Daisy's School of Thought

I am a mother of three who wants to optimise her children's potential and change the world through education.

I establish and manage physical schools for children from birth to teens;
create digital schools through writing awards-winning programs and books;
This page is another school of mine - my school of thoughts. Here, I write about my findings and journey in raising extraordinary kids.

Kids in Art Class

Learn | Play

How a child learns and develops cognitively

Baby's Grasp

Love | Parenting

Building a child's social & emotional intelligence

Baking Ingredients

Eat | Move

Optimising a child's physical intelligence

Life Etc. Tote Bag

Life | More

Life doesn't always fall neatly into our buckets.

How to Nurture Your Gifted Child

The Carrot versus The Stick

The Carrot versus The Stick

The Carrot Versus The Stick - Motivation versus Discipline Most parents we speak to subscribe to the positive parenting camp. This group of conscious parents talks to their child, explains patiently to him, believes in positive affirmation and treats to reward their child. But many of these parents are divided on discipline. Discipline seems to have taken on a negative connotation and avoided. This leaves parents ill-equipped with a weak toolkit of corrective measures, l

Childhood Anti-social Behavior Into Adulthood

Childhood Anti-social Behavior Into Adulthood

Childhood Anti-social Behavior Into Adulthood Childhood biting usually begins in Toddlerhood and often arises for the following reasons: - Lack of communication ability, uses biting to express one's frustration - Instant gratification and lacks impulse control - teething, congestion (unwell) whereby biting offers temporary relief Biting seldom lingers beyond the Toddler class when we address it. Some schools or parents make the mistake by taking a stance, 'they will outgrow

You, Me, Our Children In Today's Connected World

You, Me, Our Children In Today's Connected World

Recently we gave a series of talks on the importance of parental bonding. Some of the fathers were glued to their phones and were unable to keep the phone down for minutes before they started swiping again. The irony of the situation was not lost on me. Parental bond isn't just about how close knit the family is. Hands-on parents contribute to their child's cognitive development. The way parents enforce their family value system influence the way a child forms his/her percept

7 Surprising Parenting Lessons From Elon Musk

7 Surprising Parenting Lessons From Elon Musk

Many of us may know of Elon Musk, a self-made billionaire with an unwavering dedication to space exploration. He is linked to successful innovation such as Paypal and Tesla. I am reading a biography on Musk (Elon Musk, Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance) and I am surprised on the experiences that help shape who he is. Here's 7 Surprising Parenting Lessons To Learn From Elon Musk 1. Laissez-faire approach to raising children Elon Musk’s grandf

How To Nurture Our Child's Imagination & Empathy

How To Nurture Our Child's Imagination & Empathy

Mommy is in the kitchen when she hears Hao call for her fearfully. She rushes to him in the living room and sees him pointing to the window. 'Mommy, it's a butterfly. It flies and lands on my hand. It's trying to attack me,' blurts out Hao. Mommy scoops him up and tells him soothingly, 'It's a moth. Look, the colours are duller. We don't know if it's trying to attack you when it lands on you. Shall we find out?' Mommy carries Hao and walks closer to examine the moth resting o

Don't Impose Our Limiting Beliefs On Others

Don't Impose Our Limiting Beliefs On Others

A little while ago, we were having a discussion when a preschooler asked us to print out a picture for her so she could colour. When she was colouring in the teachers' room, she asked out loud. 'Teacher A, I like drawing and colouring. So my parent sends me for art classes. But when I tell her I want to grow up and be an artist, she tells me artists don't make money. Why does she send me for art classes when she doesn't want me to be an artist?' Teacher A, 'Oh darling, I am s

Managing the Public Meltdowns of Your Child

Managing the Public Meltdowns of Your Child

Image: Jill Tindall/Moment/Getty Images Many of us parents have experienced a public meltdown from our child. In this article, a father experienced it with his daughter and stayed calm as he let worked through her public display of emotions. 'There's a lot of pressure out there on both men and women to be the perfect parents at all times...What's important is we don't teach them to hide those feelings or push them down for fear of ridicule — that kind of emotion-management ca

How Our Expectation Can Affect Outcome, Personality & Achievement

How Our Expectation Can Affect Outcome, Personality & Achievement

A parent informed us that her child had been ‘diagnosed as mildly dyslexic’. I resisted laughing, it sounded like a menu in a Nandos restaurant describing the degree of spiciness. I asked the parent to explain what ‘mild’ meant. She noticed her child would mirror letters sometimes and display difficulty in reading occasionally. When she consulted a professional, she was told her child had mild dyslexia that would be corrected with more practice in writing and reading. I quest

How Our Expectation Can Affect Outcome, Personality & Achievement

How Our Expectation Can Affect Outcome, Personality & Achievement

A parent informed us that her child had been ‘diagnosed as mildly dyslexic’. I resisted laughing, it sounded like a menu in a Nandos restaurant describing the degree of spiciness. I asked the parent to explain what ‘mild’ meant. She noticed her child would mirror letters sometimes and display difficulty in reading occasionally. When she consulted a professional, she was told her child had mild dyslexia that would be corrected with more practice in writing and reading. I

Raising Children To Be Kind

Raising Children To Be Kind

Once I had a student who displayed anti-social behaviour. When we corrected her and explained it wasn't nice nor kind to treat a friend in a mean and rough manner, she surprised us with her answer. 'But I don't want to be nice or kind. Why should I bother to be?' retorted the preschooler. Now that's a stumbling block for a preschool teacher who relies on altruistic, positive values to discipline and correct. When I spoke to the parent then (and subsequently), the parent's foc

Raising Thriving Children Who Become Thriving Adults

Raising Thriving Children Who Become Thriving Adults

A couple of weeks ago, a parent questioned our timetables. She was concerned over the slots we had labeled as ‘free play’. I explained free play could be either one of the following activities – running in the playground, reading or playing in our creative play corner. It is a great chance to establish friendship too. ‘I organize play-dates so she has a chance to make friends. Which one of the three would my child be doing each play period?’ she needed a definitive answer.

Teaching Children To Say Goodbye

Teaching Children To Say Goodbye

On Saying Goodbye In Preschool Making friends is part and parcel of starting preschool. It never fails to amaze me how little children find a way to connect and communicate even when there isn't a common language. It amazes me further how fast a child can pick up a new language. Did we forget this as we grow up? All good things come to an end. Living in an international community with mobile family may mean a friend moving away and having to say goodbye as early as preschool

Managing Sibling Rivalry

A Quick Guide to Creating a Safe, Secure Play Area for Your Child

A Quick Guide to Creating a Safe, Secure Play Area for Your Child

This post was first published on MakChic.com. Play is an important part of a child’s development. Carving out a space in your house to create a designated play area not only helps organise toys, books and keep the clutter off your floor, but also creates a space that allows your child to tap into his or her energy, creativity and imagination. While outdoor fun offers its set of benefits, a playroom is an urban solution for rainy or hazy days, and can even host play dates. Whe

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