Why Boys Need Emotional Support—And How We Can Help In many cultures, boys are often taught—directly or indirectly—that expressing emotions is a sign of weakness. Phrases like “man up” or “boys don’t cry” can send a damaging message: that vulnerability is something to be avoided. This emotional suppression can lead [...]
Parent Exhaustion. Nothing is more trying than a child who is out of sorts and in the midst of a meltdown. Tantrums can be draining and stressful for parents and caretakers. You might feel you need to step in to end a tantrum thinking, “please make it STOP!”. But [...]
Tantrums! If you are reading this, you have had that moment where your child is on the floor screaming, crying, and you feel helpless. They come in all shapes and sizes, sometimes you see them coming and sometimes you don’t. They can involve explosions of anger, frustration and disorganized [...]
When Your Child Feels Sad. We often hear, “I feel depressed,” or “I struggle with Depression.” But what does that mean? How is that different than a typical response of feeling sad? Everyone has bad days and times where they feel sad. The difference between sadness and depression is [...]
Family, Friends, the Holidays—and Me. Many of us know the popular holiday phrase sung by Andy Williams: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” For many people, the holidays are a sacred, special time to spend with family and friends who are dear to us. It marks an [...]
Find the Positives! What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? It consists of three main components: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Although these characteristics are common for children in general, those with ADHD include these experiences: the 3 components mentioned happen more frequently than expected for a child’s age Inattention, [...]
It Takes Two. Couples experience challenges throughout the natural course of the relationship. The times when each person feels mutually in love are the most important phases! These are the “good times” that carry us through the “bad times.” Not everyone feels completely in love constantly over the span [...]
Building the Bond: Serve & Return When you hear “bond with your child,” most parents think of doing an activity with their children like going to the park or arts and crafts. Bonding is deeper than that. The concept of “serve and return” plays a large part in child [...]
When Your Child Feels Anxious. It can be difficult to identify the difference between anxiety and feeling nervous before a big event, or even excited when starting a new life adventure. Anxiety is a different experience in that our bodies tend to react and respond with discomfort. Not all [...]
More Than Words. Everyone makes mistakes in relationships. It takes maturity and humility to admit wrongdoing and to apologize for transgressions. Hopefully, this becomes a learning experience where the relationship can recover, however minor or serious the offense may be. Learning how to make amends takes time and can [...]
