The Kid Whisperer: How to reteach kids about their place in the world Scott Ervin, Tribune News Service May 12, 2026 May 12, 2026 0 Every family needs to be a functional hierarchy with the parent or parents at the top of that hierarchy. (Dreamstime/TNS) DREAMSTIME/TNS Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Scott Ervin, Tribune News Service Dear Kid Whisperer,kAmx 2> 2E 2 =@DD] x 92G6 2 `_\J62C\@=5 D@? H9@ D:>A=J C67FD6D E@ 5@ H92E x E6== 9:>] x E6== 9:> E@ E2<6 @FE E96 EC2D9[ 96 C67FD6D] x E6== 9:> E@ D:E 5@H? 7@C 5:??6C[ 96 C67FD6D] x E6== 9:> E@ H62C 5:776C6?E 4=@E96D[ 96 C67FD6D] x 766= =:<6 x ?665 E@ 5@ D@>6E9:?8[ 3FE x 5@?’E <?@H H92E :E :D]k^AmkAmp?DH6Ci *@F 92G6 2 3:8 AC@3=6>]k^AmkAmtG6CJ 72>:=J ?665D E@ 36 2 7F?4E:@?2= 9:6C2C49J H:E9 E96 A2C6?E @C A2C6?ED 2E E96 E@A @7 E92E 9:6C2C49J] *6D[ <:5D D9@F=5 92G6 49@:46D[ 3FE E9@D6 49@:46D >FDE 36 H:E9:? =:>:ED D6E 3J A2C6?ED] !2C6?ED 2C6 :? 492C86] z:5D 2C6 ?@E]k^Am People are also reading… Privacy laws prevent Smyth school board from commenting on parent allegations Smyth County undertakes groundwork to prepare for potential data center interest Health Commission analysis finds Smyth hospital 'at risk of closure' 'The Coolest Hometown': Actors, stage crew sought to support new play about Marion Mount Rogers Community Services makes case for its funding requests Smyth County seeks public input on future use of Carnegie School Former Virginia Tech Rector John Rocovich sues Gov. Abigail Spanberger over removal Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to host church security training for Smyth County Inmate 'died in agony' at Western Virginia Regional Jail, lawsuit claims Three-star cornerback Dozier commits to Virginia Tech Smyth's Octagon House enters new chapter with donation of original materials Virginia football flips former Penn State commit Semajay Robinson Smyth's top prosecutor launches Junior Commonwealth's Attorney Program Smyth explores billing real estate taxes twice a year Record $75 million gift to benefit Virginia Tech athletics, Honors College kAmz:5D H9@ ?6G6C =62C? E@ 36 2 A2CE @7 2 7F?4E:@?2= 9:6C2C49J E6?5 E@ 92G6 E6CC:3=6 AC@3=6>D A2CE:4:A2E:?8 :? @E96C 9:6C2C49:6Di D49@@=D[ A=246D @7 3FD:?6DD[ 9@FD6D @7 H@CD9:A[ @E96C 72>:=:6D’ 9@>6D[ 6E4] }@E C64@8?:K:?8 2?5 4@@A6C2E:?8 H:E9 E9@D6 23@G6 E96> :? 2 9:6C2C49J H:== 42FD6 EC6>6?5@FD DF776C:?8 @G6C E:>6 7@C E96D6 A6@A=6]k^AmkAmx7 J@F 2C6 @776?565 3J E96 H@C5 “9:6C2C49J” 2?5 J@F E9:?< 2 72>:=J ?665D E@ 36 2 4@>>F?2= 8C@HE9 6IA6C:6?46 H96C63J E96 49@:46D 7@C E96 72>:=J 2C6 G@E65 FA@? 3J >6>36CD @7 E96 4@>>F?6 D@ E92E E96 E@55=6C 42? 92G6 2 D2J :? 9@H 525 :?G6DED 9:D c_`W<X[ J@F 42? DE@A C625:?8[ E9:D :D?’E 7@C J@F] v@@5 =F4<[ 2?5 >2J @FC 49:=5C6? ?6G6C >66E]k^Am kAmx7 J@F 2C6 :?E6C6DE65 :? 86EE:?8 324< E@ E96 7F?4E:@?2= 7@F?52E:@?D @7 9@H 72>:=:6D 92G6 H@C<65 E9C@F89@FE 2== @7 9F>2? 9:DE@CJ FA F?E:= 23@FE e_ J62CD 28@[ E96 7@==@H:?8 H:== 36 96=A7F=]k^Am kAm(96? H6 E6== @FC <:5D E92E H6 2C6 :? 492C86[ 3FE E2<6 ?@ 24E:@? E@ 56>@?DEC2E6 E92E H6 2C6 :? 492C86[ H6 2C6 8:G:?8 @FC <:5D E96 >6DD286 E92E H6 2C6 ?@E :? 492C86]k^AmkAmw6C6’D 9@H x H@F=5 56>@?DEC2E6[ H:E9 >J 24E:@?D[ E92E x 2> :? 492C86]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mz:5 (9:DA6C6Ck^DEC@?8mi %:>6 7@C 5:??6CPk^Am kAmkDEC@?8mz:5k^DEC@?8mi p3D@=FE6=J ?@EP x 2> A=2J:?8 G:56@ 82>6D[ H9:49 :D >J A2DD:@?P w@H 52C6 J@F 4@>6 36EH66? >6 2?5 >J A2DD:@?DP *@F 2C6 D@ 32D:4]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mz:5 (9:DA6C6Ck^DEC@?8m C6>@G6D E96 A@H6C 4@C5 7C@> E96 4@?D@=6 E92E 7@C>6C=J 925 G:56@ 82>6D @? :E 2?5 =@4<D :E 2H2J]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mz:5k^DEC@?8mi w~( sp#t *~&PPPP *~& p#t x} q#ttrw ~u |* #xvw%$PPPP *~& p#t %wt (~#$%PPPPk^AmkAmkDEC@?8mz:5 (9:DA6C6Ck^DEC@?8m W42=>=J[ @9 D@ 42=>=JXi p?5 H92E 5:5 x D2J 23@FE 5:??6Cnk^Am kAmkDEC@?8mz:5k^DEC@?8mi x’> ?@E 62E:?8 2?JE9:?8 AC6A2C65 3J 2?J@?6 H9@ 5@6D ?@E D92C6 >J A2DD:@? 7@C G:56@ 82>6DPk^AmkAmkDEC@?8mz:5 (9:DA6C6Ck^DEC@?8mi ~9 562C] %9:D :D E@F89] x’> 8@:?8 E@ 96=A J@F 5@ D@>6 =62C?:?8 =2E6C]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mz:5 (9:DA6C6Ck^DEC@?8m 8@6D E@ E96 5:??6C E23=6 2?5 92D 5:??6C H:E9 E96 C6DE @7 E96 72>:=J] kDEC@?8mz:5k^DEC@?8m DE2C6D H:DE7F==J 2E E96 52C< %' D4C66?]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mz:5k^DEC@?8mi x wp%t %wx$ up|x{*PPPPPPPk^Am kAm%96 ?6IE 6G6?:?8…k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mz:5k^DEC@?8mi r2? x 8@ E@ 2 D=66A@G6Cnk^AmkAmkDEC@?8mz:5 (9:DA6C6Ck^DEC@?8mi ~9[ 562C] *:<6D] sF56] #6>6>36C J6DE6C52J H96? J@F C67FD65 E@ 4@>6 E@ 5:??6Cn %92E H2D C@F89] x E9:?< E92E E96 H2J H6 92G6 :?E6C24E65 H:E9 6249 @E96C @G6C E96 J62CD 92D =65 J@F E@ E9:?< E92E H6 2C6 6BF2=D] x’> D@ D@CCJ 23@FE E92E] $:?46 :E’D >J 72F=E[ x 42?’E 36 >25 2E J@F[ @7 4@FCD6]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mz:5k^DEC@?8mi v66K] r2? x 8@ E@ E96 D=66A@G6C @C ?@EnPk^Am kAmkDEC@?8mz:5 (9:DA6C6Ck^DEC@?8mi ~9[ 562C] x ?665 E@ E6249 J@F 9@H E@ AC@A6C=J ?@E 36 E96 3@DDi E@ =:DE6? 2?5 5@ H92E J@F 2C6 E@=5 3J D@>6@?6 H9@ :D E96 3@DD] %9:D H:== E6249 J@F =:DE6? E@ 3@DD6D =:<6 E62496CD 2E D49@@=[ @E96C 7C:6?5D’ A2C6?ED[ @C E96 6>A=@J66D 2E (2=>2CE] #:89E ?@H[ J@F 5@?’E <?@H 9@H E@ ?@E 36 E96 3@DD[ D@ x’> 8@:?8 E@ E6249 J@F] $@CCJ[ x D9@F=5 92G6 366? 5@:?8 E9:D 367@C6 ?@H] $@[ F?E:= J@F =62C? E@ =:DE6? E@ 3@DD6D[ J@F H@?’E 36 =62G:?8 9@>6[ H96C6 x H:== 36 J@FC 3@DD] x H:== 92G6 E@ D6?5 J@F E@ D49@@=[ D:?46 E92E’D E96 =2H] x H:== D66 9@H J@F 5@ H:E9 =:DE6?:?8 E@ >6 2?5 J@FC E62496CD] pD D@@? 2D J@F 2AA62C E@ 36 2? 6IA6CE 2E ?@E 36:?8 E96 3@DD 2?5 2E =:DE6?:?8 2?5 36:?8 4@@A6C2E:G6[ J@F 42? DE2CE 8@:?8 @FE :?E@ E96 H@C=5 2?5 562=:?8 H:E9 E96 3@DD6D @FE E96C6]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mz:5k^DEC@?8mi w@H =@?8 H:== E92E 36nnk^Am kAmkDEC@?8mz:5 (9:DA6C6Ck^DEC@?8mi x 8F6DD :E H:== 56A6?5 @? 9@H 72DE J@F 42? 364@>6 2? 6IA6CE 2E =:DE6?:?8 2?5 36:?8 4@@A6C2E:G6] xE’D 2== FA E@ J@FPk^AmkAmW|2<6 DFC6 J@F 92G6 925 E96 E2=< 23@FE }~% =:DE6?:?8 E@ 3@DD6D H96? E96J 8:G6 J@F 2 4C66AJ 766=:?8[ 2?5 C6A@CE:?8 :E E@ J@FPXk^AmkAm#66DE23=:D9:?8 kDEC@?8mz:5k^DEC@?8m :? 9:D AC@A6C A=246 :? E96 H@C=5 7@C 2 `_\J62C\@=5 W36:?8 :? 492C86 @7 G6CJ[ G6CJ =:EE=6X H:== 96=A 9:> AC@A6C=J :?E68C2E6 :?E@ E96 H@C=5 D@ E92E 96 42? =62C? 2?5 8C@H :? 2 962=E9J 2?5 D276 H2JPk^Am kAm0000k^Am 0 Comments Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Parents, you aren't the boss of your family spending. It's the kids Youths between the ages of 8 and 15 directly control $95 billion and have a sway over bigger-picture household spending, a new study shows. The Kid Whisperer: How to get rid of your school’s warning system Dear Kid Whisperer, I teach in an urban K-8 school. Several years ago, we got a new administrator who took a lot of control away from the teac…
Parents, you aren't the boss of your family spending. It's the kids Youths between the ages of 8 and 15 directly control $95 billion and have a sway over bigger-picture household spending, a new study shows.
The Kid Whisperer: How to get rid of your school’s warning system Dear Kid Whisperer, I teach in an urban K-8 school. Several years ago, we got a new administrator who took a lot of control away from the teac…
