In the wake of these events, individuals of all ages have been left with a growing sense of uneasiness. And while politics are often considered “adult matters,” the reality is that children often experience even more confusion and fear around what they don’t understand. While you cannot completely shield your kids from the ugliness of the world, you can help them to process these events and restore their confidence that they are safe....
Overview All is not lost—and you’re not alone in this very common, age appropriate struggle. You just may need to rediscover or reinvent how to talk to your teen. In fact, studies show that many parents lack these needed skills and not offered much guidance in how to bridge the rapidly expanding dialogue gap. While it might be hard to always see them, trust that your silly, smart, caring, communicative, sweet kid, who used to think hanging out and chatting with you was a treat, is still in there....
Bullying is an abuse of power and has significant consequences. There is nothing healthy about bullying. In fact, there are some distinct differences between bullying and conflict. Being able to identify these differences is important for knowing how to respond. Characteristics of Peer Conflict There are several ways to identify peer conflict. When a conflict occurs, everyone involved has equal power in the relationship. Both individuals might be emotional and upset, but neither is seeking control or attention....
Letting your children know about your plans in a loving manner can help ease their acceptance of this next step. When done successfully, you can assist them in processing their emotions about the new marriage and the changes it may mean for their home life, says Michael Whitehead, PhD, LMFT, a marriage and family therapist in Twin Falls, Idaho. Of course, the approach you take will vary based on many factors, particularly the relationship your children have with you and your partner....
Examples of Chaining for All Learning Chaining is used in a huge range of situations, both for children and adults. While it’s thought of as a tool for teaching people with special needs, it’s actually a well-known way to teach just about any task to any person. Chaining is particularly useful for tasks that have multiple discrete elements that must be followed in a specific sequence. Imagine trying to teach someone how to scramble an egg....
A chilly nursery can make your baby fussy and bring their body temperature too low. Meanwhile, an overheated bedroom may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), especially if your baby is sleeping in warm clothes or over bundled. Ideally, your baby’s room should be between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Why Baby Room Temperature Is Important Regulating the temperature of your baby’s room is an important step in the prevention of SIDS and ensuring that your baby sleeps safely....
Before you pass too much judgment on that parent, however, take into consideration the potential benefits (or consequences) of children regularly going shoeless. The Barefoot vs. Shoe Debate As you might expect, there’s quite a bit of debate out there about whether it’s best for feet (children’s or adult’s) to be protected in a pair of shoes or let them go naked. A few years back, minimalist shoe brand Vibrams made a splash with its FiveFinger running shoes that claimed to mimic running barefoot, while also providing myriad health benefits for the body....
“This is the first time that the task force has put forth a recommendation about anxiety screening in young people,” says Martha Kubik, PhD, RN, a member of the task force and a professor in the School of Nursing in the College of Health and Human Services at George Mason University. She says there was strong evidence for anxiety screenings in children even without symptoms. There was also substantial evidence anxiety can be successfully treated in young people, once it’s identified....
Some other kids just dread going to school. For these kids, going to school may become so stressful that they throw temper tantrums over going to school or complain of symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, or chest pain. Why Kids Refuse School For some kids, there is an easily identifiable trigger for school refusal, such as being bullied, experiencing a death in the family, or moving to a new neighborhood....
Are you looking for a name that is both strong and mysterious? Or what about something fantastical or quirky? Perhaps you’d like to capture some whimsy with the names of mythical creatures, mystical flowers, or energy-giving gemstones. For some baby name inspiration, we turned to the tales of folklore and mythology, nature and pop-culture. From your favorite witches and wizards, warlocks and dragons, to present-day illusionists and magicians of the past, there are so many wondrous and enchanting names to choose from....
A recent study by Elevance Health Public Policy Institute showed the impact this change in policy has on maternal outcomes in New York, California, and Florida. The study showed doula use reduced inpatient hospital admissions during pregnancy by 8%, lowered the odds of Cesarean delivery by 8%, lowered overall prenatal and birthing costs by $1675, and reduced the likelihood of having babies with low birth rates by 4%. The Benefits of Using a Doula Traditionally by definition, a doula is a non-clinical health professional trained specifically to provide educational, physical, and emotional support to a birthing person and their partner during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth....
1950s: Adult-centric family structure, where children were part of the family, but not the focus of the family. Adults and children lived parallel lives, with parents interacting with children for discipline and life lessons. Children were sent off to play on their own. 1960s: A continuation of the 1950s, with a move towards more permissiveness and creativity. As the world began to grow more open-minded, so did parents. 1970s-1980s: As divorce became more common and women entered the workforce, children began to take on more responsibility for their well-being and day-to-day needs....
There are numerous benefits of eating mindfully, especially for children. From staying in tune with their body’s natural hunger cues to connecting with satisfaction and enjoyment, it’s no wonder this approach has boomed in popularity lately. Mindful eating can help foster a healthy relationship with food in kids as well as minimize their risk of disordered eating. What Is Mindful Eating? Many of us have heard the term “mindful eating,” but may not know what it actually means....
You might hear someone call their children “mirror twins,” but the words don’t refer to a scientific category. Most mirror twins actually fall into the category of identical twins. Specifically categorizing multiples is important when considering zygosity, which is their genetic relationship. Twins can either be monozygotic or dizygotic. Identical twins are monozygotic, meaning they came from a single, fertilized egg that split into two and developed into two embryos....
You can blame much of this on a little phenomenon called the fourth trimester. The idea is that the first three months of a baby’s life are like another “trimester” of pregnancy because in many ways newborns are still gestating, even after they are born. What Is the Fourth Trimester? The idea of the fourth trimester is usually attributed to pediatrician and author Harvey Karp, MD, who described the concept in his book, “The Happiest Baby on the Block....
