Shyness is often misunderstood because it is not one emotion, but a mixture of fear, tension, apprehension and/or embarrassment. Shy children seem to lack confidence and are self-conscious especially in new surroundings or when they are the center of attention....
It is normal for young children to deny allegations, blame others for their mistakes or make up stories. They find it hard to distinguish fiction from reality. Until the age of six or seven, fantasy is a part of children's...
Children don’t see the world in the same way adults do, and realizing this can make you help their brains develop better. Research published in the National Academics Press found that children register events around them when they affect or appeal to...
Nowadays, children start getting a pretty hefty load of homework beginning in Kindergarten. Children start their elementary school years learning how to write, spell, read, and add/subtract. It is a very exciting time in a child’s life, but it can...
A simple play therapy intervention for children with impulsive behaviors can be played with a traditional deck of playing cards. For years, I thought that everyone knew about this game. I’m sure many of you are familiar. I have been...
One of the biggest challenges for parents is when they have feelings toward their children that feel "wrong." Some parents find it difficult to love a particular child. A parent may “play favorites” in his/her heart, trying desperately to hide...
Golfing last weekend, I once again hit a ball into the water on Hole 8. Because it was on the edge of the pond, I rashly struck the ball with my wedge. While the ball did come out (barely!), I...
Communication-building in the Digital Age can be daunting. Adult communication with adolescents and pre-adolescents can be a challenge. While technology has made staying in touch with youth easier than ever -- with calls, texts and emails at our fingertips --,...
Most of us can remember being influenced through a caring relationship by another person, someone who went from powerful to influential: a teacher who saw a particular strength, a school counselor who nudged effort, or a care-giver who nurtured us during...
Our children have innate strengths that we can cultivate if we are perceptive enough to identify those gifts. Child learning reveals strengths at times when they are distracted with play. With a good-natured child, we delight in the happiness the...
Learning how to stop bullying in school begins with the recognition that it exists, that it is not just ‘what kids do’, and that there are ways to stop bullying. During an interview with Peggy Moss, a nationally known expert...
We will now discuss the topic that no one wants to discuss: Autism and puberty Long before my daughter's hormones began to change I had thoroughly planted myself in denial. Not only would she begin puberty far, far into the...
