I think that giving mindless praise is ridiculous. But I understand why parents do it. They want their kids to feel good about themselves. But parents are never going to teach their children true, positive self esteem by praising everything they do.

I’m sorry that people are so jealous of me [Gretchen Wieners], but I can’t help it that I’m popular.

When I tell people I work to stop hazing in high schools I am almost always met with shocked expressions. "High school? Really? I thought that was something that only arrogant frat guys do in college." But it's true - as long as I have worked on preventing bullying in high schools, I have worked to prevent hazing.

Mothers and fathers do really crazy things with the best of intentions.

Kids don't like being put into boxes, and your kid can act in different ways in different situations.

Sleeping with your phone in your bedroom is never a good idea, but it's even worse when you're bullied online because it's too tempting to stay up all night trying to "fix" the situation - which isn't possible anyway.

See, at a certain point it becomes cool to be boy crazy. That happens in sixth grade, and it gives you so much social status, particularly in an all-girls school, if you can go up and talk to boys.