Joyful Snow-showers

Snowflakes, soft and fluffy, were floating down, atop the 8 inches of snow on the ground. I watched my dog delightedly running circles in the yard as if to say, “Yey! Fresh snow! Look at me!” I called my 12 year-old son to the window. “I wonder why all dogs, big or small, short coats […]

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perfectionism

Perfectionism: A Cultural Epidemic in Teens

Perfectionism, or the tendency to want to do everything flawlessly, is often associated with increased stress and anxiety.  Perfectionism combines excessively high personal standards (“I have to do my best at everything”), as well as feelings of failure if the person falls short of those benchmarks.  Oftentimes, our need to be perfect stems from fear.  […]

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Many Children Looking at Personal Screens

Keeping Your Child Safe On-Line

Many parents are uncertain of how to keep their children safe on-line. Although most of us use computers in our day to day jobs, we grew up at a time in history where friendship and learning primarily occurred face to face, and not through a screen or electronic device. Children today use electronics to learn, […]

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Shy Girl Behind Book

How to Help a Shy Teen Make Friends

New longitudinal research, published by the University of Michigan, based on students from 1991-2012, found that students have smaller groups of peers than they did a generation ago. However, the data also suggests that due to increased contact through electronics and on-line exchanges, relationships tend to be closer than they were 20 years ago. Other research has also found that as teens rely more on electronics, they tend to become less interested and less skilled at direct, face-to-face social interactions

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A six years old girl is practicing writing in a notebook.

Dysgraphia

Does your child have messy handwriting? Does s/he seem unmotivated or uncooperative when asked to complete written assignments? Does your child have great ideas, but seems to compromise creative ideas by writing in concrete or simplistic sentences.? Many children with these concerns are diagnosed with Dysgraphia, or a Disorder of Written Expression. The National Center for Learning Disabilities has published the following table regarding signs and symptoms of Dysgraphia:

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Weathering Life’s Adversities

“Each of us is a flower growing in life’s garden. Each of us is a flower. We need the sun and rain.” The above song has been sung by both my children in elementary school. As I attended my youngest son’s music performance this week, I listened to the words. I found myself wondering if […]

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Building Resiliency in Our Children

Stop the avoidance

Many parents have appropriately question whether there is anything they can do to keep their children safe, strong, and healthy. Many parents, even myself at times, avoid thinking about all the hard things their children may face. Sometimes, this avoidance feels easier than contemplating a future that seems so scary or uncontrollable. However, by avoiding thoughts of fear or tough things in the world, we also evade making healthier changes in our lives, and our children’s lives.

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Girls Playing in the Sand

Trying and Enjoying New Adventures!

At one time or another, we have all tried something new. It could be a new job, a new task, or a new hobby. But, for some reason, we took a chance and did something differently. Whenever we do something new, there is uncertainty and risk. We may fail. But, even more likely is the […]

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Girl Sitting in Chair in the Sunshine

Internet Use and Child Behavior Problems

Behold, the SUN! With the sun shining so gloriously today, particularly after a rainy Midwest spring, many of us will be coaxed by its inviting rays away from our televisions and computers into the great outdoors…aka the backyard with the kids. However, as spring melts into summer and the sunshine loses its novelty, many children […]

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