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How To Help Your Teen Cope With Back-to-School Stress

It’s almost fall, which means store shelves are stocked with low-priced notebooks and markers and glue, et al. Soon the familiar brake hiss of school buses will be heard in neighborhoods across the country as kids head back to school.While some kids begrudge alarm clocks and mountains of homework, they still look forward to school; to enjoying friendships and new...[ read more ]

The Mental Health Dangers of an Over-Stuffed School Schedule

For their children to succeed as adults, many parents think they’ve got to be involved in numerous extracurricular activities. Perhaps we believe this abundance of activities will foster a sense of pride and accomplishment. But is this excessive involvement in activities doing more harm than good?According to a study published in the journal “Sport, Education, and Society,” the social demands...[ read more ]

5 Ways to Cope with Anxiety as a Parent

The hard work and unpredictability that makes parenting so rewarding can also cause a great deal of anxiety. Here are some simple ways to bring yourself to a place of calm.Make a To-Do ListRuminating on worries can cause lots of stress. Clear your mind by making a to-do list. Put down everything that needs to be done into your phone...[ read more ]

How to Help Your Child Balance School and Extracurricular Activities

There was a time when young kids went to school, came home and did a little homework, then went outside to play with their friends. Their schedules were open and easy for them to handle.Nowadays, more and more young kids are involved in so many activities they don’t seem to have time to play in the backyard. On top of...[ read more ]

How to Have More Fun with Your Kids

It seems that today’s parents are expected to do everything perfectly. They’re expected to make healthy meals, help with homework – which often requires exceptional math skills -schedule play dates, drive carpools, and show up to every game, recital and parent-teacher conference showered and jovial. Oh, and they must also save up just the right amount for college tuition for...[ read more ]

Don’t Get Mad, Get Involved: Helping Your Child with Class Behavioral Issues

No parent likes hearing that their child is acting out in class. At first, most of us want to blame ourselves and figure out what we’ve done wrong. When we come up empty, we tend to put the blame on our child, and sometimes we even get angry.The truth is, parents do the best they can and so do their...[ read more ]

Parenting the Highly Sensitive Child

If your child is sensitive to the emotions of others, worrisome and easily overwhelmed by changes or new people and environments, you may have a highly sensitive child. Parenting can be demanding, and parenting a highly sensitive child can present additional challenges. However, with a few simple strategies, you can better manage everyday problems and create a more peaceful home...[ read more ]

More Than a Twitch: Signs Your Child Might Have Tic Disorder

Many children have their own unique methods of coping with the stresses of life. Come to think of it, many adults have their own coping strategies as well. Unlike adults, who often turn to things like alcohol and drugs to cope with stressful situations, children often use their body to self-soothe. Sometimes these motions are intentional, like rocking back and...[ read more ]

What’s the Difference Between Tic Disorder and Tourette Syndrome?

Many people confuse a tic disorder with Tourette syndrome. While both have a connection to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and while treating OCD can have a profound effect on symptoms of tic and Tourette’s, each disorder has its own unique set of symptoms and treatment modalities.Diagnosing TicsTics are sudden repetitive twitches, movements or sounds that happen relatively involuntarily. I say...[ read more ]

Do Fidget Spinners Actually Help ADHD?

They are beloved by children everywhere and a thorn in the paw of many teachers and parents. Fidget spinners have been flying off store shelves in recent years, touted as a gadget that can help reduce anxiety and treat symptoms of ADHD in young children. But are fidget spinners everything they’re cracked up to be?So do fidget spinners really offer...[ read more ]


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