There’s an old proverb that says if you give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day; if you teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for the rest of his life. This saying has tremendous relevance for parenting. As parents of children and teens growing up in an increasingly competitive world, we want … Read more
Keeping children entertained while on the way to your actual travel destination can be challenging. Whether driving or flying to your favorite vacation spot, children need things to do to keep them entertained. Most parents rely on having their kids watch a movie on the DVD player (portable or built into the car), play with … Read more
Summer packs high expectations for fun through family vacations. With these plans come great hopes for relaxing times, strengthened family bonds, and memories of both adventure and discovery. Few intend to live out their favorite National Lampoon vacation. My recent debacles with travel have reminded me that even the best-laid plans can turn into infamous … Read more
Parenting is tough, even under ideal circumstances. When the job of parenting is complicated by the presence of an emotional, cognitive, or learning disorder in the child, the task can seem impossible at times. Moms and dads who have children with challenges not only struggle to manage their children’s behavior, they can also struggle to … Read more
Have you ever caught yourself saying something to your child that reminded you of something your own parent said to you when you were a child? Depending upon your relationship with your parent(s) this realization can result in a variety of emotional responses ranging from comfort to dismay. Examining your childhood and your relationship with … Read more
This blog addresses the frequent concerns that parents bring up pertaining to the content of the video games their children are playing. As mentioned in a previous blog (Posted November 2010) written by Dr. Kathleen McElhaney, parenting in the digital age is challenging. While controversial, several studies have linked exposure to violence in TV shows … Read more
As children get older, they often become more reluctant to talk to and listen to their parents, especially as entities outside the home, such as peers and the media, start to exert a stronger influence over them. Whether we like it or not, children learn a lot about life from the media, especially movies and … Read more
While wanting to be liked and needing to fit in tend to be important no matter what your age, these issues are often especially important to adolescents. Teenagers often spend a good deal of time and energy worrying about how they are perceived by their peers. And parents often spend a good deal of time … Read more
When you have a child that has anxiety, it is important to identify what type of anxiety is present. Doing so will help guide his/her treatment. Because not all anxiety is the same, treatments may vary depending on the symptoms and presentation of the worry or worries. A brief description and symptoms of the various … Read more
Divorce brings up many emotions, including anger, sadness, loss, and/or relief, and individuals often need time away from their ex-spouse in order to work through their feelings and move forward. For spouses who also are parents, however, ongoing interactions with one’s ex-spouse are inevitable. That is, even though they are not married any longer, they … Read more
