Not Just a Buzzword: Executive Function is Here to Stay
My kids still laugh about the day I didn’t bring home tacos. They were particularly hungry and called me to see if I could stop to get them some quick tacos for dinner on my way home. I waited in a long line, paid for the tacos, and drove home without the tacos. This was […]
Mindfully Communicating with Teachers
As the new school year gets into full swing, you likely have had opportunities to meet new teachers, classroom aides, intervention specialists, and other staff that may be helping your child. If you haven’t, then the opportunity is probably not far away. Teachers and school staff play a vital role in the day-to-day experience of […]
Cracking the Teen Code of Silence
“He never tells me anything” is a common phrase I hear from parents. What I tell parents is that this silence demonstrates a developmentally appropriate change as children mature toward independence. This independence includes managing privacy, forming a unique identity, and being more savvy about what they say to whom, among other skills. Parents […]
When to Worry: Balance, Patterns, and Progress
The books I have found to be among the most useful as both a child psychologist and a parent are a series of books by a developmental psychologist, Louise Bates Ames, and a pediatrician, Frances L. Ilg. Each book highlights the stages that typical children progress through fairly predictably. The authors are careful to remind […]
Homework
It’s coming and you know it. By the time you read my next article, it will be here. Homework is such a common complaint in my office, from both children and parents, that I have become a reluctant expert on the topic. The truth is, I hated homework as a child, and if today it […]
Preparing for the Emotional Transition to School
The time has come to think ahead to the new school year. My clients have already started rolling their eyes when I say we need to think ahead to the school transition, and I’m sure you get a similar response. Some of your kids may be excited about getting back to school, while others are […]
You’ve Got 99 Problems – is Social Media One of Them?
As I write this, I’m toiling over how to talk to my daughter about an impulsive—and massive—deleting mission I just carried out on the battlefield of her electronic device. And honestly, my hesitation is not a result of any shocking activity on her part, or of an earth shattering discovery I’ve made, but rather […]
Another Reason to Get the Kids Outside: Vitamin D and Depression
Many of you already emphasize time outside for your kids, and we know the many physical, social, and emotional benefits of outdoor play for children and adolescents. If you find yourself worn down by requests for more time on electronics or complaints about the temperature, let me offer one more reason to stay strong and […]
Rev Up the Engine and Give Your Relationship the Fuel it Needs
Congrats, you’re celebrating your three year wedding anniversary! A year filled with tantrums, potty training, and being told “no” more times than you can count. Those are the expectations we have for three year-old children, not relationships. But have you ever stopped to think about the age of your marriage, and how you might treat […]
Ready for College?
Parents are concerned, and rightly so, about how their young adult will do in college that first semester. After all, the college indicated their child was prepared academically, but it did not evaluate all the skills that go into being successful that first year away from home. And this is the paradox of college acceptance: […]