Focus on EQ: Gratitude, Optimism, and Technology. In this holiday season, thoughts naturally turn to expressions of gratitude. Gratitude, it turns out, is one idea that’s also part of a larger movement called Positive Psychology, whose practitioners study health promoting...
When we think about supporting our children through the challenges of Autism Spectrum Disorder, getting the family pet to help is not at the forefront of our minds. However, more and more research is slowly proving that your canine family...
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...
[caption id="attachment_651" align="alignright" width="447" caption="Racially offensive costumes are more than a "trick" this Halloween"][/caption] Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, an opinion that I know I share with many children and teens. There is just something magical about the...
Some children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder have difficulty in communicating verbally. As the parent, teacher or care-giver you may have an incredibly full day of communicating with your child, and we naturally develop ways of communicating which may sometimes eradicate...
On October 23rd, 60 Minutes produced a segment outlining the huge strides many autistic children are taking by using Apple's iPad to communicate and learn. The easy-to-use touch and swipe screen is opening up a new world that so many...
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...
Most of you probably know that two weeks ago a 14-year-old boy who lived outside of Buffalo, NY named Jamey Rodemeyer killed himself. In his final act, Jamey, an openly bisexual teen, joined a long list of LGBT teens who...
How many times have you seen children fighting over a favored toy or game, refusing to let the other play with it? Sharing is not something that comes naturally to children from the outset. In the animal kingdom, to share...
Now that the new school year is in full swing, the mounting pressure of yearly goals and curriculum objectives are falling upon us. As educators in the 21st century, we represent a unique place in history, having to merge both...
