Talking to Children about Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers
High profile acts of violence, particularly in schools, can confuse and frighten children who may feel in danger or worry that their friends or loved-ones are at risk. They will look to adults for information and guidance on how to react. Parents and school personnel can help children feel safe by establishing a sense of normalcy and security and talking with them about their fears. 1. Reassure children that they are safe. Emphasize that schools are very safe. Validate their
"I'm Tired of Having ADHD": My Son's Surprise Confession
When my son was diagnosed with ADHD at age 6, I was almost relieved. It confirmed what my husband and I had suspected all along, and pushed us to finally address his issues. My son had the opposite reaction when I told him. He burst into tears and cried, “I don’t want that! I don’t want that!” I was heartbroken. But that was the first and last time during his childhood that he ever shared his feelings about having ADHD. He started medication early on, which made a huge differ
Hands-On Activity to Identify Your Child's Strengths
[To download and participate in the activity, click here.] When your child has learning and attention issues, you may sometimes be so focused on what your child needs to improve that it can be hard to see his strengths. Here’s a cool—and crafty!—way to identify your child’s many strengths and connect them in a paper chain, or a “strengths chain.” Click on the above link to download and print the set of worksheets. Do this activity with your child to see his strengths and how
My Sister has Down Syndrome and It's OK with Me
I was playing at church after a service when mom said, “Ellie, could you play with your sister? She really wants you to watch her sing on stage.” I groaned. To be honest, even though my sister, Nichole, is cute when she sings, it can also be kind of boring to watch her perform because she can go on forever. My family and I don’t understand my sister’s words sometimes because she has Down syndrome. She can’t talk as well as other kids do. When she puts too many words together,
Middle School can be Brutal, Especially for my Autistic Son
Hallways lined with rows and rows of colorfully painted lockers. I never knew that something like this would strike such panic and anxiety in my Mama Bear heart. When I was in middle school, those were some of the best years of my life. My biggest worries were how many Pound Puppies I could collect, or how big I could tease my bangs for my school pictures. I played clarinet in the band, ate French fries almost every day, and folded notes into tiny origami projects before pass
My Child Isn't Giving Me a Hard Time - He's *Having* a Hard Time
This insight, for me, has been a mindset shift that has made a big difference in how I respond and help my child. We were so close to getting out the door on time and for once I felt like maybe, just maybe we would bypass the morning meltdown. I decided not to fight the clothing battle. I prepared snacks that gained my son’s approval. I even remained calm when he spilled the milk all over the table, inches from where my phone was lying — no use crying over spilled milk, right
A Pediatrician's Viral Post will Bring You to Tears and Inspire You to be a Better Person
We could learn a lot from these kids. Pediatrician Alastair McAlpine gave some of his terminal patients an assignment. What they told him can inspire us all. "Kids can be so wise, y'know," the Cape Town doctor and ultra-marathon enthusiast posted to his Twitter account. He asked the young patients, short on time, about the things that really mattered to them. What followed was a string of life advice that'll make you want to be a better person, no matter how old you are. - -
Children Can be Anxious, Too: Tips for Consciously Parenting Little Worriers
I recently had the honor of sitting down for a chat with Dr. Shefali Tsabary, pioneer of the conscious parenting movement. Conscious parenting is based on the idea that children have the power to spark a transformation so deep within a parent that we begin to learn and grow alongside them. In other words, raising children is also very much about raising ourselves as parents. I asked for her insight on raising anxious children through the lens of conscious parenting.I asked fo
