It’s a common frustration for parents when they discover their child has lied. Children often lie for various reasons—whether to avoid punishment, gain attention, or due to their vivid imagination. While this behavior is a normal part of growing up, understanding the underlying motives can help parents respond in the most supportive way. Recognizing why children lie provides insight into their feelings and needs. For example, a child might fib about finishing their homework to avoid parental nagging. By understanding READ MORE
Category: Children
REWARD CHARTS FOR POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT: WHAT NOT TO DO
Imagine your child lighting up with pride as they place a sticker on their reward chart, feeling recognized for a job well done. Reward charts, sometimes called behavior charts, can be fantastic tools for reinforcing positive behaviors in children. When used effectively, these charts help children build habits like tidying up, following routines, or practicing kindness. However, without careful planning, they can lead to frustration for both caregivers and kids, sometimes undermining the very behaviors they’re meant to encourage. This READ MORE
UNDERSTANDING CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT ANXIETY: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS
Anxiety is a natural part of life and, in small doses, is helpful. However, when anxiety becomes excessive and persistent, it can significantly impact a child or adolescent’s well-being and daily functioning. As a parent, being aware of the various types of anxiety disorders and their developmental risk factors is crucial in recognizing and supporting your child’s mental health. Separation Anxiety Disorder Commonly observed in younger children, separation anxiety involves intense fear or worry about being away from familiar surroundings, READ MORE
BUILDING RESILIENCE IN CHILDREN: 3 WAYS OF NURTURING STRENGTH THROUGH ADVERSITY
Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, is a crucial trait that empowers children to navigate life’s challenges with fortitude and adaptability. It equips them with the tools to cope with setbacks, grow from experiences, and thrive in the face of adversity. Cultivating resilience in children involves fostering independence, coping skills, and a healthy mindset. It also reduces the risk of developping anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. Overprotective types of parenting However, contemporary parenting trends have seen READ MORE
EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS DEMYSTIFIED: STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE ORGANIZATION, TASK COMPLETION, AND MORE
Imagine your brain as an orchestra, and the executive functions as the conductor sitting at the very front of the brain (behind your forehead). Just as a conductor directs and coordinates every musician in an orchestra to play harmoniously together, your executive functions oversee and manage various mental processes in your brain.
HOW OUR MINDS FILTER INFORMATION: UNDERSTANDING INATTENTION
Imagine that your brain’s capacity to pay attention is like a camping headlight. When you’re focused, that headlight shines bright on what you’re doing. But for some people, this headlight flickers or doesn’t stay on one thing for long. In other words, inattention is difficulty keeping that mental headlight steady and on the task at hand. Inattention can also be conceptualized as a filter problem. You brain needs to ignore and suppress thousands of pieces of information (called stimuli) throughout READ MORE
PERFECTIONISM: SIGNS, RISKS, & STRATEGIES TO COPE
“I’m not a perfectionist. If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” – Margaret Atwood We can all agree that issues like depression or anxiety are problematic. But perfection is trickier—mainly because so many people seem to achieve it all around us every day. If you’re like most people, you spend hours each day scrolling through curated snapshots of people’s most perfectly curated moments. It makes you wonder: perfectionist tendencies can’t really be so terrible for you, READ MORE
BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AFTER-SCHOOL MELTDOWNS
All you need to know about after-school restraint collapse! It’s 3:30 p.m. Your child(ren) or teen(s) are coming off the bus or being picked up at school. Although your child or teen is usually all smiles and laughs, they look sullen or downcast. They ignore you. Within minutes of getting home, the peace is shattered by crying, screaming, and fighting. What is after-school restraint collapse? After a long day of learning, it’s only natural for kids and teens to want READ MORE
WORRIED ABOUT JEALOUSY TOWARDS THE NEW BABY? A GUIDE TO PREPARING YOUR TODDLER FOR A NEW SIBLING
Expecting a second (or third, or fourth!) baby? Congrats! Here are a few tips on how to prepare and manage your eldest’s jealousy. You are excited about the new life growing inside your belly, but also a bit apprehensive. How will my eldest react? Will they play together? Will my oldest feel neglected during the first few months? Will they get jealous? Sibling jealousy is a common concern. Let’s discuss what steps you can take for the transition to be READ MORE
TROUBLESHOOTING POTTY TRAINING ISSUES: 5 COMMON PROBLEMS AND HOW TO ADDRESS THEM
Potty training can be very easy but only if your child is ready! Children differ in how fast they walk and talk and same goes for potty training. Some children are ready to potty train earlier than others; some can be potty trained before 2 years of age some after 4. When children are ready and parents are consistent, most children can be daytime potty trained within a week or two. For other children, it can take longer. In this READ MORE
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