Parents often ask me questions about their kids’ development such as; is my kid talking appropriately for their age and are they mastering life skills as they need to be. However, one area many parents skip right over is their kids’ social development. Social skills, like sharing toys or having … Read More
Pledge to Spread the Word to End the Word
The words we use can be incredibly powerful! Words can make somebody smile. They can change the way someone understands a situation. They can also, unfortunately, be really hurtful. You can pledge to end the use of hurtful words. One of the organizations I’m most proud to support is R-Word, … Read More
Anxiety Experienced in Social Settings
Most people can relate to experiencing butterflies before giving a speech or going for an interview, but for people with social anxiety disorder (SAD), it is so much more than just butterflies. People who suffer from social anxiety worry constantly about what others think of them. It affects even basic … Read More
Motivation Through the End of the Year
As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, you and your kids may start to look forward to summer and lose motivation to keep focused on schoolwork and the routine of day-to-day life. Here are a few tips to get your family through the home stretch! Make time … Read More
Mental Health In Our Schools and How We Can Help Students
About one in five children in the United States show signs of a mental health disorder – anything from ADHD to eating disorders and suicide. And yet, as NPR has been reporting in their series on the mental health crisis in U.S. schools, many schools aren’t prepared to work with … Read More
Our Schools & The Mental Health Crisis
Our schools are experiencing a mental health crisis. In any given year, up to one in five kids living in the U.S. shows signs or symptoms of a mental health disorder. What can we do to identify these students within our schools and connect them to the resources they need? In … Read More
The Power of Play
Kids look like small adults. At times, they may even sound like mini grownups–especially when they get a little sassy or parrot back a parents’ own words to them. External resemblance aside, kids process things much differently from adults. Kids’ brains haven’t matured to the same place that an adult … Read More
Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children Part 2: Practical Ways to Help Your Children Become More Emotionally Intelligent
In part one of the blog Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children, we defined emotional intelligence and explored its importance. Some children are naturally more emotionally intelligent than others. It is important to nurture emotional intelligence in children to help them adjust well to the challenges life brings. Now that we know … Read More
Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children Part 1: What Does Emotional Intelligence Mean?
Children experience the same emotions as adults. They can feel everything from happiness to sadness to anger to nervousness to even stress. However unlike adults, many children do not understand how to effectively deal with the range of emotions they experience. Just like other life skills parents pass onto their … Read More
What exactly is adolescence?
For many parents, understanding a bit about their teenager’s brain development can be helpful in navigating the sometimes difficult adolescent years. But first, what exactly are the adolescent years? What does the term “adolescence” even mean? Researchers and scientists have had a pretty difficult time coming to a consensus definition. … Read More
