It is a common misconception that if someone is cutting themselves, that they are trying to kill themselves. Sometimes when people hurt themselves, they are trying to relieve some sort of emotional pain or tension. When they are experiencing negative and emotional thoughts, they may self-harm to regain a sense of control of their bodies and pain. Some may self-harm...[ read more ]
Divorce isn’t easy for anyone, but children can take it particularly hard. Many children don’t understand what is happening and many more feel the divorce is somehow their fault. Here’s how you can help your child cope:Communicate OpenlyThe divorce should be explained in simple and straightforward terms. If at all possible, both parents should be part of the conversation. Your language...[ read more ]
What makes someone feel they have been born into the wrong body? Gender identity is a prominent topic these days thanks to the transgender movement, yet many people are still uncertain about what causes this issue.What is it, exactly, that determines whether an individual thinks of themselves as “male” or “female” or something else or neither of these two options?...[ read more ]
Have you heard the phrase “helicopter parent?” It describes a mother or father that ‘hovers’ around their child 24/7, overseeing their life to keep them from every potential danger, pitfall and mishap. It looks good on paper, but this kind of parenting forgets one important fact of reality: life happens.Adversity happens to all of us. Those children who engage with adversity...[ read more ]
It's well known that the teen years are the most trying time for parents. It may seem like their rebellion is personal, and that they're determined to make your home life miserable; but in reality, this is a natural process. Your teenager is maturing both physically and emotionally, and their brain is still developing. When their frontal cortex develops in...[ read more ]
Being a parent is the hardest job on the planet. But being a parent of a child with a mental illness can feel unbearable at times.All parents want to do what’s right for their kids, but when your child is sick, either physically or mentally, the desire to “get it right” becomes even more intense.If you are the parent of...[ read more ]
If you are the parent of a teen, there is probably no greater concern you have than his or her safety. Whether heading off to school, or an outing with friends, it is likely you have said it a thousand times, “Be careful!” Parents worry about accidents, Internet predators, and the temptation for teens to be enticed by cigarettes/vaping, alcohol,...[ read more ]
If you are a parent of a child, whether age 4 or 14, you may have wondered and worried about this very issue. It may seem as if your child wants to spend every free minute engaged in the latest and greatest video game. On a rainy day, this may seem like a harmless past-time, but when he or she...[ read more ]
Divorce is painful for everyone involved. If you’re a parent going through a divorce, your biggest worry is probably how the kids will cope and how to make life as easy as possible for them after the divorce. Ending your marriage does not mean you stop parenting your kids. However, things are definitely going to change, which means you and...[ read more ]
After the tragedy at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado in 1999, certainly no one could imagine that over the next 20 years, 200 more school shootings would occur. In the first 79 days of 2018 alone, there were 12 school shootings, compared to 9 over the entire year of 2017. Sadly, school shootings are becoming an epidemic in the...[ read more ]
