Category Archives: body image

We are living in strange times

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

These are strange times. No matter your political beliefs or your ability to absorb the twenty-four hour news cycle, these are strange times. I find myself at loose ends much more since the start of the New Year, searching for … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, adolescent development, aggression among girls, body image, Challenge Success, childhood development, education, empathy, Harvard Graduate School of education, Harvard's Caring Schools Initiative, leadership, leadership in children | Comments Off on We are living in strange times

Teaching children NOT to hate when there is so much hate in this election cycle…

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Lots to digest here as we navigate this election. Our middle schoolers were assigned the debate as homework, and I felt I needed to watch and be familiar with the content. I found it hard to watch. I look forward … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, body image, washington post | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Parenting Blues during the Middle School Years!

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Parenting Blues during Middle School IN all my work with middle school families over twenty seven years in independent school, this is still a truism: when they are at their most variable and vulnerable, so are we… Thanks, Mary Murphy, … Continue reading →

Posted in adolescent development, body image, childhood development, education, parenting middle school aged children, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, wall street journal | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Atlantic: parental pressure…

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

I am forever pushing back against the demonization of parents. Many of us are doing the best we can, or at least the best we think we should be doing. There are some sobering facts here, and again, I am … Continue reading →

Posted in academic excellence in elementary schools, body image, childhood development, education, fear, grit, leadership in children, The Atlantic Monthly | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

New York Times on children and food and school lunches…

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

Not surprisingly, American kids, whether pressed for time or just grossed out, leave much of their meals untouched; particularly neglected are the fruits and vegetables, which they are now forced to put on their trays before they can exit the … Continue reading →

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The intersection continues… a former student, her ultra running and her fame…

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!

A former student, Mirna Valerio, continues to tear it up gaining increasing attention for her running, coaching, and modeling by doing (read running) as an independent school educator, a cross country coach, a mother and author of a running blog. … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century Skills, adult development, body image, physical fitness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment