James Schulman

preparing for college

Preparing for College Starting in 8th Grade: The Complete Year-by-Year Guide

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Here’s the truth about the students who get into selective colleges: they didn’t start preparing in their junior year. By the time a junior opens the Common App, the factors that matter most — GPA trajectory, course rigor, depth of extracurricular involvement, meaningful leadership, relationships with teachers who will write recommendations — are already determined. […]

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when should kids start to learn about money

When Should Kids Start Learning About Money? Earlier Than You Think.

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Most parents assume there’s a natural age when money talk begins — somewhere around the time kids get their first allowance, maybe 6 or 7, maybe when they start asking for things at the store. Wait until they can understand it, the thinking goes. Wait until it’s relevant. Research suggests this instinct is off by

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games that teach kids about money

Games That Teach Kids About Money

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The research on money and kids is consistent: children learn financial habits earlier than most parents realize, and experiential learning cements those habits better than instruction alone. Games — board games, card games, and digital apps — turn financial concepts into practice without it feeling like homework. This list of games that teach kids about

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how to explain inflation to kids

How to Explain Inflation to Kids (Without Making Their Eyes Glaze Over)

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You’re standing in the checkout line when your kid picks up a candy bar, looks at the price, and says: “This used to cost a dollar. Why does it cost two dollars now?” You know the answer involves something called inflation. But when you open your mouth, what comes out is a vague something about

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How Much Exercise Does Your Child Actually Need

How Much Exercise Does Your Child Actually Need Each Day (By Age)?

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Most parents already know the answer isn’t “enough.” The after-school routine has quietly shifted — homework, dinner, screens, bed — and somewhere in there, the running around stopped. You’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone. So how much exercise does your child actually need? The good news is that fixing it doesn’t require overhauling

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Building Intrinsic Motivation in Kids

Building Intrinsic Motivation in Kids: The Fuel That Lasts

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There are two kinds of motivation: the kind that needs constant refueling, and the kind that generates its own energy. Parents often work very hard to supply the first kind, and wonder why they’re constantly running out. They offer rewards, consequences, praise, sticker charts, and incentive systems, and some of it works for a while.

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Encouraging Curiosity in Kids

Encouraging Curiosity in Kids: The Habit That Makes Everything Else Easier

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Every child is born curious. Watch a two-year-old exploring a kitchen cabinet or examining an insect on the sidewalk and you’ll see it: an innate drive to understand, to figure out how things work, to discover what happens when you try something. The question for parents is not how to install curiosity in their children.

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Traits of Successful Kids

8 Traits of Successful Kids (And How to Cultivate Every One of Them)

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Most parents want their kids to succeed. But when you ask what that actually means, the answers get complicated fast. Good grades? A prestigious career? Financial security? The problem with those definitions is that they focus on outcomes rather than the qualities that actually produce them. Research in developmental psychology has identified a set of

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