The journey of childhood is defined by the transition from a state of complete dependence to one of personal autonomy. To achieve healthy independence, kids need to be taught how to feel comfortable with every aspect of who they are. This is especially important for children with elevated anxiety levels. They must be provided with enough structure to make them ...
For the parents of pre-teens, it can feel as though everything has changed overnight: Their child, once open and trusting, suddenly wants his (or her) own space much of the time. He may also become moody, rebellious, and defiant. He will almost certainly desire an unprecedented amount of freedom. If you find yourself in the aforementioned situation, take heart: As ...
In an ideal world, our children would leap out of bed every day, eager to go to school, do their chores, and complete their homework. Alas, we do not live in an ideal world; the vast majority of parents have to deal with at least some degree of unmotivated behaviour from their children. There is, however, a silver lining to ...
Most parents are consistently seeking to strike a balance where discipline is concerned. They don’t want to be too lenient and raise a child who has no sense of consequence or boundaries. On the other hand, they understand that being too harsh tends to incite rebellion. Unfortunately, there is no rule-book that tells parents when their children are being ...
Too often, the emotional side of giftedness is overlooked; for all that we laud the intellectual complexity of giftedness, seldom ...
As a psychologist living and working in Toronto, where 51% of residents were born outside Canada, I deal with immigration related ...
With climate change becoming an increasingly common theme in politics, news, and even entertainment, it’s no wonder more young ...
Having a sense of fairness is a great virtue and a sign that your child has a strong moral compass. Sometimes, however, kids become obsessed with fairness to an unrealistic degree. Toddlers, gifted children, and children with ADHD are especially prone to this kind of behaviour. When left unchecked, a deep preoccupation with fairness can lead to excessive tantrums, arguments ...
No matter how well you think you’ve prepared yourself for parenting, moments will arise that stress you to your breaking point. You will inevitably react unfavourably at times and make mistakes. The good news is that this is usually nothing an apology, explanation, and change of course can’t fix. The bad news is that if these short-sighted responses ...
Children today are growing up under immense pressure thanks to the competitive intensity of social media. Older children and teenagers especially spend a lot of time comparing their lives to the lives of others, inevitably deciding that other people have some intrinsic quality they lack. They see other young adults leading “perfect” lives and decide they’re not smart enough ...
At some point, every parent has to deal with disrespectful behaviour from his or her child. Whether it’s something as minor as ignoring your requests or as upsetting as a string of curses and insults, your child will sometimes express himself in unproductive ways. When this happens, first and foremost you must understand that you’re not alone and ...
