In the United States, the “No Child Left Behind” program demands that schools best their previous achievement levels year after year. If we cared less about national rankings on standardized test scores and more about human achievement and fulfillment in the real world, we might discover a huge “missing curriculum” that would remain relevant long after graduation.

The Hollywood actor Woody Harrelson once said ‘An adult is a child with layers on’. What better way to get in touch with our own inner child than spending some time being creative? And yet, as adults, we rarely give it a high priority in our lives.

Sometimes it’s by reaching out to others in their time of need that we find a profound sense of meaning and fulfilment for ourselves. But doing so entails taking a risk — the risk of allowing ourselves to be ‘touched’ by another’s story and in doing so, becoming vulnerable to the emotional rollercoaster that may follow.

What does it mean to be a good parent? Must you always control your anger? Must you always be 100% consistent in enforcing rules? Must you always maintain a unified front with your partner? What if it was OK to be inconsistent, upset, and even at odds with other caregivers? What if giving our children a safe window into the real stresses and conflicts of being an adult is exactly what our kids need to become competent adults?

Why is it so easy to get caught up in a video game, even a complex, difficult and sometimes frustrating game, but it’s harder to study or work in “real life?” Understanding the deep dividing line between games and our “serious work” has a lot to teach us about our minds and maybe even a way to bring some of the game-world excitement into our cubicles.

We’ve all heard the adage “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Sounds like good advice, but not everybody takes it. Some people quietly resign themselves to a life of lemons. Why is this? One reason may be “learned helplessness”.

After spending more years in school than I’d care to admit, I’ve begun taking on the role of tutor in my family. Sadly, most of the academic “problems” I encounter aren’t understood in light of the wealth of knowledge we have about learning, psychology, and organizational strategies.