For many parents, trying to assess the ways in which media violence may affect their children leads to a great deal of worry and confusion. Caught between alarmist headlines and the assuaging claims sent out by big media to counteract them, then inundated with conflicting evidence, parents have discovered that there seems to be no easy answer to the question, “...
Strong-willed children are often maligned owing to how difficult they are for parents and other authority figures to manage; frequently labelled as disruptive, unruly, or “difficult,” these children also typically possess a range of untapped gifts. When appropriately nurtured, these spirited young people often grow up to be great leaders and visionaries—possessing a great deal of creativity, passion, and ...
Most conventional parenting literature is oriented towards parenting extroverted children; it typically highlights the value of spending a great deal of time interacting with one's children and encouraging them to go out into the world, make friends, and explore. But, what if your child doesn't seem particularly interested in these outgoing pursuits? What if she is perfectly content to spend ...
Contrary to popular belief, a child's ability (or inability) to concentrate is not a static, immutable quality; while it's true that some children are born with better concentration skills than others, all children can be taught strategies and techniques to effectively improve their ability to concentrate. Mastering the art of concentration has far-reaching benefits for children; not only is proper ...
As children grow older, their behaviours change dramatically. While a hysterical tantrum over something minor is completely normal at two ...
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 ...
“We are all gifted and we are all disabled.” These were the remarks of a developmental psychologist who I heard speak at a workshop. What a powerful reminder that as part of the human condition, we are each blessed with unique gifts, abilities and talents, and we each experience our own challenges in navigating life. What does this mean for ...
Parents naturally want the best for their children, and as such, they often hope their children will have and do those things that were denied to them in their own childhood. If, for example, a parent dreamed of becoming an artist when younger but was steered away from it, he might do everything in his power to support his child's ...
Adolescence radically reshapes the parent-child dynamic, and in doing so, profoundly changes the way in which parents and children communicate. A child who was once open may become sullen or combative when asked to share her feelings; a child who was formerly outgoing may become quiet and withdrawn; a once easy-going youngster may stubbornly insist that she is "fine" while ...
Though much attention has been paid to the harmful effects of physically disciplining children, until recently relatively little research had been done into the psychological impact of yelling. Many people - experts and parents alike - were therefore surprised when a recent study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh and published in the Journal of Child Psychology revealed that harsh ...
