A depressed child does not make a sound and is often overlooked by others. They might believe they are “no good” or “can’t do anything right.” They may feel hopeless or guilty over and above what is normal. They may also appear sleepy or irritable and are more likely to be sick or complain of stomachaches or headaches. Although a depressed child typically does not cause too much trouble, their grades can be poor.

What Happens When Kids Are Sleeping?

The parents start slowly closing the bedroom door and say, “Good night. Have sweet dreams” to their children. A little while later they look into the bedroom and see both of their children looking peaceful and sleeping soundly. While most parents know that their children need to get a good night’s rest, they may not…

Talking to Teens About Substance Use

“Go ahead, it just relaxes you and makes everything seem alright” said the teen as he passed the joint to another teen. The other teen looked at the joint reluctantly and then said, “I would, but my parents would totally freak out. You don’t understand how dead I would be if they ever found out.”…

Teasing and Bullying in Grade School

The mother had a sense something was wrong when her second grader came home from school and threw his backpack angrily into a corner. She gently encouraged him to tell her what was wrong. Her son said, “Billy said I was the slowest kid in class in getting my math done even though I am…

Just a Little More Sleep for Teens

The alarm on the teen’s phone has gone off four times already. His mother has yelled down the hallway twice for him to get up and get ready for school. Yet the teen remains in bed, trying to squeeze in a couple more minutes of shut eye. Many parents wonder what happened to that bright-eyed…