"We envision a school where parents and teachers work individually and together to meet the emotional needs of children at home and at school."

— Dr. Gerald Newmark

"Dr. Gerald Newmark sent me his book, How to Raise Emotionally Healthy Children. It’s not only for parents, but educators will find it valuable in helping develop a child who does not bully, but feels true empathy with others....It is not a research paper. It’s a human guide that speaks to our human heart."

— Lily Eskelsen Garcia, President, National Education Association

“We now know for sure that educators cannot do their job if they do not know how to foster the social-emotional and character development of students….Social and emotional learning are the most important elements of education reform—and perhaps also the most overlooked.”

Director, Rutgers Social-Emotional Learning Lab

— Dr. Maurice Elias,

Strengthening Schools 2017-09-30T18:06:58+00:00

Strengthening Schools: A Sense of Ownership in Our Schools

Next to the family, the schools have perhaps the greatest influence in meeting the five critical emotional needs of children. Unfortunately, the schools are plagued by as many difficulties as beleaguered families. The problems of low achievement, inadequate financing, declining student and teacher morale, and poor school/parent relations persist from one decade to the next, and the dissatisfaction voiced by almost everyone is accompanied by increasingly stronger demands for change.

In spite of all the discussion about change, there has been hardly a whisper about the failure to meet the emotional needs of our children, yet this continues to be one of the most serious problems jeopardizing the future of our children and our nation. To make matters worse, the educational community and policy-makers appear to be oblivious to the problem. A major purpose of the Children’s Project is to fill this troublesome void.

Teacher Holding a Copy of Raising Emotionally Healthy ChildrenThe need for cost-effective educational models that offer constructive, positive changes that are fundamental and systemic rather than superficial or limited has never been greater. Models are needed that cut across geographical, ethnic, and socio-economic boundaries. These models need to create a cooperative, friendly relationship among all the principal stakeholders and a sense of ownership in our schools.

The Children’s Project  offers a model for an emotional-health-friendly school culture based on my book, How To Raise Emotionally Healthy Children.  This model is applicable to every level of education and inclusive of all types of schools, programs, and populations. Its influence can be far reaching because the concept of the five critical emotional needs is fundamental and contributes to success in school, work, marriage, and life in general. Also,  the book is written in a language that is clear, simple, and straightforward—easy to read, understand and use.

Our Vision

Our vision is one of a school where parents and teachers work individually and together to meet the emotional needs of children at home and at school, where adults interact with children, and with one another, in emotionally healthy ways. The book provides a common language—that of the five critical emotional needs—to bring home and school, parent and teacher closer together—reinforcing one another’s efforts to provide children an emotional foundation for success.

Just imagine what an impact this could have on the children’s emotional, intellectual, and social learning if all the teachers in the same school (pre-school, K-12, high school), year after year, were meeting the same emotional needs of children that the parents were satisfying at home.

>Learn about our Teaching/Learning Program for using the book in schools