A new school year has a way of throwing the whole house off balance. Summer’s loose rhythm gives way to early alarms, homework, and packed afternoons, often overnight. The good news is that a few steady routines make the transition dramatically smoother, for your kids and for you. Routines are not about rigidity. They are …
Establishing Healthy Routines for the School Year Read More »
There are few things harder as a parent than realizing your child is being hurt and you are not there to stop it. Bullying hits that nerve like almost nothing else. If you are worried your child is on the receiving end of it, this is what to look for and how to help. What …
Your child is struggling with something, and you can tell. Maybe it is worry that shows up as stomachaches before school. Maybe it is meltdowns that come out of nowhere. Maybe something hard happened in your family, and you can see they are carrying it. You want to help. But when you sit down and …
It is hard to imagine a child being depressed. Childhood is supposed to be the carefree part. But depression does not check a birth certificate. About four percent of children in the United States have diagnosed depression, and the real number of kids struggling is almost certainly higher, because in children it is so easy …
Depression in Kids: Why It Often Looks Like Anger, and How to Help Read More »
There is a particular sting to catching your child in a lie. It is not just the lie itself. It is the flicker of worry underneath it. Who is my kid becoming? Did I do something wrong? Before you spiral, take a breath. Lying is one of the most normal things children do, and how …
When Your Child Lies: Why They Do It and How to Respond Read More »
Look at a lot of family calendars around here and you will see the same thing. Travel sports, tutoring, music lessons, clubs, practice, more practice. Every square filled. And every one of those activities is a good thing. That is exactly what makes this hard to see. A packed schedule looks like devoted parenting, right …
The Over-Scheduled Child: When a Full Calendar Costs Too Much Read More »
If you are wondering whether your child has ADHD, you are in very good company. About one in nine children in the United States has been diagnosed with it. And if part of you is bracing for what the label might mean, let me say the most important thing first. ADHD is not a discipline …
ADHD in Kids and Teens: Signs, Testing, and What Actually Helps Read More »