When Plans Change: Helping Kids Handle Disappointment

Childhood Issues, Education, Parenting, Playful Parenting

Rain changes, canceled plans, unexpected illness, and all the little moments that do not go how we hoped can bring up really big feelings for children. As adults, we know plans change. Someone gets sick. The weather ruins the outing. Something gets canceled. The day...

When a Preschooler Has Experienced Sexual Abuse: What Caregivers Need to Know

Childhood Issues, Education, Parenting

When a Preschooler Has Experienced Sexual Abuse: What Caregivers Need to Know Learning that a preschooler may have experienced sexual abuse is overwhelming, heartbreaking, and deeply painful for any caregiver. In those moments, it is common to feel shock, anger,...

I Knew What Was Going On. I Was Still Drowning.

Childhood Issues, Education, Parenting

How raising my son shaped me not only as a mother, but as the therapist I am for other families today When my son was three, I knew enough to know what I was seeing was more than a phase. Not because I was eager to label a busy little boy. Not because I believed every...

The Explosive Child

Education, Parenting

Parenting doesn’t come with a manual – especially not a manual for raising children who have emotional and behavioral struggles.  As parents we often attempt to apply parenting tactics that worked for us when we were growing up or that worked for our other children...

Model The Behaviors You Want Your Child to Learn 

Education, Parenting

“I want them to tell me how they’re feeling”  This is one of the most common desires I hear from parents. There are many reasons why children struggle with openly expressing their feelings. No matter the reason, one way adults can encourage children to talk about...

The Effects of Caffeine on Children and Adolescents

Education

Today, I was driving on the highway and heard John Tesh on the radio talking about Caffeine consumption by those under the age of 19.  It was rather interesting what he had to share and got me thinking about this topic. When taken in moderate amounts, caffeine is...