Usually, at this time of year, we might begin thinking and preparing for our children to return to school. That is the same this year, although so much else is different. This article briefly considers some common concerns regarding returning to school during a global pandemic and provides resources for further exploration. First, we’ll consider [...]
When Americans hear the phrases “human trafficking” or “sex trafficking,” they often imagine this is only a concern in other countries. While international trafficking is a serious issue, domestic human trafficking and the trafficking of Americans into other countries is just as much of a problem. The statistics behind human trafficking are still largely unseen, [...]
When it’s time to refer for an autism screening? Autism awareness has increased substantially in recent years. Most parents, school officials, and other adults that work routinely with children are familiar with the diagnosis, even if they do not completely understand it. There are many benefits to this increased awareness– more effort to [...]
To help raise safety awareness, this article will discuss safety topics and concerns as they apply to children and adolescents. Awareness efforts often focus on ways to reduce unintentional injury. These efforts are important for children as well. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unintentional injury is the leading [...]
What you need to know about PTSD June is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) awareness month. To help raise awareness for PTSD, this article will discuss what PTSD is, associated symptoms, and common evidence-based treatments, with a particular focus on PTSD in children and adolescents. The following symptoms are characteristic of PTSD. Except [...]
Parenting Skills- Part 3 Ways to Talk to Kids That Increase Compliance Welcome back! I hope all readers of this series have been trying these skills and finding some improvements in child behavior by providing more positive attention to desirable behaviors and reducing attention given to undesirable behaviors. The first installment discussed [...]
Parenting Skills-Part 2 How to Reduce Unwanted Behaviors by Removing Attention The first installment of this series discussed the benefits of flipping the balance of the attention we provide our children, trying to provide more positive attention for the desirable behaviors they perform and giving them less attention for the undesirable behaviors [...]
Recently I read a wise quote online, “Your child is not giving you a hard time, your child is having a hard time.” The slightest difference in wording reframes a child’s behavior and emotions completely. Often as parents, it is challenging to remember that more is going on with our children than meets the [...]
Does your child have difficulty following directions? Do they seem to forget daily routines, chores, or expectations? Do they appear to just not pay attention to instructions or to the details of a task? Or, do they forget steps to a task you have taught over and over again? Visual schedules and aids may be [...]
Parenting is a never ending adventure that goes through numerous twist and turns; just when you think you have it down pat some monkey wrench comes flying your way. There is no one size fits all for parenting but the idea of purposeful parenting simplifies it for us. Purposeful parenting goes beyond giving your children [...]
