For years, low self-esteem was used as something of a catch-all scapegoat. If a child was bullying others, failing at school, or getting into trouble, his (or her) self-esteem was the first place parents and teachers looked when trying to solve the issue. Recently, however, research has corrected some of our prior assumptions about self-esteem: In actuality, low self-esteem is ...
As numerous schoolyard rhymes tell us, tattling is an incredibly unpopular phenomenon among children. It’s not exactly a favourite behaviour at home, either: Most parents know all too well the frustration of having a child frequently seek their intervention because a sibling has taken his toy or violated another minor rule. These parents know that their child could probably ...
Social distancing has increased parenting responsibilities and limited parents’ self-care resources, creating more stress and anxiety in many households. To cope with the sudden changes in routine brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, parents must adopt new parenting strategies designed to balance their needs with the needs of their children. Parents must also learn how to step into new roles, ...
With schools and extra-curriculum activities being completely shut down to prevent the spread of coronavirus, our children are locked at home and have to go through major adjustments. While talking to parents, I learned that most of them quickly gave up on screen time restrictions as they don’t want to hear constant complaints from their children about how bored ...
Not every relationship works out. This is true whether the relationship in question is a friendship, romantic relationship, or the ...
Over the last two decades, ideological polarization has become a prominent threat to democracy, education, and society as a whole. ...
As a psychologist living and working in Toronto, where 51% of residents were born outside Canada, I deal with immigration related ...
With cases of coronavirus continuing to mount around the world, it’s all but impossible to shield kids from news that make them anxious. Though COVID-19 virus generally does not cause serious illness in children, that doesn’t stop kids from worrying about the implications of dealing with a frightening new disease. Kids can be exposed to misinformation about coronavirus, ...
Anxiety is challenging to endure no matter where your child is. At school, however, it can quickly become intolerable. Many otherwise bright, ambitious children fail to achieve their full academic potential because the education system is not set up to meet their needs. If you have an introverted and worry-prone child, you therefore need to be proactive in preparing him (...
“Sorry” isn’t a word we typically think about critically. After all, it’s used as either a harmless courtesy or a heartfelt gesture of penitence by most of us. For young girls, however, the habit of apologizing too often can become harmful. Think, for example, of the young woman who prefaces her opinions with the words “Sorry, but...” ...
When we’re observing someone else’s behaviour, it’s easy to appreciate the value of self-restraint. When we coach our children to “take a deep breath” or have a time out when they’re upset, for example, the value of emotional management becomes plain to see. Sometimes, however, we don’t recognize our own need for self-regulation strategies. Parenting ...
