As concerned parents, we think, plan, and sometimes obsess about how to prepare our children for their adult lives. We participate in their education, enroll them in sports and other activities, do what we can to build and maintain their self-esteem, try to instill good values, feed them healthful foods, save for college, keep track … Read more
Believe it or not, the end of summer is almost here. For families with school age children, this time of year often brings up a range of strong emotions. The return to school can arouse positive feelings, such as excitement, and also negative ones – apprehension, worry or even dread. Both parents and children often … Read more
I recently went away to the mountains where there were no screens…no service for cell phones, no access to wifi, and no televisions for a whole week! The first day without my phone, without a constant barrage of texts, emails, and phone calls, I felt naked, uncomfortable, and out of touch. By the third day, … Read more
Driving down Chain Bridge Road in the storm a few weeks ago, the obstacle course through the fallen trees and the power outage brought back memories of the last bad storm that I experienced, Hurricane Katrina. Storms upset our lives. They inconvenience us. They take things away from us. Laying in bed in the hot … Read more
Anger is a normal and healthy emotion, especially if managed constructively. Anger, however, is complicated and can be confusing, especially for children. Most of the time people think of anger behaviorally and equate it with violence, aggression, hurt, etc. rather than thinking of it as a feeling. While people have behavioral responses to anger it … Read more
The cell phone commercial that utilizes the words, “Can you hear me? Can you hear me now?” may resonate with parents in addition to cell phone users. How many of us parents wonder if, in fact, our children hear us when we make a request or give a directive because there is no response on … Read more
Lately, I’ve heard many parents express concern regarding their child’s choices in clothing and accessories, while their child complains that parents simply don’t understand and are being too controlling. While I certainly advocate for kids and teens to have freedom with respect to their choice of attire, I also understand that the concern many parents … Read more
I have a good rule of thumb that keeps positive energy in balance in the world of parenting. It’s as much a challenge in the world of parenting as learning the rules of grammar once was, but also just as rewarding. The I before E rule is simple: Inquire before Evaluating. In other words, take … Read more
Childhood anxiety is all too common in today’s world. Parents often ask me for concrete, practical ideas to help school-age children deal with worries. One of the tools I sometimes use in therapy with children is to create a “Worry-Eater.” To try it at home, tell your child that you have a great idea that … Read more
“They are trying to grow up too fast!” is a complaint that we often hear from parents about their young teenagers. Parents often end up in our offices because their efforts to make and enforce rules with their teens have backfired, and everyone is unhappy. While parents are generally just trying to keep their adolescents … Read more
