Think back to March 2020. Schools shut down, offices closed, restaurants providing to-go orders only, activities and parties canceled, and social isolation. Since then, we have found ourselves transitioning to a new normal. Virtual school and appointments, tons of hand sanitizer and Lysol spray, face masks, and continued social isolation. I never thought we would ever become used to our new way of life, but it has started to become comfortable to most people and many children.
Read MoreLearning about the lizard brain can help you and the child in your life deescalate during heated moments. As parents, caregivers, and teachers we can wonder why children have a difficult time managing emotions. However, we often forget that they need to be taught. Just as we have taught them to brush their teeth, ride a bike, and conquer new math problems, we also have to teach them strategies to sit with their emotions and use coping strategies when possible.
Read MoreSince life changed in March, you may have noticed your child having more potty accidents, thumb sucking, or drinking from a bottle when your child has not done these things in years. Your child may also have more tantrums and appear clingy as well. It can feel confusing as a parent as to why this is happening and what to do about it.
Read MoreBibliotherapy is a creative art therapeutic approach that uses literature to aid in the therapy process. Children’s books can be an excellent clinical tool to support children’s exploration and understanding of their world and life experiences. This is a great tool I often give to parents in order to continue the therapeutic work outside of the office.
Read MoreThis message is for anyone that interacts with little ones, not just parents. Teachers, principals, babysitters, coaches, aunts, uncles, mentors of any kind, I am talking to you. Kids are always watching and judging your behaviors. They look to you for personal acceptance and guidance on how to treat others. They need you to validate their confusing experience and help regulate their scared and anxious emotions. When it comes to race, do not wait for kids to bring it up.
Read MoreDuring this time, you may notice an increase in tantrums, yelling and fighting between siblings. Changing the way we view behavior is an important step in positive parenting. Children use behavior to communicate when they cannot articulate what they are feeling. As parents, we can often find ourselves using language such as “you’re being good” or “stop being bad”.
Read MoreI want to let every parent know that these times are hard and to be okay if your day doesn’t go smoothly. Kids are bored, parents are overwhelmed, and everyone is stressed. I wanted to create a list of things to do with your children to help ease some of the stress, but please know it’s okay if you just make it through the day with love, screen time, and survival.
Read MoreChances are your children have heard about the coronavirus somehow, whether they overheard it on the news, they heard about it from other children, or they overheard adults talking about it. When adults present anxiety about the coronavirus, children will definitely pick up on the anxiety.
Read MoreDid you know that children start learning social skills from the time they are born? They learn to interact with their caregivers with eye contact or facial expressions. Children will continue to learn age appropriate social skills as they grow and develop, however; if a child is diagnosed with anxiety, ADHD, or autism for example, this can be more challenging to develop on their own.
Read MoreWe have said it over and over again: the holidays can feel stressful. The holidays can especially feel stressful when you have a child/ren who become overwhelmed easily, have sensory issues, and/or have issues with regulation. Not to worry! I am here to share tips on how to navigate these meltdowns.
Read MoreRecently, a lot of parents have shared with me that they feel they should be a “do as I say, because I said so” parent, also known as an authoritarian parent. This is what parents often turn to because they were raised like this, and it might feel like it is the only way to maintain authority.
Read Morenoticed a few years ago that a bit of tension stays with me on Sundays. I might be a bit shorter in my responses with my husband, feel a bit more tension in my body, or a bit of dread in my body. It’s funny that I feel this way every Sunday because I love my job. I created my job, and I’m my own boss, but even I am susceptible to Sunday Scaries.
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