There are multiple reasons why a child may be quieter than his (or her) peers. Due to natural variations in personality, some kids need a bit of extra time to warm up to new people and situations – a trait known as shyness. For others, social settings are a source of chronic and severe anxiety, to the point where the child ...
Like adults, kids often feel overwhelmed by the many commitments, choices, and interpersonal situations they must manage each day. Research suggests that school-aged children also experience significant anxiety resulting from global crises, such as the pandemic and climate change. Unfortunately, kids have far fewer tools for dealing with chronic stress than adults. Likewise, their still-developing brains are highly susceptible to ...
Does your child obsessively pick or pull at her skin or hair, sometimes to the point of injury? As distressing as this behaviour is to witness, it isn’t uncommon, especially in kids with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other conditions that affect sensory processing. In fact, researchers estimate that approximately three to five percent of the population will experience ...
Whether your child is coping with a physical, intellectual, or psychological difference, talking about his (or her) disability is important. Your child will naturally look to you for insight and support as he navigates the world, so you’ll need to be prepared to act as his guide, even if you don’t have a disability yourself. Knowing how to ...
For the parents of overweight children, every day is a balancing act; on one hand, there is the natural desire ...
Anxiety disorders are found in children much more often than many people realize; ten to twenty percent of all children ...
As children grow older, their behaviours change dramatically. While a hysterical tantrum over something minor is completely normal at two ...
Handling sadness, whether it’s normal situational sadness or chronic depression, is especially challenging for teens. Adolescents are mature enough to experience profound and complex emotions, but they struggle to put their experiences into perspective. The areas of the brain associated with reasoning are still actively developing throughout the teen years, so young adults are prone to handling sadness in ...
With as busy as most parents are, it’s easy to overlook the many small opportunities we have to strengthen our relationship with our kids. Fortunately, building a solid, trusting bond with your child doesn’t require hours of research or complex parenting techniques. Instead, as is the case with any relationship, the parent-child connection thrives on consistent positive attention. ...
Adolescence is a period of intense growth. The parents of young teens often feel like their child has changed overnight, becoming moody, withdrawn, and difficult to reach. Newly altered behaviour and speech patterns can make it seem like your teen is suddenly speaking a foreign language—leading to frequent disagreements and misunderstandings. The first step to interacting with your teen ...
Bilingualism is a cornerstone of Canadian culture, and research shows that it’s only becoming more prevalent. The rate of French-English bilingualism rose from 17.4% in 2006 to 17.5% in 2011, and the number of Canadians who speak either English or French and another non-official language fluently is also on the rise. In 2016, 14.5% of all Canadians reported speaking a language other than French or ...
