At the Search Institute in Minneapolis (Minnesota), researchers study 6th-12th graders nationwide, identifying developmental assets to growing up healthy and happy. They suggest that adults surround children with external assets (support, boundaries and expectations, empowerment, and constructive time use) to help them develop values and skills…

Providing children developmental assets such as family support, a caring neighborhood, positive values, and social skills will help them to grow up healthy, well-adjusted, and strong. This book spells out more than 1,000 practical, creative ways to build 40 key assets in children from birth to 11 years. The book describes developmental assets as…