The first step in starting a conversation is to choose a good time. It’s really important to make space to be together without an agenda or pressure. Conversation tends to flow best when it naturally occurs. Read more ›
As Snapchat and Instagram draw criticism for safety and mental health concerns, some young people are opting for a different way to keep in touch. Photo “widgets” LiveIn and Locket are grabbing attention for their fuss-free photo sharing — just snap a photo and it pops up in a tiny window on your friend’s home screen. Read more ›
We often talk about building self-awareness in our kids, but what about in ourselves, as parents and caregivers?
The better we understand our own complexities, the more wholeheartedly we can show up for our children. In fact, research shows that when a parent understands themselves better, the child has better overall life outcomes. Read more ›
Regulating our emotions is at the heart of our ability to parent the way we’d like. It’s just so easy to get hijacked by our emotions and find ourselves already ten steps down the low road. Read more ›
In any moment as parents, we can choose to react or let it go. Putting space between you and your reaction allows you to respond with kindness—both to your children, and to other parents. Read more ›
For parents, being self-aware is key for connecting to their kids. When parents aren’t self-aware, they might get caught up in their own emotions instead of being present with their children. They also might not recognize that they’re unconsciously repeating the patterns of their own childhoods in their parenting today. Read more ›
In 2018, Isabelle Roskam, PhD, and her colleagues developed a measurement called the Parental Burnout Assessment after surveying more than 900 parents they had determined to be experiencing burnout. From these subjects’ testimonies, the researchers extracted four dimensions of parental burnout: exhaustion in one’s parental role, contrast with previous parental self, feelings of being fed up with one’s parental role, and emotional distancing from one’s children. Read more ›
Children often experience a rollercoaster of emotions, even on a good day. But prolonged symptoms of sadness, irritability, short-temper, change in eating or sleeping habits or lost concentration or interest could be signs of depression. How do you know what’s normal and what’s cause for concern? Read more ›
Does your child seem unusually sad, irritable or quiet lately? Such changes in mood could be due to a temporary stress in life. But how do you know if it’s something more? Read more ›
The authors of a new book on puberty had trouble coming up with a name. The guide to growing up, for pre-teens 9 to 13, is written for all kids – girls, boys, nonbinary youth. It’s inclusive of the gender spectrum and the trans experience. Read more ›
