Selfies, Sharing & Internet Safety: What’s A Parent to Do?
“Please, just tell me what to do about my daughter’s constant use of her cell phone!” “My son throws a fit every time I tell him to get off the computer. Please help.” “How many hours a day should I let my kid be on line? Is it safe?” Everyone working with kids and teens these days is constantly being asked the same questions and lots more. Questions about cyber-bullying and sexting and Internet safety. About tweeting and Tumblr and lurking predators.
Adolescence and Problems of Parental Over-giving
The young couple was clear about their choice: “We’re not ready to have a child yet because we like living just for ourselves.” They had made an accurate assessment because parenting is an act of continuing self-sacrifice. First, in the name of responsibility, going from being partners to being parents, they would be giving up a lot of personal freedom, setting personal needs and wants aside to meet the immediate demands of a growing infant and child.
How to Carve Out Space for Your Child’s Unique Strengths
The mental health field continues to make progress in applying strengths-based approaches. Many practitioners and researchers have learned to ask, "What are you good at, Johnny? " and "What do you love doing, Johnny? " instead of focusing solely on "W...
How Can You Stay Cool When Your Kid Acts Up?
"Let it go. The moment you feel your hackles rising, let it go. If you let it upset you, what follows is anger, and to quote Yoda, that leads to the dark side.... Notice … and interrupt it. Find your own way of accepting things with grace. " -- Steve Errey All parents get angry at their children. And there's nothing wrong with anger; anger is a message. The problem is that we can't hear that message clearly while we're angry. In the heat of the moment, we're in fight, flight or freeze.
5 Self-Care Tips for New Moms
When you’re a new mom, your self-care routine may seem like a distant memory. A very distant memory. After all, how are you supposed to care for your needs when your baby requires your attention 24/7? How are you supposed to care for your needs when you’re consumed with brand-new tasks, such as changing diapers and breast- or bottle-feeding?
Parents, Be Wary of “Innocent” Drug Experimentation
Young people test the waters. It’s part of learning about the world. However, just like we don’t allow a baby to put just anything in its mouth, there are dangers to trying drugs that young people need to be aware of. The world of illicit substance use is harsh and unforgiving. One of the current dangers, especially for young and inexperienced drug users, is that kids are often sold something that is not what they asked for.
Helping Children Thrive With LD/ADHD
According to the U.S. Department of Education, almost 1 million children have some form of learning disability for which they receive special education. Parents report that over 5.4 million children have been diagnosed with ADHD, a figure that the Cen...
12 Tips to Transition to Peaceful Parenting
"I recently discovered Aha! Parenting and am trying hard to change things at our house, but my kids seem to be acting out more. So I still lose it. And I feel so guilty about the past. What am I doing wrong? " "For me, this type of parenting is a dail...
How to Make Sports FUN for Kids
The benefits of play are many, for kids and adults. Hyper focus and scant spontaneity actually hurts how we learn and grow.
Self-Esteem In Children: Recognizing Self-Esteem
As parents we want our children to be happy and grow up to be successful individuals. Developing and nurturing a healthy self-esteem in children is key in raising successful individuals. I am often asked by parents in my practice how to best nurture a strong sense of self-esteem in their children. The best start is to understand the definition of self-esteem and the steps one can take to promote a healthy sense of self.
ADHD and Parenting: More Tips for Teaching Your Kids to Regulate Their Emotions
Kids with ADHD lag behind their peers by 30 percent when it comes to emotional development, according to research conducted by ADHD researcher and psychologist Russell Barkley, Ph.D. So a 10-year-old child may really have the maturity level of a 7-year-old. As clinical psychologist Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D, noted in this piece, kids with ADHD aren’t being defiant when they’re having an emotional outburst. They can’t help that their brains are wired this way.
The Terrible Teens
If you’re a parent of teens, you’re sure to agree with American humorist Sam Levenson, who famously quipped: “Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children.” We tend to think of adolescence as a time of turbulence, a roller-coaster ride of emotions that drive teenagers to poor decisions and risky behavior. But do the post-pubescent years have to be that way? Over the last couple of decades, neuroscience has come to dominate psychology.
Early Trauma Linked to Poor Outcomes in Kindergarten
Traumatic experiences in early childhood, such as abuse or the incarceration of a parent, negatively affect learning and behavior development in kindergarten, according to a new study published online in the journal Pediatrics. “Our study revealed that children in large urban areas across the country who were exposed to traumatic events in early childhood, were at increased risk for learning difficulty and behavior problems by the end of kindergarten” said lead author Manuel E. Jimenez, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of family medicine and community health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “Our study adds to our understanding ...
5 Things An Attuned and Loving Parent Never Says or Does
Being a parent is an admittedly difficult job, and it’s no wonder that not all of us succeed at it. We all bring a fair amount of baggage to the enterprise: Our personalities, how we were parented ourselves, how well we manage our emotions and express our feelings, how empathic we are, and, of course, how comfortable we are in our own skins.
When Your Kid Emotionally Throws Up On You
It was the worst day of my life. I literally have no friends. Everything sucks. The rant is long and punctuated. High drama. Tangential. What's been bottled up in the company of others spews out in raw, messy form. You have just been officially, emoti...
Overpraising May Reduce Self-Esteem in Children
Spend five minutes at a park, and soon you’ll hear enthusiastic parents reinforcing their kids with, “you did so amazing” and other statements as a means of encouragement. To the nurturing parent or guardian, praising a child for performance seems like a no-brainer. But recent research suggests that overpraising may not be such a confidence booster for some children, particularly those with low self-esteem.
4 Tips for Seeking ADHD Treatment in College
If you’re in college and thinking about seeking mental health treatment, the logistics can seem tricky. You might find yourself in that position of being somewhat but not entirely independent, if you’re on your parents’ health insurance for example. However, this doesn’t need to stop you from getting help. Your mental health is too important to let those kinds of things get in the way. Here are some tips for navigating the process of seeking ADHD treatment in college.
What to Say When Your Kid Says “I’m Bored”
It's the question I've been (surprisingly) asked by parents more frequently than any other over the past year. So what do you say when your kid says "I'm bored"? Well, not much. The thing is, it's your kid's problem to solve. And there is a deep signa...
5 Things Every Teen Needs | Psych Central
Are you baffled by your teenager’s behavior? Welcome to the club. Please step inside my office. Let’s eavesdrop on other parents: “My son doesn’t sleep at night, so he can’t wake up in the morning.” “My daughter procrastinates until she has a panic attack, then I have one myself!” Do these concerns sound familiar to you? Perhaps you watch child-rearing seminars on the Web, talk to other parents, and even buy parenting books.
ADHD and Parenting: Teaching Your Kids to Regulate Their Emotions
On the outside, when a child with ADHD is having an outburst, it might look like they’re misbehaving on purpose. They’re kicking, screaming, crying and throwing their toys. Or maybe it’s the opposite: They’ve completely shut down. But there is nothing intentional about these behaviors. Kids don’t want to get angry or act out. “Their brains are actually wired to [over-react],” said Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist who specializes in ADHD.
Are You Guilty of Humiliation Parenting?
Public displays of punishment in which parents shame a child to teach a lesson is, in the extreme, akin to a long gone practice of teachers putting a student in the corner with a dunce cap. Whatever the offense, recently parents have been taking drast...
3 Ways Parenthood Makes You More Mindful (and Healthy)
We sometimes think of parents as harried, tired and exhausted. In fact a recent study showed that the first year of a child is worse than divorce, unemployment and even the death of a partner! Despite the blissful photos pasted on social media, parent...
The Science to End the Baby Care “Mommy Wars”
There's no disagreement that new mothers (and fathers) want to get it "right." But, what is "right" when it's your baby and you? The conversations, headlines, information on the Internet around issues from feeding to bed sharing leave many confused and unsure. The pediatrician says one thing, your best friend says something else, and an article on your favorite parenting site points you in yet another direction. Everyone seems to have an opinion or position.
10 Ways to Make the Most of a Child’s IEP Meeting
Do you attend IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) or Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings for your child? Parents attend these meetings to plan for children if they have a learning disability, speech or language impairment, other heal...
10 Things To Do Instead of Grounding Your Kid
Transitioning to positive parenting can be hard. Your child has already come to understand the world through a certain lens. He knows he needs to "behave" or he'll be punished by losing a privilege or being grounded. Of course, you'd rather have him c...
Teenagers and Sleep
Many can agree that there are few things as satisfying as a good night of sleep. It is essential to our well-being. During sleep individuals heal, learn and regain energy. It helps us pay attention, think faster and it improves our mood. A lack of sleep and we become grumpy, fatigued and have difficulty concentrating. When you don’t get enough sleep, you are more likely to get injured, sick or have an accident.
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