“I hate school! I’m not going!” When your child chronically refuses to go to school, you can start to feel like a hamster in a wheel—putting in a heck of a lot of work, effort, sweat and tears, but not really getting anywhere. I’ve seen and sympathized with frustrated parents who resort to physically putting […]
During the toddler years, your child is constantly learning to control impulses, bodily functions and behavior. Sometimes, the ability to maintain self-control breaks down, resulting in a tantrum. You may not be able to avoid them, entirely, but you can minimize their frequency and intensity. To tame your child’s outbursts: Practice prevention. Make sure your child is […]
The idea that failure builds resilience has become commonplace. However, when children continually fail and don’t have the support to keep trying, all they learn is that they are failures. Resilience does not come from failing but from the experience of learning that you can pick yourself up, try again, and succeed. That requires some […]
In the wake of a disturbing event or tragic loss in the lives of children, parents and teachers do their best to help kids cope with their grief and anxiety in a healthy way. It is best to engage kids in a clam and supportive dialogue about their feelings. It is certainly not easy to […]
According to the National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics 7% of students in grades 6–12 have experienced cyberbullying.The most recent Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey found that 15% of high school students (grades 9-12) were electronically bullied in the past year. Research on cyberbullying is growing. However, because kids’ technology use changes […]
Many kids (and their parents) worry about bullying. Whether it’s on the playground at school or during extracurricular activities, bullying is a serious and difficult issue. Here is our specific advice for children concerned with bullying. These steps can be useful for preventing bullying in most in-person situations. Please share them with your children: Exude […]
Children face many obstacles as they grow up, and they all experience things like stress, grief, and bullying in their own ways. It can be difficult to know when your child can work through something independently and when he/she might need the help of an expert. In my practice, parents often wait as long as […]
Parents often ask me how to help children who are “shy.” It’s a good question and one that many parents bring to me. So here’s an important first question back: What does “shy” really mean? Some children who are considered shy are highly sensitive, meaning very aware of and strongly affected by their environment. Others […]
