Helping Young Children Develop Social and Emotional Skills
No one said that parenting would be easy—and it’s not. From taking care of your child’s basic needs to focusing on his or her cognitive development, it can be a full-time job. But an equally critical aspect of long-term growth and wellness for children is their ability to build strong social and emotional tools. Skills […]
School Refusal: What Parents Can Do
It’s early morning, and you’re running late. That’s when you turn around to find that not only has your daughter unpacked her bag, but she’s nowhere to be seen. After a quick search, you find her in the laundry room, arms crossed, and completely dead-set against going to school. If this has ever happened in […]
4 Tips for Returning to a Regular Sleep Schedule Before the School Year Begins
Summer vacation is drawing to a close, and for those of you with children, that means a return to the regular routine of the school year. While you may have been playing it fast and loose with summer-break bedtimes, your kids will need a smooth transition back to the school year routine. Their classroom performance […]
A Look at Kids and Sleep – How Much is Enough?
Are You a Distracted Parent?
Worried that your kids may be spending too much time online? Are they texting incessantly? Tweeting when they should be studying? While this may be true, have you considered that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree? Truth is, you may be modeling this behavior for your child. Even worse, the time you spend […]
How to Maintain Friendships While Still Making Fatherhood Your Main Priority
Father’s Day is this Sunday, and many new—and not so new—dads might be reflecting on how fatherhood has changed their lives. Once you’re a dad, it’s easy to feel like there’s barely time for a conversation with your spouse, much less making plans with friends. Although work and family may be robbing you of any […]
Coping With Your High School Graduate
Perhaps you’ve been dealing with senioritis for the last few months of your teen’s high school experience. If so, you’re already familiar with the challenges that come with the territory, from a decline in motivation and performance to challenging the rules and regulations of your household. Now that high school graduation is over, your teen […]
Things That Go Bump In The Night
Helping Children Cope with Nightmares Nightmares are a common occurrence for adults, but they tend to be an even greater issue for young children. Nearly half of all children ages 3 to 6 will experience frequent nightmares at some point. And while nightmares can be extremely unsettling for adults, they at least have the emotional […]
Helping Children Deal With Violence
In my last post, I discussed how young children process and deal with violent or frightening images, such as when they inadvertently see incidents of terrorism or natural disaster on TV. Truth is, young children see the world much differently than adults do, and understanding that is an important starting point. In this post, I’d […]
Helping Young Children Deal With Traumatic Images
It’s easy to assume that we live in a time period that is far more dangerous, tense and violent than it’s ever been. Every day seems to bring a new horror—the fallout from wars, mass shootings, and acts of terrorism—all broadcast in hi-def across our media platforms. And while the reality of that unprecedented danger […]
