A relationship with a stepchild can be tricky, scary and infuriating. It can also be joyful, interesting and extremely fulfilling. I know because I’m a stepparent of two boys.
So here are some tips that can help you navigate being a stepparent and part of a blended family. Read more ›
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults in the United States. In-person bullying is known to raise the risk of thoughts of suicide and attempts for both victims and perpetrators. Read more ›
The death of a grandmother can have severe and lasting mental health consequences for both her adult children and grandchildren, according to our recently published study.
This finding may be surprising, because the death of a grandparent is a normal, even anticipated, part of life. Yet the effects are profound. Read more ›
With gun violence, war and other tragedies in the news, children are often exposed to scary images and information. Read more ›
In other words, what can they do to protect their mental health? Experts suggest that parents and teenagers take proactive steps now to help plan for and preserve mental well-being during the big transition to college. Read more ›
Talking with your baby or toddler can help their language and communication development. The more you talk with your baby or toddler, the better.
This is because parents who talk a lot to their young children use many different sounds and words. When children hear a lot of words and many different words, it improves their understanding of language. It also increases the number and variety of words that they understand and use. Read more ›
A good kindergarten experience sets kids up for success in school and into adulthood. Students in smaller kindergarten classes are more likely to go to college than students from larger classes. And by age 27, students who had more experienced kindergarten teachers were earning more money than their peers who had less-experienced teachers in kindergarten. Read more ›
As pressure to raise scores on standardized tests has trickled down to the lower grades, kindergarten and even pre-kindergarten classrooms have focused more on academic skills. But debating whether a kindergarten or preschool classroom should be play-based or academic is the wrong question, experts say. Read more ›
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a hearing problem characterized by deficits in how the brain processes auditory input. Children with APD struggle to make sense of what they hear — a symptom that is easily mistaken for other conditions and learning disabilities. This overview of APD clarifies common misconceptions and offers targeted strategies of support. Read more ›
Nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD), also known as nonverbal learning disability, is a neurological condition which typically emerges during childhood but can persist through adulthood. It is marked by one or more of a set of cognitive, and sometimes social, difficulties experienced by children of otherwise average or superior intelligence, such as visual-spatial struggles and motor-skill deficits. Some people diagnosed with NVLD also have trouble comprehending nonverbal information such as body language and facial expressions. Read more ›
