Each time I held a new baby in my arms, I felt this great anticipation for who they would become, what they would do with their lives, what kinds of experiences they would have. I hoped for their happiness, and more than anything, I wished they'd be successful. But what does a successful life even mean? A life of accomplishments? a life of peace and emotional stability? a life of love? a life of contribution? A life of economic fluency? Experts in the field of human development have identified key factors of success in life--Yes the same factors for success socially, academically, spiritually, physically and intellectual--and they call them executive function skills. These skills: (1) Mental Flexibility (2) Inhibitory Control (3) Working Memory Mental flexibility is the ability to see other opportunities, work out a situation in different ways, not be stuck in rut. Inhibitory control is the ability to tell yourself no, especially when there's something you want (like self control, but more specific to your ability to inhibit a want), and working memory, or the ability to focus and remember what you're supposed to be doing, what work you're engaging on. If you'd like to learn more about executive function skills, Harvard University's Center for the Developing Child is a good place to start. They have a series of videos that go into more detail. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/inbrief-executive-function-skills-for-life-and-learning/ The relevant thing for us here, is that these skills are built early in life. Early experiences build the foundational architecture of the brain upon which everything else is built. We work daily on mental flexibility by having only one item for the activity, making the kids wait for the activity to be available once the other person finishes using it and puts it away. We also do this by having cultural diversity in the areas of science, geography, botany, zoology, art, and music. We work on inhibitory control by having children use their materials on a designated area of their choice, focusing on one thing before going to the next one. We also work on memory by having the kids focus on their current work, playing games of memory. At Lighthouse, we structure our environment so that children can act on it, engaging in activities of their own choice, with loving support, exerting effort and having a good time.

The new season is a great reason to make and keep resolutions. Whether it’s eating right or cleaning out the garage, here are some tips for making and keeping resolutions.