Though many things change when our children cross the threshold into adolescence, our desire to protect them remains the same. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing—teens still need our support and guidance, after all—but you’ll need to be prepared to let go of some of the control you’re used to. Taking measured risks and confronting ...
More often than not, parents live hectic and complicated lives. Naturally, because we’re already overburdened by complexity, easy answers can seem very appealing. This is especially true when it comes to understanding child development: Parents are often drawn to popular child-rearing strategies that focus on just one aspect of development. These theories generally state that by understanding a specific ...
Certain forms of treatment are standard for most children with Autism. Speech/language therapy, counselling (for higher-functioning children), occupational therapy, and interventions aimed at improving social skills are used to help Autistic kids develop the abilities they’ll need to thrive as adults. Beyond that, however, parents are often presented with numerous optional treatments to choose from. These treatments generally ...
Though positive feelings play a big role in how we learn—providing a sense of reward and satisfaction—the importance of negative emotions shouldn’t be overlooked. Uncomfortable feelings often teach children essential lessons, and learning to manage these emotions early on can create the foundation for lifelong stability and success. Processing and contextualizing negative emotions helps kids become more ...
As a psychologist living and working in Toronto, where 51% of residents were born outside Canada, I deal with immigration related ...
Sometimes classroom behavior problems signal giftedness. Brad and Karen were at their wits end. Their grade school children once again ...
With climate change becoming an increasingly common theme in politics, news, and even entertainment, it’s no wonder more young ...
Child anger issues in ADHD can be very challenging for parents. Children with ADHD often struggle with emotional dysregulation, leading to frequent and intense anger outbursts or "rage attacks." Understanding the root causes of ADHD and anger in children is essential for parents learning how to deal with an angry ADHD child. The impulsivity and poor emotional control associated with ...
Most parents know that imaginary friends aren’t usually a cause for concern. These figments of a child’s imagination are a normal part of development, generally occurring between the ages of 2-6. Your child’s imaginary friend may remain a part of his life for just a few months or several years, but he (or she) will fade away ...
Many parents are reluctant to set limits because they don’t want to upset their children or incite power struggles. However, not establishing clear boundaries is proven to create emotional difficulties for children and make them more challenging to parent. Kids need limits to help them learn how to self-regulate. Without rules, they have no framework for coping with intense ...
Watching your child discover his (or her) traits, skills, and preferences is one of the most rewarding parts of being a parent. As your child learns and grows, you have a unique opportunity to experience the world with a fresh perspective and challenge long-held assumptions and beliefs. Nowhere is this more truthful than when learning about your teen’s gender ...
