Childswork-Childsplay Blog

Teens are an incredibly stressed lot. They tell me so on surveys after school assemblies and in stress management workshops I conduct. When asked how many of them go to bed at night and lay a busy, worried and anxious...

Once there were three little girls, Kathy, Lilly and Susan. They were all new to my school in the seventh grade and had come from different schools. But in eighth grade, when they were together, they turned themselves into a...

Cultivating.....according to the dictionary, it’s trying to acquire or develop something, like a quality or a new skill. What do you cultivate?  While I admit it’s not my favorite thing to do, sometimes I do cultivate my garden. I spend...

Low self-esteem and a lack of confidence is something that most of us associate with growing up and entering the world of adulthood. However, these issues are just as pertinent for children, and a child with low self-esteem can have...

In September, I was intrigued during a workshop with teens to hear that a lack of consistency after parental divorce had led a number of teens and their peers to start using pot and to start drinking. I conducted this...

In general, adolescents do not know when they are experiencing grief. Nor do they have the innate skills to handle grief. Through my experience working with teens, I've found that many families do not discuss loss or grief; processing grief...

Focus on EQ: What is Social Emotional Learning?  As we start the new school year, it’s worth asking ourselves, “what are the most important skills we want our students to gain? What do we hope they will be able to...

Ever ask a middle or high school teacher if he/she has had their students journal for a week, a month or longer? You are likely to hear how it improved student-teacher connection, classroom rapport, and a teacher’s appreciation of his/her...

My daughter will turn 1 next month and is currently experiencing a terrible bout of separation anxiety. It’s a stressful phase for all of us, and one made worse by her blood curdling screams, but a phase nonetheless. Like all...

The middle school years are an important time to teach empathy, and compassion. Pre-teens have the full range of feelings while still willing to acknowledge and communicate about them. How We Learn to Hide, Deny And Suppress Feelings This awareness...

The Art of Storytelling When you cast your mind back to your childhood, what are some of the most enduring memories you have? The majority of us look back and remember the things that made us smile, feel secure, or...

It is about the time of year when parents start to think about their children going back to school. Many parents look forward to getting their kids back to a routine, but some parents view this transition as a time...