difficult, not as easy to solve, conversation about helping kids (and adults) feel like they have options outside of gun […]
How To Build Your Child’s Social Emotional Library
While in college, I remember my professor stressing the importance of building our “internal library.” I was intrigued by this concept. I loved the idea of walking around with a database of information and skills that could be drawn from whenever I needed it. For years, I remembered his wise analogy, whenever I was learning […]
How Grit Inspired The Wonder Crate Mission
We are big fans of Angela Duckworth’s book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. If you haven’t read it yet, we encourage you to. We were so inspired by her work that we KNEW her findings were critical to the next generation of children. We felt compelled (and obligated) to teach the skills and […]
Wonder Crate Q&A With Best Selling Author Bob Sornson
Why is it so important for young children to develop empathy? Empathy is the foundation for all social-emotional intelligence. It is the foundation upon which all social skills are developed. If you are unable to notice the feelings, behaviors, and situational responses of others, you have no way to “read” people, and determine what might […]