Latest news with #McCready
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
What Is Positive Parenting? The 4 Principles Parents Should Know
Positive parenting — many parents strive for it, but it doesn't just happen. Positive parenting is an intentional act that takes training and practice. While in a perfect world, parents would start positive parenting from their child's infancy, they often come to it after they've spent some time in crisis, said Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions and author of 'The 'Me, Me, Me' Epidemic.' The reality is, McCready tells is people 'get more training making chicken sandwiches' for a restaurant job then anyone receives to be parents. As a result, parents 'default to gut reactions and often respond to behavior in ways that is not helpful.' Positive parenting, she said, is 'not a trend.' It's consistent and in the middle of the more extreme gentle parenting and authoritative parenting styles. 1. Behavior Is Communication — Even the 'Bad' Kind Positive parenting, McCready says, starts with the belief that 'all behavior is a form of communication.' What we often label as 'misbehavior' is really a symptom of a deeper need or missing skill. 'Understanding the 'why' behind behavior is the first step toward changing it,' she says. Three common issues are a need for connection, a need for control, and skill deficit, according to McCready. Connection: 'A child who whines, clings, or makes 82 bedtime requests may be saying, 'I feel disconnected. I need you to be fully present with me,'' she said. Power: 'Backtalk, defiance and constant push back often signal, 'I need more age-appropriate control over my world.'' Skill Deficit: 'Tantrums and sibling fights usually stem from underdeveloped emotional regulation or problem-solving skills, not willful disobedience,' McCready tells 2. Training and Problem-Solving — Not Punishment McCready says that instead of punishing children for behaviors they haven't yet learned to manage, positive parenting focuses on teaching skills and removing avoidable triggers. 'We ask: 'What skill hasn't this child yet learned? What support is needed?' Then we train proactively and problem-solve together — rather than wait for a meltdown to punish reactively,' she says. This approach builds capability, confidence and cooperation over time. 'No matter what's happening, connection and empathy always make a difference,' McCready says. 'It's the best first step even if it doesn't completely solve the problem.' 3. It's Not Fluffy or Permissive — Kids Still Experience Consequences Positive parenting isn't about every kid getting a trophy or letting kids call the shots. 'While some gentle parenting advocates suggest avoiding consequences altogether for fear they might damage the relationship or harm a child's self-esteem,' McCready says, 'positive parenting recognizes that for kids to learn real-world responsibility, accountability and cause-and-effect, kids must experience the natural consequences of their choices.' For example, if a child consistently refuses to follow the family's rules around technology, they may lose those privileges for a period of time. If they leave their school project at home, they may receive a lower grade. McCready points out, 'consequences in positive parenting are never harmful, shame-based, or punitive. They're respectful, clearly communicated ahead of time, and used as teachable moments—not tools for control or retaliation.' 4. It's Not Just About the Child — It's Also About the Parent An important piece of positive parenting is for parents to 'shift from controlling every behavior (of their children) to learning to control themselves.' It's about calming yourself before correcting your child, McCready says. 'It helps parents understand what they can control, like their tone, their follow-through, their expectations, and what they can't, like their child's every emotional reaction.' Ultimately, positive parenting supports parents in raising future adults — not just managing chaos in the moment, she says. What is gentle parenting? Parents ask kids to complete classic 'toxic parenting' phrases ... and the results are adorable All about attachment parenting This article was originally published on
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UConn students, professors protest federal funding freezes
STORRS, Conn. (WTNH) — As Harvard and other universities battle with the Trump administration over billions of dollars in frozen grants, students and professors gathered in Storrs for a protest this afternoon to try and protect UConn's share of federal funding. In recent weeks, the Trump administration has frozen billions in expected grants for Harvard, Columbia, and roster of elite higher education institutions. The administration has said their actions are part of an effort to combat antisemitism on campus and enforce anti-discrimination laws. They also issued a list of demands to Harvard that includes changes to admissions policies and institution of hiring changes to promote 'viewpoint diversity.' 'All the president is asking, don't break federal law and then you can have federal funding,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Noem announces cancellation of $2.7 million in grants to Harvard Harvard's president, Alan Garber, forcefully pushed back on the administration's demands, writing, ''No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.' While UConn hasn't seen the type of demands or sweeping funding freezes that Harvard is now fighting, the school has been hit by grant pullbacks related to the Trump administration's broader effort to drastically cut government spending. When the U.S. Department of Education announced in March that it would freeze grants stemming from a pandemic-era program, UConn education professor Adam McCready was informed that research he was conducting would be impacted. Professor McCready was spearheading a multi-year study of the effects of cellphone use on middle school-aged children, but he said that his research had been essentially frozen by the federal government. 'Just pure shock and dismay related to three years of work on this study,' McCready said. The Trump administration has told states they have the ability to appeal the pullback, but McCready says the nature of his study — which tracks cohorts of students over the course of the school year — means time is of essence. 'The challenge of my study is, by the time we get that funding back, the school year will be over and even if we get it back it will be too late to collect the data that we need for the study,' McCready said. McCready has appealed to private donors and the state government to help continue his research. He noted on Thursday that the study was originally directed by legislation championed by Republicans in the legislature. State Sen. Ryan Fazio, a Republican from Greenwich, said Thursday he wasn't previously aware that the the study he helped conceive was threatened by the pullback of a federal grant. He said he'd fight for the funding to be restored using state dollars and noted the important of the research in informing state legislators as they evaluate the state's policies on cellphones in public schools. UConn Health drops insurance contract with ConnectiCare 'I'm just learning about it right now but I would be very supportive and I think my colleagues would be supportive of continuing this work to support and try to improve their educational and emotional outcomes,' Fazio said. Other professors and graduate students at the protest on Tuesday expressed concern and unease over the administration's actions toward institutions of higher education. In addition to fears over funding for research, almost everyone who spoke to News 8 also made reference to the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to revoke visas from a number of international students. 'We feel extremely unstable,' Grace Easterly, a doctoral candidate at UConn and the head of the union representing graduate student workers, said. 'Shockwaves are just going all across universities across the country.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Sault Area Schools announces principal for new combined elementary school
SAULT STE. MARIE — Carl McCready is going to be the principal of the newly established Sault Area Elementary School. Sault Ste. Marie Area Public Schools recently announced the new principal and assistant principal for the newly established elementary school, which will be located in the former middle school building. McCready is the current principal of Lincoln Elementary, one of the district's two elementary schools that will be closing. The two schools will combine their students and staff into one building next year. Sean Stark, the current assistant principal at Sault Area Middle School, will be staying in the building as assistant principal. Stark has been assistant principal at the middle school since 2024. Superintendent Amy Kronemeyer said Stark had success in the last school year with overseeing staff and school operations at the middle school. McCready has been working at Sault Area Schools for over 20 years, first as principal of the high school and then later at Lincoln. He was chosen to be principal of the new combined school by the school board because of improvements in student achievement and grades seen while he was principal. McCready has degrees in educational administration, educational technology and a master's of arts from Central Michigan University, as well as a bachelor of science in secondary education, majoring in mathematics, from Ferris State University. Sheri McFarlane, the current principal of Washington Elementary, will be retiring, marking the end of her Sault career that began in 1995. "I am extremely excited to lead the district's kindergarten through fifth grade," said McCready. "By eliminating travel time for specialized staff members, we are creating opportunities for them to dedicate more time and energy to supporting students directly, ensuring a more impactful educational experience. Personally, I am honored to be asked to lead the building that educates our youngest students." Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our content More: Sault Area Schools to move forward with building consolidations These changes come as a result of the district's recently announced consolidation plan. Beginning in the fall of 2025, Washington and Lincoln elementary schools will close and the current middle school will become Sault Area Elementary School. This building will house all students in grades K-5. Middle school students in grades 6-8 will move into the current high school building. Malcolm Alternative School and the district's online alternative program, Virtual Blue, will support grades 7-12. The Malcolm campus will also house the Sault Alternative Innovative Learner program from the middle school. District officials said the consolidation is necessary due to declining enrollment, rising educational costs and concerns about infrastructure needs. Both Lincoln and Washington schools are in need of extensive and costly renovations, if the district chose to continue using those buildings. Officials added that by consolidating buildings onto one campus, there will be savings in travel costs, building maintenance and safety. — Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@ This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Sault Area Schools announces Carl McCready as principal for new combined elementary school
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Visually impaired runner takes on London Marathon
A visually impaired runner from North Yorkshire is preparing to take on the London Marathon in April to raise money for charity. Calum McCready, 38, from Knaresborough, was diagnosed with the degenerative eye condition retinitis pigmentosa when he was 17. Now registered blind, he will be taking on the 26.2-mile (42km) challenge with his guide runner to raise money for the Look UK charity. "The sheer number of people that do it will present its own challenges but the atmosphere is going to be amazing," Mr McCready said. More than 56,000 runners are expected to complete the course around the capital on 27 April. "During the day I have 20-30% useable sight but I am night blind, so at night I use a long cane to get around," Mr McCready said. "In the daylight I can manage reasonably well somewhere familiar, but when I'm running I am moving a lot faster so it makes it more difficult." He continued: "I can see people when they get reasonably close, but from a distance I can't see people at all - that's why having a guide runner really helps." Look UK helps visually impaired young people by providing mentoring services and practical guidance for families. Describing his role, guide runner Doug Luettke said: "For me, the biggest thing is that the runner is putting their trust in you. "You're just narrating what's around you - describing ground conditions, if you're going from tarmac to grass, you let your partner know if there are any puddles or low branches for example." Mr McCready said: "When I'm running I feel really satisfied with the achievement of doing it. "It feels really good, the endorphin hit from completing something that is quite hard going." He added: "After this I am going to keep running, just shorter distances!" Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. 'We've had a few accidents, but we're ready' 'One day I might be unable to see my children's faces' Look UK
BBC News
18-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Knaresborough visually impaired runner to take on London Marathon
A visually impaired runner from North Yorkshire is preparing to take on the London Marathon in April to raise money for charity. Calum McCready, 38, from Knaresborough, was diagnosed with the degenerative eye condition retinitis pigmentosa when he was 17. Now registered blind, he will be taking on the 26.2-mile (42km) challenge with his guide runner to raise money for the Look UK charity."The sheer number of people that do it will present its own challenges but the atmosphere is going to be amazing," Mr McCready said. More than 56,000 runners are expected to complete the course around the capital on 27 April."During the day I have 20-30% useable sight but I am night blind, so at night I use a long cane to get around," Mr McCready said."In the daylight I can manage reasonably well somewhere familiar, but when I'm running I am moving a lot faster so it makes it more difficult." He continued: "I can see people when they get reasonably close, but from a distance I can't see people at all - that's why having a guide runner really helps."Look UK helps visually impaired young people by providing mentoring services and practical guidance for families. Describing his role, guide runner Doug Luettke said: "For me, the biggest thing is that the runner is putting their trust in you. "You're just narrating what's around you - describing ground conditions, if you're going from tarmac to grass, you let your partner know if there are any puddles or low branches for example."Mr McCready said: "When I'm running I feel really satisfied with the achievement of doing it. "It feels really good, the endorphin hit from completing something that is quite hard going."He added: "After this I am going to keep running, just shorter distances!" Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
