Have you ever noticed that parents don’t stand around and talk about how their child didn’t make the team, failed a test, or cried as they waited in line for a roller-coaster? Parents prefer to talk about achievement, growth, and well-being rather than the disappointments their children experience. It’s no surprise children and adolescents do […]
The recent Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why, has stirred lots of discussion amongst the media, parents, adolescents, and professionals working with adolescents. The series, based on a book of the same name by Jay Asher, explores topics of bullying, sexual harassment, rape, and suicide and is wildly popular among adolescents. Many adults are concerned that […]
When our kids have “big feelings,” intense emotional reactions to a situation, we as parents can end up having big feelings, too. Our kids can be pretty good at pulling feelings and emotional reactions from us. Most of us would probably agree that responding to our kids with sensitivity and empathy is a good thing, […]
I just listened to a talk about Autism Spectrum Disorders. The speaker shared a poem by one of his patients, a teenager with ASD, who wants to be a writer. It’s remarkable. (This is copied exactly as he wrote it.) Devin Teichert Song of Myself December 16, 2008 Were They but There at Night There […]
Most children begin to develop empathy as toddlers. Your child’s ability to understand, value, and respect others’ thoughts and feelings will mature over time. You can help your children to understand others’ feelings and feel for others in many ways. As you’re reading stories together, pay attention to the characters’ faces. Every now and then, ask your […]
