Caring for and teaching a child or adolescent can be a challenge in the best of times. When times get more difficult, it can be hard to know what to do. MindPsi can provide guidance on how to proceed when confronting these challenges. We cover children and adolescents from cradle to career. In order to accomplish this, we have a range of services that can assist parents in having their children overcome obstacles and become the best that they can be.
We know that problems don’t end in adolescence as adulthood brings on a whole different set of challenges. MindPsi can assist adults in helping to address the problems they are experiencing through a range of services including therapy, testing, and consultation.
In addition, we offer Assessment Services to be able to intervene effectively for those who are struggling with behavioral expectations. For our patient’s convenience and safety, we also offer consultations via Telehealth.
“But Dad, I really want it!” whined the little boy. The tears began to well up as the father told his son that he could not have the toy. The little boy responded by yelling, “You never get me anything I want!” As illustrated above, it is natural for young children to get upset when…
The thought of going back to work after having a baby is a very difficult one for working mothers. One of the major concerns for many mothers is finding appropriate daycare for their baby. The challenge of finding daycare does not stop in infancy as mothers of school-age children have a similar challenge. They need…
Ask children what their families do during the holidays and there are a chorus of answers of favorite holiday traditions. One might talk about how Grandma makes her pinwheel cookies that she only bakes during the holidays. Another might talk about the “Elf on a Shelf”, that comes to visit right after Thanksgiving in order…
The hardwood floor echoed with the sound of the five-year-olds’ feet as he scurried to his parents’ bedroom. He opened the door and went to wake up his mother. “The monsters are going to get me,” he said wide-eyed and trembling. His mother responded, “Hop in bed. There are no monsters here.” The boy quickly…
The excitement becomes palatable as the children head up to their bedrooms waiting for Christmas morning to arrive. Presents can already be seen under the Christmas tree with the promise of more arriving with Santa Claus during the night. As the morning breaks, children clamor out of their beds and wake their parents in order…
It is the end of a long day and a father is just tucking in his son for the night when the son decides it is the perfect time to talk about his day. Recognizing this as a stall tactic, the father cuts off his son and says, “I am sure you had an interesting…
A couple of children are playing together in the living room when their mother decides to do a couple of quick chores in the kitchen. A few minutes into doing the dishes, one child is angry and screaming that his brother took his toy. The other child comes into the kitchen shortly afterward crying because…
“You can contact me whenever you need to and I can call if there are any emergencies or if I need a ride home,” rationalized the girl. Seeing that the approach was not gaining any traction with her parents, the girl switched course to pleading. “Please! All of my friends have one and I will…
There is a feeling of pride that wells up in all parents when they see their children giving something of theirs to another person. It is all the more poignant when children are giving something that they greatly value and reflects a significant sacrifice on their part. Young children are often looking for ways to…
“Everything that I do ends up being bad!” choked out the girl in between sobs. “There, there”, said her mother, “not everything was bad today.” “It was too! Bad things always happen to me”, sobbed the girl. Many parents have had a similar exchange with their children. Most of the time, children are resilient and…
The daffodils are starting to peek out of the ground and there is a sense of an end to a long winter. Spring is finally appearing and it is time for spring cleaning in many households. It is also a great time of year to introduce children to the idea of household chores. Household chores…
“Come on! You know you want to come”, said a boy to his friend. “I don’t know. I haven’t really done something like this before,” said his friend. “You might as well try it as we are already here,” replied the boy. When thinking about peer pressure, the above conversation would seem to be a…
“Are you sure you brushed your teeth?” the father asked his son. His son solemnly nodded. His father said, “Let me smell your breath.” The son obligingly opened his mouth. Finally, the father said, “I need to check and see if your toothbrush is wet.” This type of exchange happens in many households as children…
It had been a bad school year by all accounts for the 3rd grade boy. He had consistently struggled in reading and was getting further behind his classmates. His behavior in the classroom was getting worse as he would yell at the teacher and rip up his work. This resulted in frequently being sent to…
On a recent busy day, a teenage girl had to study for a science exam, turn in a major social studies project, and finish reading a novel in English. In addition, she had two hours of dance team practice, served as a mediator between two of her friends who had been fighting online, and completing…
This episode explores where adolescents and young adults go to seek help for mental health issues and what stops them from pursuing services. We are featuring a journal article titled Where would young people seek help for mental disorders and what stops them? The authors surveyed over 3000 Australians between the ages of 15 to…
It is a Saturday afternoon and the house is quiet except for the flicker of electronic screens as two children are immersed in playing separate video games. If left undisturbed, the children may still be playing several hours later. Many parents are concerned about their children playing video games for so long and the potential…
A girl is furiously dribbling the ball up the court in a middle school girls’ basketball game. A player tries to catch her from behind but instead trips the girl. The girl’s head bounces twice on the floor before coming to rest. The girl just lays on the floor as various adults come rushing to…
This episode focuses on sleep problems in urban, minority early school-aged children. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Sleep problems in urban, minority, early-school-aged children. The authors used 160 mostly Latino parents that lived in urban areas and asked them about the level of sleep problems their 5 to 6 year old…
The warning sound came from the three year old boy that a battle was about to ensue. “Moooom, moooom, I waaant iiiiit!” came out of the little boy’s mouth and sent shivers up his mother’s back. “Oh no,” she thought, “It is starting and he is going to just keep going and going until I…
A mom wakes up her one year old and detects she has a stuffy nose and her forehead feels hot. As the day goes on, the mom notices that her daughter seems to be crankier than usual and does not seem to be hungry. In addition, she is wheezing a bit as she breathes. The…
The mother is concerned when she notices scratches all up and down her teenage daughter’s arm. When asked about them, the daughter said she was wrestling with the cat and was scratched several times. Still, the mother thought the marks were more organized than random scratches. She started becoming concerned there might be more going…
As soon as the air gets a bit of a cold sting, children are preparing for snow. Most are hoping for a lot of snow that allows for school to be cancelled and to be able to go out and have fun sledding, making snowmen, and having snowball fights. Many get so anxious about going…
This episode focuses on how children with emotional problems due academically as they get older. We are featuring a journal article this week titled The relationship between emotional problems and subsequent school attainment. The authors used 26 previous longitudinal studies on children and adolescents to explore the extent that internalizing disorders such as depression and…
Presents have been opened with wrapping paper cast aside in heaps on the floor. Many of the most desired presents kids and teens received this holiday season were gaming systems, iPods, and smart phones. They will quickly become ensconced behind their new screens and devote much of their holiday break in trying to master the…
One of the great responsibilities parents have is to get their children to behave well when out in public. If parents succeed, then their children become well-adjusted adults and society views those parents as having done their job well. If they fail, there is a steep cost for parents where condemnation often comes from the…
This week’s episode looks at home corporal punishment is done in the homes of young children. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Eavesdropping on the family: A pilot investigation of corporal punishment in the home. The authors used audio recorders to monitor 33 mothers with young children during the early evening hours…
Most adults have general routines that they follow which give their day a bit of structure and predictability. For example, a morning routine can consist of turning off the alarm clock, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, getting dressed, and then eating breakfast. The wonderful part of a well-practiced routine is that you don’t…
The boy shouted over to his mother, “Hey Mom! Watch me do this trick.” The boy proceeds to attempt to jump the curb on his skateboard. However, the edge of the skateboard catches the curb and the boy is propelled onto the sidewalk, landing on his knees. When he stands up, his scraped knees are…
This episode focuses on adult psychiatric outcomes of students who were bullies or victims during their school years. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Adult psychiatric outcomes of bullying and being bullied by peers in childhood and adolescence. The authors wanted to see if bullying or being bullied in school translated to…
The mother asked her five year old son, “Pick up the blocks from the hallway. It is time to get ready for lunch.” The little boy shouts, “No! You can’t make me!” He then proceeds to pick up a block and throw it towards his mother. The mother has noticed that her son has been…
After a long school year, children anxiously await the opportunity to do whatever they want to do in that magical time called summer. Summertime is when life slows down a bit and there is no homework and fewer scheduled activities. Summer is the perfect time for play. However, play is often viewed as frivolous and…
The baby was babbling as usual until a precious word escaped his mouth, “Mama.” A baby’s first words are one of the major landmarks that parents remember about their child growing up. Babies typically start uttering their first words around 12 months of age. A baby’s first words represent a new way for the baby…
“I lied to my friend when she asked if I was interested in her boyfriend. In fact, her boyfriend and I have already been out on two dates!” wrote an anonymous teen online. Anonymous confessions and other communication are becoming increasingly common as teenagers are flocking to a range of websites and apps that allow…
This episode reviews previous studies that look at adolescent emotional intelligence and its’ relationship with psychological maladjustment. We are featuring a journal article titled Emotional intelligence and psychological maladjustment in adolescence. The authors reviewed 32 previously published studies to look for relationships between emotional intelligence and various adolescent problems. There are two models of emotional…
The birth of a child is not only a major event for the parents but also for grandparents. The introduction of a new generation of the family can provide a lot of joy for grandparents. It also can mean an increased level of responsibility as over sixty percent of grandparents take on a major caregiver…
After getting home from work, a mother asks her teenage daughter how her day went. Her daughter mumbles about the day going fine. The mother follows-up with a couple of more questions about homework and gets some more vague answers. Since it has been a long day and communication with her daughter doesn’t seem to…
This episode focuses on the status of homeschooled adolescents and their engagement in risky behaviors. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Homeschooled adolescents in the United States. The author noted how public schools have broadened their mission beyond academics to also address risk behaviors such as substance use, delinquency, and socialization problems.…
The mom quickly tosses in a load of laundry while preparing her toddler daughter’s breakfast. After feeding and cleaning up her toddler’s breakfast, the mom engages in a search for the toddler’s pacifier. All the while, the mom’s thinking about all of the chores that need to still be completed around the house. Once the…
A couple of years before, a boy had suffered a severe concussion in a car accident. Fortunately he appeared to recover fully and has been doing fairly well in his schoolwork. However, his parents are beginning to notice that their son is starting to struggle in completing his work and has become more inattentive. His…
This episode focuses on how risk factors for suicide change in high school depending on the adolescent’s grade. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Differences in risk factors for suicide attempts among 9th and 11th grade youth. The authors wanted to find out if the risk factors for suicide attempts change as…
Sally’s teacher pulls her mother aside and says, “I am worried about Sally. She seems to be having difficulty concentrating and never seems to be having fun during any of our class activities. Is everything alright at home?” Sally’s mother has been wondering the same thing about school as Sally seems to get upset at…
“My tummy and head hurts. I don’t think I can go to school. I should probably stay home with you”, plead the little boy to his mother. “Honey, I know you don’t feel good but you need to try to go”, replied his mother. “But my head hurts! It is just pounding! I can’t go…
This episode focuses on the sleep patterns of children with and without autism spectrum disorder. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Sleep patterns in children with and without autism spectrum disorder. The authors were interested in how sleep patterns change as children get older and whether there are distinctive sleep patterns for…
“Stop! It’s mine and you can’t have it!” screamed Tommy. “It is too! Let go!” screamed back his brother Mike. Several muffled smacking sounds come from the bedroom and end with Tommy coming out crying and seeking out his mother. This type of situation plays out in most households between brothers and sisters. Sibling rivalry…
“He has not pooped for three days! I am starting to get really worried”, said the mother to her husband. Her husband replied, “That is a long time. What do you think we should do?” In the meantime, the child is refusing to go near the toilet and complains, “It hurts too much”. A little…
This week’s episode focuses on integrating mindfulness meditation into a social studies curriculum in middle school. We are featuring a journal article this week titled A randomized controlled pilot trial of a classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children. The interest in mindfulness meditation and its’ benefits for school children…
A typical weekday night for families with teenagers usually includes the teen texting friends and going onto various social networking sites like Facebook to connect with friends. These two activities can consume hours and yet many parents and grandparents are not sure if this behavior is typical or if it is something they need to…
The mother could tell it was about to begin. She had just told her two year-old that she could not have a cookie. The two year-old’s face was beginning to turn red. She was starting to open her mouth where a howling, high-pitched screech came out with the words, “I want it!” The girl proceeded…
This School Mental Health Minute episode focuses on how teacher-child relationships in pre-K predict children who will be victimized by classmates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKhbw-L_s4Q&feature=youtu.be We are featuring a journal article this week titled Teacher-child relationship, child withdrawal and aggression in the development of peer victimization. Young children can be targeted by their classmates starting in pre-kindergarten.…
“Jenny is in one of her moods again,” said her mother. “I just wish she would let me know what is bothering her. Every time I try to ask her about what is going on, she just growls and storms up to her room.” The teen years can be a difficult transition from childhood to…
“I only got four hours of sleep last night because I was cramming for the exam today,” said Matt to one of his teenage friends. “Oh yeah, I just got a couple of hours of sleep as I had to study for two exams today,” replied his friend. This type of exchange is common as…
Owwww! The scream of pain can be heard on the other side of the house. It is an all too familiar scream as Johnny has once again pulled his sister’s pigtails. The mother hustles from the living room to give Johnny a spanking while she yells, “how many times does this need to happen before…
Parents and grandparents are all huddled around little Emma as she looks around at all of the attention she has garnered. Finally, she opens her mouth and the word “mama” pops out. All of the adults become excited as Emma says the magic word again. This type of moment is one that all parents patiently…
As the mother rummages through her son’s backpack for his homework and other school letters, she finds a page with tables labeled Mathematics and Reading that is full of numbers. More importantly, her son’s name is at the top along with his elementary school. It certainly looks important and official but what it means is…
The toddler is seen working magic as she presses the screen and squeals in delight as the screen changes. Later, the same toddler can be seen furiously swiping her finger across a magazine and looking fully dismayed that the magazine is not “working” the right way. This is a description of a popular video on…
The mother clenches her teeth, lets out a sigh, and prepares for the homework battle with her son. It has become harder and harder to get him to complete the work he brings home from school. It was bad before because of her son’s difficulty paying attention but he now is so moody that it…
A little five year old boy comes running into the house after playing outside. Face all flush with his exertions and panting, the boy says, “I am so thirsty!” His father reaches into the refrigerator and gets a big blue sports drink and hands it to the boy. This situation is becoming more common in…
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Benjamin Franklin came up with this proverb and most people focus on the final portion regarding death and taxes. What is often missed is the beginning of the proverb which is quite important, particularly when working with children. Uncertainty in the…
It starts off innocently enough as the four month old baby starts having a runny nose, mild cough, and low grade fever. It sounds like a typical cold and one which most parents don’t worry about. Unfortunately, this is not an ordinary cold as the disease goes into the second week and the cough becomes…
Amy turned over the card and was sent back to start. “That’s not fair! Now I am never going to win,” yelled Amy as she grabbed cards and threw them across the room. Amy was last seen running away with tears in her eyes. Amy’s mother followed to go talk to Amy about the reality…
A couple is huddled over a computer looking for information on why their son might be having trouble focusing his attention. They find a website that guarantees immediate results or their money back. The website appears and claims very impressive results, even including positive testimonials from other parents who have used the services for their…
“Do you have any homework tonight?” asked the mother. Her son replied, “None today. The teacher said I had finished everything at school.” The mother has her doubts as this is the third day in a row there hasn’t been any homework. She could try to call her son on it but he will likely…
Tommy is struggling to learn how to read while Sally does not seem to understand how to do math. Tommy and Sally’s parents know their children are struggling but don’t know where to turn to get the help that their children seem to need. What most parents don’t know is that there has been a…
The child’s lip trembles as she realizes that her mother is not coming with her. All of a sudden, the weeks of anticipation of starting kindergarten has become one of fear. One of the major moments in a child’s life is starting kindergarten. Kindergarten represents a major step towards a child’s independence. The experience is…
A father and daughter go out to a restaurant for lunch. They sit down in a booth and both quietly slip out their cell phones and start texting and checking e-mail. This continues until the waitress comes to take their order. Another 20 minutes go by as silence envelops the table. It is not until…
Several 4-year olds are playing in a daycare. All of a sudden, Stevie grabs a toy out of Johnny’s hand. Johnny screams, “That’s mine!” Stevie responds by swinging the toy and hitting Johnny in the arm. Johnny immediately bursts into tears as a daycare provider comes swooping into the fray. The daycare worker quickly figures…
Having just come home from the doctor’s office, mom gives some antibiotics to her sick son. Her son takes the first dose, makes a face, and says, “It tastes awful! I am not taking any more!” The mom promises her son that he can stop taking the medicine just as soon as he is better.…
“How many times have I told you to pay attention? You just seem to space out. No wonder you aren’t doing well in school,” said the mother to her son. The father chimed in, “I don’t understand why you can’t pay attention. You just need to try harder.” The child looks miserable and both parents…
“I am a visual learner” proudly states one student. Another student replies, “I’m an auditory learner.” The process continues through the class as each student describes their “type” of learning style. There is something comfortable about classifying ourselves into a “type”. This happens socially starting in middle school where some students are “popular” and others…
The first nine weeks of school arrives and the report card comes home. Mom opens her child’s report card to find that her little Einstein is failing a class and barely passing a couple of others. When she shows the report to the boy, he says, “My teacher is horrible. She never explains anything and…
The race was a hotly anticipated one of the tortoise versus the hare. The hare looked very good and quite fast. The tortoise looked plain, slow, and generally boring. The hare was the crowd favorite and as soon as the pistol sounded, the hare tore out of the starting gate to develop a large lead…
The family van has been rolling down the highway for the past five hours. Mom and Dad are in the front seat and their two children are in the back seat. By this point in the trip, the kids are starting to get antsy. It starts with a slight poke by the sister quickly followed…
The house is quiet as 7:00am slowly ticks by. Mom is enjoying her morning cup of coffee as the kids continue to sleep in. The summer morning routine is a leisurely affair rather than the stress-filled, anxiety provoking school year routine. As a result, the whole family is more relaxed and the kids are more…
It’s the end of another long summer day. The kids are exhausted after playing outside most of the day and are ready for bed. As they are changing to their pajamas, you notice that one of your precious little ones has a red welt on his chest. Then you notice a couple of more and…
The sun has finally broken through the clouds and it is a gorgeous, sunny day. This is the type of day made for playing outdoors! The kids are quickly putting on their shoes and runing out the door to enjoy the beautiful day. Four hours later, they come back in looking flush with all of…
Janine has been asleep for the past couple of hours when there is a strange buzzing sound that is coming from her night table. Janine wakes up in a fog and habitually reaches for the buzzing object. The adrenaline begins to surge through her body as it recognizes that familiar buzz as the cell phone…
Sammie looks up at his mother and whispers, “I don’t want to do this. What if I fail?” Sammie’s eyes are wide and his lips are trembling. It almost looks like his whole body is shaking. The mother replies, “You have to Sammie, it is your assignment and we have worked too long on this…
As people get older, our interactions with them start to change. We tend to criticize more often and forget to praise the good things that are done. The assumption becomes that everyone should do good and be reminded when they don’t. The research does not bear this out as we need praise at all ages,…
This week’s episode looks at how peer and friend relationships change from childhood to young adulthood based on kindergarten popularity and personality characteristics.
This week’s episode looks at the behavioral functioning of children who have siblings with special health care needs over time.
This week’s episode looks at the behavioral functioning of children who have siblings with special health care needs over time.
This week’s episode focuses on why children with ADHD stop taking their medication.
This week’s episode focuses on high school students who experience bullying and cyberbullying and how it influences suicide attempts.
This week’s episode focuses on the impact of sleep on teen’s positive attitude towards life and their academic achievement.
This week’s article focuses on adolescent girls’ experience of discrimination, how they cope, its’ impact on their self-esteem, and how they use social support.
This week’s study focuses on the factors that increase inattention in students with ADHD compared to other students.
This week’s episode focuses on how parent characteristics can predict how preschool children’s behavior changes over the course of a school year.
This week’s episode looks at whether children who learn to read later tend to catch up with those who learn to read earlier.
This week’s episode focuses on what happens to depressed adolescents as young adults.
This week’s episode explores how middle school students present their academic achievement to their peers and its’ effect on popularity.
This week’s episode focuses on the impact of bullying and cyberbullying on psychological, physical, and academic domains.
This week’s episode focuses on after school programs and activities impact feelings of belonging and cognitive engagement.
This week’s episode focuses on racial and ethnic differences in ADHD diagnosis in elementary school.
This week’s episode focuses on how children’s attachment to their mothers impact their behavior and how later teacher relationships can reverse any negative effects.
This week’s episode looks at how bullying impacted suicidal ideation among middle schoolers.
This week’s episode is focused on how preschoolers’ level of emotion knowledge and self-regulation predict their cognitive ability, classroom behavior, and social competence.
This week’s episode focuses on adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and the characteristics of their friends and activity patterns.
This week’s episode focuses on suicidal behavior of youth who are involved in social and verbal bullying.
This week’s episode focuses on how adolescent relationships change over time in regards to their friends and parents.
This week’s episode focuses on stimulant drug treatment of children with ADHD and its’ impact on their academic progress.
This week’s episode focuses on how children with anxiety or depression are at higher risk of gaining weight and becoming overweight or obese.
This week’s episode focuses on how kindergartner’s executive function and effortful control impact their ability to learn and do well in school.
This week’s episode focuses on how students who worry about going to middle school are more likely to have adjustment issues later on.
This week’s episode focuses on how adolescents experience a sense of belonging and how they disclose information while interacting online.
This week’s episode focuses on how happiness and a positive school experience can feed into each other creating an upward spiral for teens.
This week’s episode looks at how attention-span in preschool influences educational outcomes by age 25.
This week’s episode focuses on the effect that classroom structure has on verbal and physical aggression among classmates.
This week’s episode focuses on the multiple benefits of exercise in the performance of children with ADHD.
This week’s episode focuses on pediatric sleep disorders and the need for special education services later on.
This week’s episode is on where parents go to for advice regarding child discipline.
This week’s episode focuses on the outcome of children with ADHD 33 years later.
This week’s episode focuses on how music and video serve as distractors for boys with ADHD and the effect of medication on their distractibility.
This week’s episode focuses on the effects of anger management training on children’s social and emotional outcomes.
This week’s episode focuses on television, and computer habits of school age children and its impact on their sleep habits.
This week’s episode focuses on how the use of sexually explicit phone messages is related to sexual risk behavior among adolescents.
This week’s episode explores the diagnosis of ADHD and use of medication in children and adolescents.
This week’s episode focuses on whether the whole-school approach to bullying is an effective way to reduce school bullying or if there are specific components that are more effective.
This week’s episode focuses on the effect of having a bad experience on Facebook and how people react with future disclosures about themselves.
This week’s episode focuses on adolescents’ ability to manage their emotions and its’ impact on misconduct at school.
This episode focuses on the impact of anxiety and depression on test anxiety and working memory.
This episode focuses on the lifetime prevalence of mental health disorders in adolescents in the United States.
By Dan Florell, Ph.D. & Praveena Salins, M.D. “Who didn’t put away the cookies?” the mother asked. Four year old Tammy started crying and said, “I did mommy. I am so sorry. It is all my fault. I will never ever do that again! I’m just so stupid!” Tammy’s mother calmed Tammy down and reassured…
Achoo! echoes down the hallway of your house. As a parent, you reflexively grab for a tissue box and expect your little one to come down the hall. As your child comes into view, you can immediately sense that she is not feeling well. This is confirmed when she says, “I feel bad” and is…
By Dan Florell, PhD and Praveena Salins, MD As summer vacation comes to an end it is time to get your children ready for the new school year. We view the beginning of the school year as a perfect chance to make sure your children are ready to learn to their fullest potential. In order…
“Stop that or you will go to timeout! Do you want to go to timeout?” This phrase is often heard coming out of parents’ mouths at home and almost any other place where children can be found. Timeout has gotten into the national vocabulary of parents. In our jobs as a pediatrician and school psychologist,…
Are your child’s tantrums out of control? Does your child have difficulty with routines? Has your child been kicked out of daycare? Does your child always seem to be on the go? Is your child overly aggressive? Does your child have difficulty learning? Is getting homework done a constant struggle? MindPsi provides a range of…
Looking down at her phone, the teenage girl clicked on her Snapchat app to catch up with her friends. Each of her friends was listed in the chat window along with a flame icon and number beside many of them. The girl methodically went down the list and made sure she sent a message to…
The boy’s face started turning beet red and his fists became clinched. He thought how unfair it was that he was not able go out with his friends and instead having to stay home. Rather than calmly discussing the situation, the boy began to scream at his parents. Children frequently struggle in being able to…
The one year old sat with the iPad and watched Sesame Street while his mother quickly finished some household chores before they headed to the park. The mother felt a bit guilty about having her son watch his show. She had heard the recommendation that children under the age of two years old should not…
The piles of wrapping paper have been cleaned up. The leftovers have been put in the refrigerator. The children are off playing with their new toys and gadgets. Finally there is a chance to sit down and let the enormity of another Christmas passing start to sink in. During this brief moment of time, parents…
As the Christmas and holiday season is underway, people start receiving cards from friends and family wishing them well. These letters often include photos of the family and maybe a brief note giving an update on what has been happening over the past year. Unfortunately the tradition of sending cards to friends and family has…
“I am going to give you a marshmallow right now. However, if you can wait until I come back before eating it, I will give you another.” That is the instruction from a classic psychological study referred to as the “marshmallow experiment”. The point of the study was to measure young children’s self-control and see…
“So, how was your day? Anything exciting happen?” asked the mother as she picked up her daughter from school. Her teenage daughter grunted as she got into the car, “Just the usual. Nothing ever happens.” Once the car started moving, the daughter put in her earbuds and started texting with her friends. The mother silently…
The boy’s father glanced up and saw his son dancing around and mouthing words to a song. He thought nothing of it until his son came up to him, holding the family’s iPad. “Look what I made!” the son said as he shoved the iPad in front of his father and pressed the play button.…
“She just dropped all of the glitter on the floor and didn’t put down the paper like you told us,” said the brother to his mother. “Now, what did I tell you about tattling on your sister?” said the mother, “You let me worry about your sister.” The mother, like most parents, is experiencing the…
The sun was shining bright and it lit up the house. The house was alive with activity with the exception of one lone family member who was coming down the stairs. It was 10am and the teenager was just woke up. The teenager’s parents were wondering what had happened over the past year to their…
The exhausted mother picked up her crying three month old infant and started to rock him to get him back to sleep. Once the little boy got back to sleep, the mother laid him down on his side and left him with his favorite blanket. In the morning, the mother found her infant had managed…
The excitement could be felt throughout classrooms as the school year was about to start. Students were excited to be back in school and see many of their friends for the first time since the previous school year. They also were a little nervous and curious as to what their new teachers and classes were…
The mother was concerned about her daughter. She had become anxious and was having trouble falling asleep for the past week. In addition, her daughter had been experiencing nightmares. All of the difficulties seemed to be due to her daughter starting 6th grade and beginning middle school. Anxiety about entering middle school is common as…
“No! No! No! I am not going to do it!” shouted the nine year old boy as he proceeded to start punching the concrete wall with his fist. His father replied, “You need to calm down! Why do you always blow up when I ask you for the simplest thing?” The mother looked to see…
The hare ran furiously towards the finish line as the tortoise had only a few feet left to go. Despite his best efforts and closing rapidly on the tortoise, the hare lost the race. The Aesop fable of the Tortoise and the Hare has been a classic tale told to generations of children. The lessons…
“Do you want to go to timeout?” the mother asked her three year old son as he threw his toys around the room. “If you don’t stop this at once, that is where I am going to put you,” continued the mother which had no apparent effect on her son’s behavior. “This is the last…
The parents were a bit nervous. They were flying for the first time with their two children who were one and four years old. The parents had heard nightmare stories from others about their young children flying. This included one child who had run away from her parents while in the airport security line and…
The mother was making a list of tasks that her children needed to complete before the start of the school year. There were the usual tasks of summer readings to complete, buying school supplies and getting clothes for her quickly growing teens. In addition, she needed to get sports physicals for all of her teens.…
The four year old boy heard the arguing and started scanning for a place to hide. Whenever his mother started arguing with her boyfriend, it wouldn’t be long before she came looking for him. The bruises had finally started to fade from the last time his mother hit him. The boy crept under his bed…
The long awaited family vacation had finally arrived. The family had traveled over nine hours in the car to get to their destination. Everyone was unpacked and ready to enjoy a week off. As the mother looked out from the balcony, she saw the sun going down and the sun rays reflecting off the ocean…
The boy only remembers the colorful flashing lights and the sounds of yelling. When he crawled out from under his bed, the boy saw his father being handcuffed and escorted to a police car. It was at that instant when the boy’s life would forever change. His mother could no longer afford to pay the…
“Aren’t those some girls from your class?” asked the father, “You should go over there and say hello.” His seven year old daughter shook her head and said, “I can’t. I don’t know what to say. I am too shy anyway.” The father was not sure what to do next. He just didn’t understand why…
The mother awoke suddenly and sensed a presence in the room. Startled and half asleep, the mother tried to reorient herself. Then, she heard this small, little voice. “Mommy, I can’t sleep. The basement is flooding and the crocodiles are going to get me,” said her four year old son. The mother was a little…
“Times up kiddo, go ahead and shut down the video game. It has been an hour,” said the mother to her son. “But this is the most important part! Can I have just 10 more minutes to finish this?” pleaded the boy. The mother considered for a moment, but said, “You can pick up where…
“Ok mom, I am heading over to Jenny’s for the sleepover,” said the teenager to her mother. “Alright honey, make sure to call me when you get there,” said the mother. The teenager hurried off into her friend’s car. However, they did not go to her friend’s home. They went several miles away to a…
“But it is too hard. I am never going to get it,” whined the boy to his mother as he stared at the long sheet of math problems. His mother came over to the kitchen table and said, “Look, you haven’t even tried these yet. You are a smart boy. I am sure you will…
The family had just sat down for a nice dinner together. Everyone was starting to eat when the familiar chirping sound of a smart phone went off. The family quickly looked at one another to see whose phone it was when the father realized it was his phone. He looked at the phone and got…
The parents watched as their 9 year old daughter weaved through the opposing players and scored another goal. Everyone in the stands started cheering and their daughter’s teammates crowded around her to celebrate. Later in the game, their daughter collapsed in pain as she grabbed her ankle. The parents ran out of the stands to…
The parents entered their son’s pre-school to attend a parent-teacher conference. The teacher greeted them warmly and proceeded to tell the parents what a delight their son was to have in class. She told them how he helped around the classroom, shared with others, and got along so well with his classmates. As the parents…
There seemed to be kids everywhere during the first week the swimming pool was open for the summer. The most popular attraction at the pool was the addition of a high diving board. All of the boy’s friends had jumped off it and were telling the boy how thrilling it was to stare down into…
Both the mother and father had noticed that their teenage daughter had slowly been withdrawing from various activities that she had enjoyed. First she quit the soccer team and now the academic team. She no longer asked to go out with her friends on the weekend and it was all her parents could do to…
The group playdate had already started at the church. The room was full of toddlers crawling, walking, and running around to various play areas. The mother put her 18-month old son down on the floor and watched him crawl off to play with the other toddlers. As she started talking with the other mothers and…
“Please mom! All of the other girls in my grade already have an account. I am missing out on everything,” pleaded the girl. The mother was torn on whether to let her 12 year old daughter have an Instagram account. She knew that most of her daughter’s classmates were on Instagram and that is where…
As the bus pulled up to the bus stop, the mother quickly kissed her daughter as she headed out the door. It was hard to believe she was in 5th grade and already talking about how some of her friends had crushes on boys. It would not be long now before her daughter would be…
The call came from the school to the father’s cell phone. It had happened again. His seven year old son had gotten upset when he had been bumped in the hallway. This time he threw one of his textbooks and hit one of his classmates in the head. It was another example of the son’s…
The father and his teenage son got into the car on the way to go to a ballgame. Once the car got onto the road, the father started talking to his son. “I have noticed that you have been spending a lot of time with your girlfriend recently. I’m glad things seem to be going…
A heartfelt card, dinner at a romantic restaurant, and a bouquet of roses are common activities for Valentine’s Day. The day is perfectly tailored for a splurge on jewelry for a true love or even a marriage proposal. Valentine’s Day is the one holiday meant for couples in romantic relationships. That is how most adults…
“Put that down!” yelled the mother at her four year old daughter. “I don’t know what has gotten into you, but you are pushing my buttons today.” The mother continued to yell at her daughter as she cleaned up the spilled cereal her daughter had been attempting to put into a bowl. Once she had…
The snow flurries had been forecast a couple of days in advance. Schools, businesses and government offices had all been cancelled in anticipation of the coming storm. Now all the family could do was watch as the snow came down and began to accumulate as they became snowed in. Fortunately, they had prepared and had…
The 13 year old was glued to her smartphone as her fingers rapidly tapped out a message to her followers. She could then be seen scrolling through a variety of pictures and occasionally stopping to click a “Like” button. Her parents knew that their daughter could be on her phone for several hours doing this…
The advertisements show up on TV and the internet. These ads claim that by doing brain training exercises people can improve their ability to multi-task, pay better attention, and be able to learn and remember more. These types of improvements sound like they would be perfect for students. The area of brain fitness training is…
The words were still ringing in the young mother’s ears and she struggled to listen to what else the psychologist was telling her. Despite her best efforts, she could not stop hearing the word “autism”. All at once, many of the mother’s dreams for her child were cast in doubt. Milestones that most parents took…
It was time to load up the car and make the annual pilgrimage to grandma’s house for Christmas. Once a year, all of the relatives and extended family came together to continue family traditions and gather for a large dinner. It also gave the adults some time to catch up with one another. However, this…
The mother was thinking about everything that needed to get done before Christmas and the holidays. First, she had to make sure all of the kids had their presents and stocking stuffers. Then, she needed to go to the grocery store to pick up food and ingredients for the meals and snacks that everyone enjoys.…
It had been a hectic start to the holidays for the family. The car had broken down and the boy’s parents were stressed at the thought of fixing the car and still being able to afford Christmas presents for their three children. All of the stress had spilled over and the father had been particularly…
The shopping cart was getting a little full and the three year old was getting antsy. He stood up and started to climb over the side of the cart. By the time his mother glanced up from her smartphone, it was too late. The little boy was already starting to fall from the cart. The…
“I miss grandpa,” said the boy out of the blue while he was eating breakfast. “He always got up early when we visited and made us pancakes.” His mother did not know quite how to respond or why her son would bring up his grandfather now. His grandfather had passed away several months ago and…
The media coverage of the terrorism attack was all encompassing. It was on television, social media, news websites and even YouTube. It was hard to escape the video taken of the attack and the immediate aftermath. The seven year old boy was starting to worry that such an attack could happen in his town. He…
“Ok honey, mommy needs to get some work done. It is time for your show”, said the mother to her two year old daughter. The mother put a tablet computer in her daughter’s hands and started cleaning dishes. Her daughter swiped a couple of times and soon Sesame Street came on the tablet. The little…
The children were finally asleep and their parents were looking forward to a little relaxation time before turning in for the night. Suddenly, they heard a shriek from their four year old daughter’s room. They rushed upstairs to find her thrashing around and screaming. When they tried to go comfort her, she pushed them away…
“I am going to get so much candy this year. We need to make sure to go to our neighbor’s house first as they always give away a lot of candy,” said the eight year old boy. His four year old sister responded, “Do they really give all that candy? I am scared of that…
“Tommy, could you read the next section in our book?” the teacher asked Tommy. Tommy looked around sheepishly and said, “Where are we in the reading?” The teacher was not surprised by Tommy’s response as she often had to remind him of what he was supposed to be doing in class. He also was having…
Almost instinctively, the teen reaches into her pocket and quickly makes some swipes on her smartphone. The teen repeats the process several more times during her conversation with her friends. This would seem a little bit odd except her friends are engaged in the same habits, checking their smartphones without even seeming to be aware…
The mother hears the alarm go off to wake up her daughter for school. The alarm stops and several minutes go by without a sign of her daughter coming down the stairs. The mother stops her own morning preparations to go pry her daughter out of bed yet again. This is followed by preparing her…
The little boy had covered his ears and started crying as the crowd milled around him at the zoo. His parents were very concerned as they thought their son would love seeing all of the animals that he had read about and seen on TV. No matter what the parents tried, the little boy was…
“Here honey, let mommy do that,” said the mother as she reached for her daughter’s shoes to help put them on. The two year old looked squarely at her mother, yanked away the shoes and said, “I do it.” The little girl in this case was firmly expressing her self-confidence that she could put on…
As the start of the school year comes, it is time for children and adolescents to get their annual check-ups. Most families make the trip to their pediatrician prior to school to get sports physicals or various vaccinations that schools require. The benefits of annual well-child check-ups go beyond meeting school’s requirements. The check-up is…
The mother leaned over her little boy’s crib and asked, “Do you want your juice now? Do you?” The infant smiled and grabbed eagerly at the bottle the mother had offered. He greedily began to drink the juice. His mother smiled but was a bit concerned that her son’s appetite had decreased recently. It seemed…
The father could see there was something on his son’s mind. The boy had has forehead furrowed and he was looking slightly agitated. “Is there something on your mind son?” the father asked. That simple question seemed to break the ice as a look of relief passed over his son’s face. “Actually Dad, there has…
His son had become increasingly despondent over the past few weeks. Any time the father tried to talk with him, his son would pull away. In the few times he got his son to talk, his son would make comments about how he was worthless and nothing really mattered anymore. The father knew his son…
“Starting today, our family is going to start eating healthier,” announced the mother. “There is going to be no more soda, fast food, or microwave meals. In addition, we are all going to start exercising as a family and not just lay around watching TV and playing video games.” There are a few times every…
A plume of vapor escaped the teenager’s mouth as he began to inhale again on his e-cigarette. The taste of vanilla flooded his taste buds as he felt more relaxed and clear-headed. He looked over to his friends who were also vaping, smiled, and said, “We have to do this more often”. The use of…
There are sounds of objects crashing into walls and screaming. The girl hurries out of her room to get her younger brother into his bedroom. She knows she must act quickly to make sure he does not get hurt. The commotion continues for several minutes before it becomes quiet. The girl cautiously comes out of…
The teenager rushed into the house after getting home from school. He quickly nodded towards his mom before turning on his Xbox. His mom heard him muttering into a headset, “We need to form an alpha team so we can encircle them.” The teen stayed glued to the screen, playing on his Xbox for the…
The mom and her daughter had just nestled into bed for the daughter’s bedtime story. The mother wrapped her arm around her daughter and began to read from Wild About Books by Judy Sierra. The mom’s voice lifted and dipped at the sounds of the rhymes as she read, “In a flash, every beast in…
The excitement is beginning to build as a new school year is about to start. There will be new teachers and classes along with seeing friends that students have not seen all summer. There is also a bit of nervousness about how the school year will unfold. Many times the start of the school year…
The winds had picked up and the sky had darkened quickly. In the distance, lightning bolts could be seen crackling across the sky. Then a loud BOOM followed by a low rumble filled the house as the splat of raindrops hitting the window could be heard. The little girl looked around in a panic. “The…
The father could see it coming. His two year old daughter was already starting to turn red in her face and her hands began to ball up into little fists. Soon his daughter began screaming “No!” at a full, high pitched volume. At the same time, tears came streaming down her face. The father knew…
“Bounce house!” screamed the little girl as she sprinted out towards the inflatable that had recently appeared in her yard. Several children were hot on her heels and soon shouts of joy could be heard from the bounce house. This was quickly replaced by the sound of crying as the little girl came crawling out.…
“Mom! My Instagram account just got hacked. Whoever took it over is sending all of these nasty photos to all of my friends. How could this have happened?” cried the girl. The mother came over to her daughter and asked, “Well, let’s just see if we can’t get into your account and change the password…
“Hey mom! Look at me. I am a flying purple elephant,” said the five year old. His mother glanced up and shook her head in wonder at what her child would come up with next. Many parents wonder why their children’s behavior can be so unpredictable and sometimes bizarre. If only there was a way…
“Do you wonder if our kids spend way too much time on their smartphones? It just seems like they are on it all the time and they never seem to talk to anyone. They just sit there, staring at the screen. I wonder if it’s our kids or if that is just the way things…
The sun is bright outside and the kids are out of school for summer vacation. Rather than hearing the yelling of kids playing outside, it is eerily quiet. As the father goes back inside to finish some chores around the house, he notices that all three of his children are looking at the screens on…
The boy looked at his mother and said, “I don’t think I can. I usually mess things up.” The mother sighed and wondered why her son was so reluctant to try new things. She just knew that he could be good at so many things if he would just try. In the situation above, the…
“It’s time for recess. Everybody get ready to go outside,” said the teacher. All of the preschoolers lined up to head out. Once outside, the preschoolers were engaged in all sorts of activities. Some children were playing a game of tag. Others were climbing on the monkey bars, swinging from one rung to the next.…
The teacher softly sighed as she raised her voice one more time, “Alex, please sit down and start on your work!” Alex heard the teacher and headed back to his seat to get back to work on his assignment. However, he got distracted by some classmates and headed over to their desks to see what…
As soon as the weather starts to warm and the sun shines for longer portions of the day, students’ eyes start to glaze over in anticipation of the promised summer break after a long academic year. Typically students start anticipating the break well before the end of the school year as their behavior gets more…
“When I grow up, I am going to be a singer and I am going to sing on TV in front of all my fans,” said the little girl. “Well when I grow up, I am going to be a doctor and make other kids better when they are sick,” said the little boy. Knowing…
The child had several bruises on his arms. He no longer smiled and waved at his neighbor. The easy going child had gradually changed before his neighbor’s eyes into someone who was irritable and cried easily. The neighbor suspected there was something going on but was not sure what to do. After all, it wasn’t…
The mother and her three year old son were huddled on the couch and looking at pictures of the family’s summer vacation at the beach. “Oh, this is a good one. You were just finishing your ice cream sandwich when your brother started chasing you with the hose,” said the mother. Her son looked at…
“You better give me that or I am going to punch you in the face,” said the son to his mother as he balled up his fist to punch. The mother felt that this was a good time to give into her son’s demands as it was not worth the fight, particularly over an action…
The family was sitting down to dinner when all of a sudden a loud burp comes out of a little boy. He looks around briefly before he starts giggling. Without skipping a beat, his mother asks, “What are you supposed to say after you burp?” The little boy put his head down and says, “Excuse…
The mom tells the kids to get dressed for school while she gets ready for work. Fifteen minutes later, the mom is ready to take the kids to school, but they still have their pajamas on. Looking at her watch, the mom knows this is going to make her late for work. She yells, “I…
After a very long winter, the sun is finally making its’ presence known. The daffodils are starting to bloom and birds are singing. All of these signs alert families that school spring breaks are quickly approaching. Spring breaks can be a challenge for families regarding what to do with the children during that time. Many…
A ping goes off as the mother glances down at her smart phone and notices that her son just lost a behavior point in his class. She makes a mental note to talk him about it when he gets home from school. Later in the day, while the mother is waiting in line, she checks…
The house is alive with a flurry of activity. A young girl is quickly shoving papers into a backpack while her mother is finding her car keys. The girl’s brother still looks slightly dazed as he finishes putting on his clothes while his father exhorts him to get ready to go. In a short-time, the…
It seems that growing up these days is an increasingly dangerous endeavor according to media reports. A few examples of these concerns include; devastating effects of bullying in schools, drug use among teens, increasing prevalence of cyberbullying and sexting, and rising rates of depression among a lonely generation. Pay attention to the various media headlines…
The boy had been acting in plays since he was little. He and all of this friends were trying out for the middle school play. The boy was sure he would get the lead due to his previous experience in other plays. Unfortunately when the various parts were posted, the boy was relegated to a…
It was late at night and the room was dark except for the glow of the computer screen. The adolescent boy was hunched over the computer playing just a little more of World of Warcraft before heading to bed. Thirty minutes later, he logged off the game and laid down in bed. Despite feeling exhausted,…
The nine year old boy came up to his parents and breathlessly asked, “Can I get Minecraft? Everybody at my school is playing it and it is so awesome!” The boy’s parents looked at each other with some bewilderment. Neither had a clue as to what Minecraft was, much less whether their son should be…
The 6th grade teacher could see it by the look on the girl’s face. There were the furtive glances at the boy in front of her and the whispers and giggles of her friends. The teacher knew that the girl was experiencing her first crush on a boy. By middle school, many tweens begin to…
The girl’s mother could see that her daughter was starting to get anxious. Her daughter’s eyes were beginning to widen and her face was starting to flush. Then the questions began with her daughter seeking reassurance from her that everything would be ok. The mother looked at her daughter calmly and told her, “I think…
It seems to happen almost overnight. One day parents are sitting down helping their child learn to read and do basic math problems. The next day, the child is explaining to her parents how to do algebra and the finer points of the scientific process. Something has obviously changed but what exactly has changed regarding…
“Ok everyone, it is time to eat. Make sure to wash your hands before sitting down,” reminded the mother to her children. This is a common reminder many parents use prior to eating and it illustrates the importance parents place on hand washing. Washing hands is one of the best ways for children to prevent various…
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…
As the clock finishes striking 12 and the ball has dropped in Times Square, a new year begins. Almost immediately after the grand occasion people start to sing Auld Lang Syne. The song starts, “Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?” The song goes on to focus on the importance of…
The two year old boy runs over to another child and hits him. He then yanks the toy car away from the other child. When the parent tells the child to give back the toy car, the boy shouts, “No!” The parent grimaces but thinks, “It is just a phase. I am sure it will…
The floor is littered with wrapping paper and half-open boxes. The frenzied joy of opening presents has subsided. The children are now searching around for any presents that they may have missed. One of the children looks at his parents and asks, “Is that all of the presents?” There are children who are fortunate enough…
In the living room alone there is a huge big screen television that is connected to various streaming services that offer endless entertainment options. Connected to the television is an Xbox with several games stacked by it. In addition, there is the family iPad and one of the children’s iPods. All of these devices are…
“Stop touching my stuff! I told you I don’t like that,” shouted the sister to her brother. “I didn’t touch your stuff, you are just trying to get me trouble,” shouted back the brother. The mother turned around in her seat and said, “Would you two stop it! Both of you fighting is making this…
“You should really sign up for the musical. You have such a good voice,” said a teenage girl to her friend. Her friend nodded in agreement but said, “I don’t think I can. I just get too nervous even thinking about it.” “But that is what you always say,” replied the girl. “You never take…
The children finally get home with their bags full of candy after a night of trick or treating. They take off their costumes and begin gorging on their candy horn of plenty. The next day at the store, one of the children points to a display and says, “Look mommy, it’s Christmas!” This is soon…
“I don’t know if I studied enough,” commented the teenage girl, “I just never can seem to get enough time to study. I barely got in five hours to study for the test last night but that should be enough, shouldn’t it?” Her mother nods in agreement but is getting concerned about her daughter’s behavior.…
“Come quick, I think he is about to say it again!” said the father as he frantically gestured for his wife to come by the baby. The baby boy looked up at both is parents and said, “Da-da”. Both parents looked excitedly at each other and in unison said, “His first word!” Many infants say…
“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.”…
Witches, ghouls, and black cats prowl through the night looking for the next house to enter. There are people screaming and others running around the streets with bags in their hands containing their ill-gotten gains. All around are masked people and nothing looks familiar as the night begins to descend leaving only the glow of…
The clock strikes eight o’clock and a small shiver goes down the spines of the mom and dad. Shortly the bedtime battle will begin. It is something that both parents dread. There is always something that delays the kids from going to bed. Either a favorite blanket can’t be found or an overwhelming thirst overtakes…
“Mommy! My head feels hot and my legs hurt. I don’t feel good,” said the little girl. Her mother rushed over and found that her daughter was spiking a fever even though she was fine earlier in the day. A day later, the little girl had chills, a sore throat, and a hacking cough. Her…
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…
“Be careful young man. If you keep this up, this will go on your permanent school record!” said the teacher to the misbehaving student. This type of threat has been heard in schools over the years and the thought of a cumulative record that follows students as they progress through school is intriguing. It is…
As his third grade teacher stood in the front of the class giving directions to the next assignment, the boy sat staring out the window. He often stared out the window or would spend time playing with paper or his erasers. The boy’s grades were beginning to suffer as assignment after assignment would be turned…
The toddler is sweating with a fever and crying. She has not eaten in a couple of days and she has swollen glands on either side of her face. Her parents look on anxiously and try to get her fever down. Unfortunately the disease progresses and the little girl becomes deaf. In the 1950’s it…
“No, that’s not right! There is a correct way to load the dishwasher. All of the plates have to be facing the same way and the glasses need to go from smallest to largest,” said the mother to her son. Her son looked exasperated and finally said, “I am not loading the dishes anymore and…
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…
“Ms. Smith said that we were going to have an exciting day tomorrow,” the five year old reported to her mother, “and she said we are going to paint and then see a movie and then play on the computer!” The mother nodded as the child spoke as she focused on a TV show she…
Would you rather be alone with your own thoughts for 15 minutes or give yourself a painful electric shock? The question seems like a hypothetical one that a person would find in a board game or during idle conversation with friends. However, this very type of situation was presented to participants in an experiment by…
Open communication between teachers, their students, and parents is one of the keys for students doing well in classes. Many parents rely on e-mail as a quick and efficient way of maintaining communication with teachers. However, the communication between home and school can quickly get sidetracked when parents send e-mails to teachers like the one…
Her son started to reel off a series of questions. “What if I can’t remember what class I go to next? What if I can’t make it to class on time?” he asked. His mother smiled reassuringly but was a bit alarmed at how anxious her son was becoming about going to middle school. Anxiety…
“I told you to stop doing that!” yelled the mother as she spanked her three year old son’s behind. Her son lets out a yelp and stops what he was doing. The mother does not feel happy that she had to spank her son, but it did get results. The problem is that spanking is…
“Mommy, my skin hurts,” says the six year old boy. His mother looks at her son and realizes that she forgot to have him put on sunscreen before he came outside. Now he has been out in the sun for the past three hours and looks as red as a lobster! While parents do their…
“Can I get a Facebook account?” asked the sixth grader to her parents. “All of my friends are on it and I feel left out because I don’t have an account,” she argued. She wrapped up by saying, “Besides, Facebook is free and you won’t have to pay anything for me to join.” By middle…
Water can serve as a magnet for children. Something about it is innately appealing whether the water is a rain puddle or a swimming pool. As summer gets underway, scores of children head out to play in pools. In addition, families go on vacations to be around water by heading to the beach or going…
“The lion ate him!” said the two year old boy to his father. The father smiled and said, “Yes, that’s what happened in the story we read last night.” Young children often say things that are out of context which leaves most adults befuddled as to what a child is talking about. The only adults…
“I’m bored!” said the girl to her mother, “there is nothing to do around here.” The mother heaved a deep sigh and though about how it would be a long summer as it was the first week of summer vacation. “How about going to some summer camps. There are a lot of neat ones available,”…
A little girl breathlessly runs up to her mother in the park and says, “I just made my new best friend!” The mother is very happy for her daughter and asks several follow-up questions like, “What’s your friend’s name?” and “Does she live around here?” Her daughter just says, “I don’t know” to each question…
The arguing and strife had a reached a climax and the decision had finally been made by the boy’s parents to get a divorce. Divorce occurs in roughly 40% of all marriages and many divorcing couples have children. The impact of divorce on children can be incredibly disruptive and it can take children years to…
The parents, grandparents, and relatives are all sitting in the bleachers watching with pride as the young woman walks across the stage to accept her high school diploma. As the graduation speaker begins the keynote address, many parents reflect on the job they have done in helping their children grow up and become adults. They…
The boy was hard at work with his scissors, tape, and glue. He had spent his entire free period in kindergarten working on his creation. When his teachers asked him what he had been working on so hard, he held up his paper whip and paper hat. “I want to be Indiana Jones and we…
“But Dad, I really want it!” whined the little boy. The tears began to well up as the father told his son that he could not have the toy. The little boy responded by yelling, “You never get me anything I want!” As illustrated above, it is natural for young children to get upset when…
The thought of going back to work after having a baby is a very difficult one for working mothers. One of the major concerns for many mothers is finding appropriate daycare for their baby. The challenge of finding daycare does not stop in infancy as mothers of school-age children have a similar challenge. They need…
Ask children what their families do during the holidays and there are a chorus of answers of favorite holiday traditions. One might talk about how Grandma makes her pinwheel cookies that she only bakes during the holidays. Another might talk about the “Elf on a Shelf”, that comes to visit right after Thanksgiving in order…
The hardwood floor echoed with the sound of the five-year-olds’ feet as he scurried to his parents’ bedroom. He opened the door and went to wake up his mother. “The monsters are going to get me,” he said wide-eyed and trembling. His mother responded, “Hop in bed. There are no monsters here.” The boy quickly…
The excitement becomes palatable as the children head up to their bedrooms waiting for Christmas morning to arrive. Presents can already be seen under the Christmas tree with the promise of more arriving with Santa Claus during the night. As the morning breaks, children clamor out of their beds and wake their parents in order…
It is the end of a long day and a father is just tucking in his son for the night when the son decides it is the perfect time to talk about his day. Recognizing this as a stall tactic, the father cuts off his son and says, “I am sure you had an interesting…
A couple of children are playing together in the living room when their mother decides to do a couple of quick chores in the kitchen. A few minutes into doing the dishes, one child is angry and screaming that his brother took his toy. The other child comes into the kitchen shortly afterward crying because…
“You can contact me whenever you need to and I can call if there are any emergencies or if I need a ride home,” rationalized the girl. Seeing that the approach was not gaining any traction with her parents, the girl switched course to pleading. “Please! All of my friends have one and I will…
There is a feeling of pride that wells up in all parents when they see their children giving something of theirs to another person. It is all the more poignant when children are giving something that they greatly value and reflects a significant sacrifice on their part. Young children are often looking for ways to…
“Everything that I do ends up being bad!” choked out the girl in between sobs. “There, there”, said her mother, “not everything was bad today.” “It was too! Bad things always happen to me”, sobbed the girl. Many parents have had a similar exchange with their children. Most of the time, children are resilient and…
The daffodils are starting to peek out of the ground and there is a sense of an end to a long winter. Spring is finally appearing and it is time for spring cleaning in many households. It is also a great time of year to introduce children to the idea of household chores. Household chores…
“Come on! You know you want to come”, said a boy to his friend. “I don’t know. I haven’t really done something like this before,” said his friend. “You might as well try it as we are already here,” replied the boy. When thinking about peer pressure, the above conversation would seem to be a…
“Are you sure you brushed your teeth?” the father asked his son. His son solemnly nodded. His father said, “Let me smell your breath.” The son obligingly opened his mouth. Finally, the father said, “I need to check and see if your toothbrush is wet.” This type of exchange happens in many households as children…
It had been a bad school year by all accounts for the 3rd grade boy. He had consistently struggled in reading and was getting further behind his classmates. His behavior in the classroom was getting worse as he would yell at the teacher and rip up his work. This resulted in frequently being sent to…
On a recent busy day, a teenage girl had to study for a science exam, turn in a major social studies project, and finish reading a novel in English. In addition, she had two hours of dance team practice, served as a mediator between two of her friends who had been fighting online, and completing…
This episode explores where adolescents and young adults go to seek help for mental health issues and what stops them from pursuing services. We are featuring a journal article titled Where would young people seek help for mental disorders and what stops them? The authors surveyed over 3000 Australians between the ages of 15 to…
It is a Saturday afternoon and the house is quiet except for the flicker of electronic screens as two children are immersed in playing separate video games. If left undisturbed, the children may still be playing several hours later. Many parents are concerned about their children playing video games for so long and the potential…
A girl is furiously dribbling the ball up the court in a middle school girls’ basketball game. A player tries to catch her from behind but instead trips the girl. The girl’s head bounces twice on the floor before coming to rest. The girl just lays on the floor as various adults come rushing to…
This episode focuses on sleep problems in urban, minority early school-aged children. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Sleep problems in urban, minority, early-school-aged children. The authors used 160 mostly Latino parents that lived in urban areas and asked them about the level of sleep problems their 5 to 6 year old…
The warning sound came from the three year old boy that a battle was about to ensue. “Moooom, moooom, I waaant iiiiit!” came out of the little boy’s mouth and sent shivers up his mother’s back. “Oh no,” she thought, “It is starting and he is going to just keep going and going until I…
A mom wakes up her one year old and detects she has a stuffy nose and her forehead feels hot. As the day goes on, the mom notices that her daughter seems to be crankier than usual and does not seem to be hungry. In addition, she is wheezing a bit as she breathes. The…
The mother is concerned when she notices scratches all up and down her teenage daughter’s arm. When asked about them, the daughter said she was wrestling with the cat and was scratched several times. Still, the mother thought the marks were more organized than random scratches. She started becoming concerned there might be more going…
As soon as the air gets a bit of a cold sting, children are preparing for snow. Most are hoping for a lot of snow that allows for school to be cancelled and to be able to go out and have fun sledding, making snowmen, and having snowball fights. Many get so anxious about going…
This episode focuses on how children with emotional problems due academically as they get older. We are featuring a journal article this week titled The relationship between emotional problems and subsequent school attainment. The authors used 26 previous longitudinal studies on children and adolescents to explore the extent that internalizing disorders such as depression and…
Presents have been opened with wrapping paper cast aside in heaps on the floor. Many of the most desired presents kids and teens received this holiday season were gaming systems, iPods, and smart phones. They will quickly become ensconced behind their new screens and devote much of their holiday break in trying to master the…
One of the great responsibilities parents have is to get their children to behave well when out in public. If parents succeed, then their children become well-adjusted adults and society views those parents as having done their job well. If they fail, there is a steep cost for parents where condemnation often comes from the…
This week’s episode looks at home corporal punishment is done in the homes of young children. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Eavesdropping on the family: A pilot investigation of corporal punishment in the home. The authors used audio recorders to monitor 33 mothers with young children during the early evening hours…
Most adults have general routines that they follow which give their day a bit of structure and predictability. For example, a morning routine can consist of turning off the alarm clock, going to the bathroom, taking a shower, getting dressed, and then eating breakfast. The wonderful part of a well-practiced routine is that you don’t…
The boy shouted over to his mother, “Hey Mom! Watch me do this trick.” The boy proceeds to attempt to jump the curb on his skateboard. However, the edge of the skateboard catches the curb and the boy is propelled onto the sidewalk, landing on his knees. When he stands up, his scraped knees are…
This episode focuses on adult psychiatric outcomes of students who were bullies or victims during their school years. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Adult psychiatric outcomes of bullying and being bullied by peers in childhood and adolescence. The authors wanted to see if bullying or being bullied in school translated to…
The mother asked her five year old son, “Pick up the blocks from the hallway. It is time to get ready for lunch.” The little boy shouts, “No! You can’t make me!” He then proceeds to pick up a block and throw it towards his mother. The mother has noticed that her son has been…
After a long school year, children anxiously await the opportunity to do whatever they want to do in that magical time called summer. Summertime is when life slows down a bit and there is no homework and fewer scheduled activities. Summer is the perfect time for play. However, play is often viewed as frivolous and…
The baby was babbling as usual until a precious word escaped his mouth, “Mama.” A baby’s first words are one of the major landmarks that parents remember about their child growing up. Babies typically start uttering their first words around 12 months of age. A baby’s first words represent a new way for the baby…
“I lied to my friend when she asked if I was interested in her boyfriend. In fact, her boyfriend and I have already been out on two dates!” wrote an anonymous teen online. Anonymous confessions and other communication are becoming increasingly common as teenagers are flocking to a range of websites and apps that allow…
This episode reviews previous studies that look at adolescent emotional intelligence and its’ relationship with psychological maladjustment. We are featuring a journal article titled Emotional intelligence and psychological maladjustment in adolescence. The authors reviewed 32 previously published studies to look for relationships between emotional intelligence and various adolescent problems. There are two models of emotional…
The birth of a child is not only a major event for the parents but also for grandparents. The introduction of a new generation of the family can provide a lot of joy for grandparents. It also can mean an increased level of responsibility as over sixty percent of grandparents take on a major caregiver…
After getting home from work, a mother asks her teenage daughter how her day went. Her daughter mumbles about the day going fine. The mother follows-up with a couple of more questions about homework and gets some more vague answers. Since it has been a long day and communication with her daughter doesn’t seem to…
This episode focuses on the status of homeschooled adolescents and their engagement in risky behaviors. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Homeschooled adolescents in the United States. The author noted how public schools have broadened their mission beyond academics to also address risk behaviors such as substance use, delinquency, and socialization problems.…
The mom quickly tosses in a load of laundry while preparing her toddler daughter’s breakfast. After feeding and cleaning up her toddler’s breakfast, the mom engages in a search for the toddler’s pacifier. All the while, the mom’s thinking about all of the chores that need to still be completed around the house. Once the…
A couple of years before, a boy had suffered a severe concussion in a car accident. Fortunately he appeared to recover fully and has been doing fairly well in his schoolwork. However, his parents are beginning to notice that their son is starting to struggle in completing his work and has become more inattentive. His…
This episode focuses on how risk factors for suicide change in high school depending on the adolescent’s grade. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Differences in risk factors for suicide attempts among 9th and 11th grade youth. The authors wanted to find out if the risk factors for suicide attempts change as…
Sally’s teacher pulls her mother aside and says, “I am worried about Sally. She seems to be having difficulty concentrating and never seems to be having fun during any of our class activities. Is everything alright at home?” Sally’s mother has been wondering the same thing about school as Sally seems to get upset at…
“My tummy and head hurts. I don’t think I can go to school. I should probably stay home with you”, plead the little boy to his mother. “Honey, I know you don’t feel good but you need to try to go”, replied his mother. “But my head hurts! It is just pounding! I can’t go…
This episode focuses on the sleep patterns of children with and without autism spectrum disorder. We are featuring a journal article this week titled Sleep patterns in children with and without autism spectrum disorder. The authors were interested in how sleep patterns change as children get older and whether there are distinctive sleep patterns for…
“Stop! It’s mine and you can’t have it!” screamed Tommy. “It is too! Let go!” screamed back his brother Mike. Several muffled smacking sounds come from the bedroom and end with Tommy coming out crying and seeking out his mother. This type of situation plays out in most households between brothers and sisters. Sibling rivalry…
“He has not pooped for three days! I am starting to get really worried”, said the mother to her husband. Her husband replied, “That is a long time. What do you think we should do?” In the meantime, the child is refusing to go near the toilet and complains, “It hurts too much”. A little…
This week’s episode focuses on integrating mindfulness meditation into a social studies curriculum in middle school. We are featuring a journal article this week titled A randomized controlled pilot trial of a classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children. The interest in mindfulness meditation and its’ benefits for school children…
A typical weekday night for families with teenagers usually includes the teen texting friends and going onto various social networking sites like Facebook to connect with friends. These two activities can consume hours and yet many parents and grandparents are not sure if this behavior is typical or if it is something they need to…
The mother could tell it was about to begin. She had just told her two year-old that she could not have a cookie. The two year-old’s face was beginning to turn red. She was starting to open her mouth where a howling, high-pitched screech came out with the words, “I want it!” The girl proceeded…
This School Mental Health Minute episode focuses on how teacher-child relationships in pre-K predict children who will be victimized by classmates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKhbw-L_s4Q&feature=youtu.be We are featuring a journal article this week titled Teacher-child relationship, child withdrawal and aggression in the development of peer victimization. Young children can be targeted by their classmates starting in pre-kindergarten.…
“Jenny is in one of her moods again,” said her mother. “I just wish she would let me know what is bothering her. Every time I try to ask her about what is going on, she just growls and storms up to her room.” The teen years can be a difficult transition from childhood to…
“I only got four hours of sleep last night because I was cramming for the exam today,” said Matt to one of his teenage friends. “Oh yeah, I just got a couple of hours of sleep as I had to study for two exams today,” replied his friend. This type of exchange is common as…
Owwww! The scream of pain can be heard on the other side of the house. It is an all too familiar scream as Johnny has once again pulled his sister’s pigtails. The mother hustles from the living room to give Johnny a spanking while she yells, “how many times does this need to happen before…
Parents and grandparents are all huddled around little Emma as she looks around at all of the attention she has garnered. Finally, she opens her mouth and the word “mama” pops out. All of the adults become excited as Emma says the magic word again. This type of moment is one that all parents patiently…
As the mother rummages through her son’s backpack for his homework and other school letters, she finds a page with tables labeled Mathematics and Reading that is full of numbers. More importantly, her son’s name is at the top along with his elementary school. It certainly looks important and official but what it means is…
The toddler is seen working magic as she presses the screen and squeals in delight as the screen changes. Later, the same toddler can be seen furiously swiping her finger across a magazine and looking fully dismayed that the magazine is not “working” the right way. This is a description of a popular video on…
The mother clenches her teeth, lets out a sigh, and prepares for the homework battle with her son. It has become harder and harder to get him to complete the work he brings home from school. It was bad before because of her son’s difficulty paying attention but he now is so moody that it…
A little five year old boy comes running into the house after playing outside. Face all flush with his exertions and panting, the boy says, “I am so thirsty!” His father reaches into the refrigerator and gets a big blue sports drink and hands it to the boy. This situation is becoming more common in…
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Benjamin Franklin came up with this proverb and most people focus on the final portion regarding death and taxes. What is often missed is the beginning of the proverb which is quite important, particularly when working with children. Uncertainty in the…
It starts off innocently enough as the four month old baby starts having a runny nose, mild cough, and low grade fever. It sounds like a typical cold and one which most parents don’t worry about. Unfortunately, this is not an ordinary cold as the disease goes into the second week and the cough becomes…
Amy turned over the card and was sent back to start. “That’s not fair! Now I am never going to win,” yelled Amy as she grabbed cards and threw them across the room. Amy was last seen running away with tears in her eyes. Amy’s mother followed to go talk to Amy about the reality…
A couple is huddled over a computer looking for information on why their son might be having trouble focusing his attention. They find a website that guarantees immediate results or their money back. The website appears and claims very impressive results, even including positive testimonials from other parents who have used the services for their…
“Do you have any homework tonight?” asked the mother. Her son replied, “None today. The teacher said I had finished everything at school.” The mother has her doubts as this is the third day in a row there hasn’t been any homework. She could try to call her son on it but he will likely…
Tommy is struggling to learn how to read while Sally does not seem to understand how to do math. Tommy and Sally’s parents know their children are struggling but don’t know where to turn to get the help that their children seem to need. What most parents don’t know is that there has been a…
The child’s lip trembles as she realizes that her mother is not coming with her. All of a sudden, the weeks of anticipation of starting kindergarten has become one of fear. One of the major moments in a child’s life is starting kindergarten. Kindergarten represents a major step towards a child’s independence. The experience is…
A father and daughter go out to a restaurant for lunch. They sit down in a booth and both quietly slip out their cell phones and start texting and checking e-mail. This continues until the waitress comes to take their order. Another 20 minutes go by as silence envelops the table. It is not until…
Several 4-year olds are playing in a daycare. All of a sudden, Stevie grabs a toy out of Johnny’s hand. Johnny screams, “That’s mine!” Stevie responds by swinging the toy and hitting Johnny in the arm. Johnny immediately bursts into tears as a daycare provider comes swooping into the fray. The daycare worker quickly figures…
Having just come home from the doctor’s office, mom gives some antibiotics to her sick son. Her son takes the first dose, makes a face, and says, “It tastes awful! I am not taking any more!” The mom promises her son that he can stop taking the medicine just as soon as he is better.…
“How many times have I told you to pay attention? You just seem to space out. No wonder you aren’t doing well in school,” said the mother to her son. The father chimed in, “I don’t understand why you can’t pay attention. You just need to try harder.” The child looks miserable and both parents…
“I am a visual learner” proudly states one student. Another student replies, “I’m an auditory learner.” The process continues through the class as each student describes their “type” of learning style. There is something comfortable about classifying ourselves into a “type”. This happens socially starting in middle school where some students are “popular” and others…
The first nine weeks of school arrives and the report card comes home. Mom opens her child’s report card to find that her little Einstein is failing a class and barely passing a couple of others. When she shows the report to the boy, he says, “My teacher is horrible. She never explains anything and…
The race was a hotly anticipated one of the tortoise versus the hare. The hare looked very good and quite fast. The tortoise looked plain, slow, and generally boring. The hare was the crowd favorite and as soon as the pistol sounded, the hare tore out of the starting gate to develop a large lead…
The family van has been rolling down the highway for the past five hours. Mom and Dad are in the front seat and their two children are in the back seat. By this point in the trip, the kids are starting to get antsy. It starts with a slight poke by the sister quickly followed…
The house is quiet as 7:00am slowly ticks by. Mom is enjoying her morning cup of coffee as the kids continue to sleep in. The summer morning routine is a leisurely affair rather than the stress-filled, anxiety provoking school year routine. As a result, the whole family is more relaxed and the kids are more…
It’s the end of another long summer day. The kids are exhausted after playing outside most of the day and are ready for bed. As they are changing to their pajamas, you notice that one of your precious little ones has a red welt on his chest. Then you notice a couple of more and…
The sun has finally broken through the clouds and it is a gorgeous, sunny day. This is the type of day made for playing outdoors! The kids are quickly putting on their shoes and runing out the door to enjoy the beautiful day. Four hours later, they come back in looking flush with all of…
Janine has been asleep for the past couple of hours when there is a strange buzzing sound that is coming from her night table. Janine wakes up in a fog and habitually reaches for the buzzing object. The adrenaline begins to surge through her body as it recognizes that familiar buzz as the cell phone…
Sammie looks up at his mother and whispers, “I don’t want to do this. What if I fail?” Sammie’s eyes are wide and his lips are trembling. It almost looks like his whole body is shaking. The mother replies, “You have to Sammie, it is your assignment and we have worked too long on this…
As people get older, our interactions with them start to change. We tend to criticize more often and forget to praise the good things that are done. The assumption becomes that everyone should do good and be reminded when they don’t. The research does not bear this out as we need praise at all ages,…
This week’s episode looks at how peer and friend relationships change from childhood to young adulthood based on kindergarten popularity and personality characteristics.
This week’s episode looks at the behavioral functioning of children who have siblings with special health care needs over time.
This week’s episode looks at the behavioral functioning of children who have siblings with special health care needs over time.
This week’s episode focuses on why children with ADHD stop taking their medication.
This week’s episode focuses on high school students who experience bullying and cyberbullying and how it influences suicide attempts.
This week’s episode focuses on the impact of sleep on teen’s positive attitude towards life and their academic achievement.
This week’s article focuses on adolescent girls’ experience of discrimination, how they cope, its’ impact on their self-esteem, and how they use social support.
This week’s study focuses on the factors that increase inattention in students with ADHD compared to other students.
This week’s episode focuses on how parent characteristics can predict how preschool children’s behavior changes over the course of a school year.
This week’s episode looks at whether children who learn to read later tend to catch up with those who learn to read earlier.
This week’s episode focuses on what happens to depressed adolescents as young adults.
This week’s episode explores how middle school students present their academic achievement to their peers and its’ effect on popularity.
This week’s episode focuses on the impact of bullying and cyberbullying on psychological, physical, and academic domains.
This week’s episode focuses on after school programs and activities impact feelings of belonging and cognitive engagement.
This week’s episode focuses on racial and ethnic differences in ADHD diagnosis in elementary school.
This week’s episode focuses on how children’s attachment to their mothers impact their behavior and how later teacher relationships can reverse any negative effects.
This week’s episode looks at how bullying impacted suicidal ideation among middle schoolers.
This week’s episode is focused on how preschoolers’ level of emotion knowledge and self-regulation predict their cognitive ability, classroom behavior, and social competence.
This week’s episode focuses on adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and the characteristics of their friends and activity patterns.
This week’s episode focuses on suicidal behavior of youth who are involved in social and verbal bullying.
This week’s episode focuses on how adolescent relationships change over time in regards to their friends and parents.
This week’s episode focuses on stimulant drug treatment of children with ADHD and its’ impact on their academic progress.
This week’s episode focuses on how children with anxiety or depression are at higher risk of gaining weight and becoming overweight or obese.
This week’s episode focuses on how kindergartner’s executive function and effortful control impact their ability to learn and do well in school.
This week’s episode focuses on how students who worry about going to middle school are more likely to have adjustment issues later on.
This week’s episode focuses on how adolescents experience a sense of belonging and how they disclose information while interacting online.
This week’s episode focuses on how happiness and a positive school experience can feed into each other creating an upward spiral for teens.
This week’s episode looks at how attention-span in preschool influences educational outcomes by age 25.
This week’s episode focuses on the effect that classroom structure has on verbal and physical aggression among classmates.
This week’s episode focuses on the multiple benefits of exercise in the performance of children with ADHD.
This week’s episode focuses on pediatric sleep disorders and the need for special education services later on.
This week’s episode is on where parents go to for advice regarding child discipline.
This week’s episode focuses on the outcome of children with ADHD 33 years later.
This week’s episode focuses on how music and video serve as distractors for boys with ADHD and the effect of medication on their distractibility.
This week’s episode focuses on the effects of anger management training on children’s social and emotional outcomes.
This week’s episode focuses on television, and computer habits of school age children and its impact on their sleep habits.
This week’s episode focuses on how the use of sexually explicit phone messages is related to sexual risk behavior among adolescents.
This week’s episode explores the diagnosis of ADHD and use of medication in children and adolescents.
This week’s episode focuses on whether the whole-school approach to bullying is an effective way to reduce school bullying or if there are specific components that are more effective.
This week’s episode focuses on the effect of having a bad experience on Facebook and how people react with future disclosures about themselves.
This week’s episode focuses on adolescents’ ability to manage their emotions and its’ impact on misconduct at school.
This episode focuses on the impact of anxiety and depression on test anxiety and working memory.
This episode focuses on the lifetime prevalence of mental health disorders in adolescents in the United States.
By Dan Florell, Ph.D. & Praveena Salins, M.D. “Who didn’t put away the cookies?” the mother asked. Four year old Tammy started crying and said, “I did mommy. I am so sorry. It is all my fault. I will never ever do that again! I’m just so stupid!” Tammy’s mother calmed Tammy down and reassured…
Achoo! echoes down the hallway of your house. As a parent, you reflexively grab for a tissue box and expect your little one to come down the hall. As your child comes into view, you can immediately sense that she is not feeling well. This is confirmed when she says, “I feel bad” and is…
By Dan Florell, PhD and Praveena Salins, MD As summer vacation comes to an end it is time to get your children ready for the new school year. We view the beginning of the school year as a perfect chance to make sure your children are ready to learn to their fullest potential. In order…
“Stop that or you will go to timeout! Do you want to go to timeout?” This phrase is often heard coming out of parents’ mouths at home and almost any other place where children can be found. Timeout has gotten into the national vocabulary of parents. In our jobs as a pediatrician and school psychologist,…
Are your child’s tantrums out of control? Does your child have difficulty with routines? Has your child been kicked out of daycare? Does your child always seem to be on the go? Is your child overly aggressive? Does your child have difficulty learning? Is getting homework done a constant struggle? MindPsi provides a range of…
Looking down at her phone, the teenage girl clicked on her Snapchat app to catch up with her friends. Each of her friends was listed in the chat window along with a flame icon and number beside many of them. The girl methodically went down the list and made sure she sent a message to…
The boy’s face started turning beet red and his fists became clinched. He thought how unfair it was that he was not able go out with his friends and instead having to stay home. Rather than calmly discussing the situation, the boy began to scream at his parents. Children frequently struggle in being able to…
The one year old sat with the iPad and watched Sesame Street while his mother quickly finished some household chores before they headed to the park. The mother felt a bit guilty about having her son watch his show. She had heard the recommendation that children under the age of two years old should not…
The piles of wrapping paper have been cleaned up. The leftovers have been put in the refrigerator. The children are off playing with their new toys and gadgets. Finally there is a chance to sit down and let the enormity of another Christmas passing start to sink in. During this brief moment of time, parents…
As the Christmas and holiday season is underway, people start receiving cards from friends and family wishing them well. These letters often include photos of the family and maybe a brief note giving an update on what has been happening over the past year. Unfortunately the tradition of sending cards to friends and family has…
“I am going to give you a marshmallow right now. However, if you can wait until I come back before eating it, I will give you another.” That is the instruction from a classic psychological study referred to as the “marshmallow experiment”. The point of the study was to measure young children’s self-control and see…
“So, how was your day? Anything exciting happen?” asked the mother as she picked up her daughter from school. Her teenage daughter grunted as she got into the car, “Just the usual. Nothing ever happens.” Once the car started moving, the daughter put in her earbuds and started texting with her friends. The mother silently…
The boy’s father glanced up and saw his son dancing around and mouthing words to a song. He thought nothing of it until his son came up to him, holding the family’s iPad. “Look what I made!” the son said as he shoved the iPad in front of his father and pressed the play button.…
“She just dropped all of the glitter on the floor and didn’t put down the paper like you told us,” said the brother to his mother. “Now, what did I tell you about tattling on your sister?” said the mother, “You let me worry about your sister.” The mother, like most parents, is experiencing the…
The sun was shining bright and it lit up the house. The house was alive with activity with the exception of one lone family member who was coming down the stairs. It was 10am and the teenager was just woke up. The teenager’s parents were wondering what had happened over the past year to their…
The exhausted mother picked up her crying three month old infant and started to rock him to get him back to sleep. Once the little boy got back to sleep, the mother laid him down on his side and left him with his favorite blanket. In the morning, the mother found her infant had managed…
The excitement could be felt throughout classrooms as the school year was about to start. Students were excited to be back in school and see many of their friends for the first time since the previous school year. They also were a little nervous and curious as to what their new teachers and classes were…
The mother was concerned about her daughter. She had become anxious and was having trouble falling asleep for the past week. In addition, her daughter had been experiencing nightmares. All of the difficulties seemed to be due to her daughter starting 6th grade and beginning middle school. Anxiety about entering middle school is common as…
“No! No! No! I am not going to do it!” shouted the nine year old boy as he proceeded to start punching the concrete wall with his fist. His father replied, “You need to calm down! Why do you always blow up when I ask you for the simplest thing?” The mother looked to see…
The hare ran furiously towards the finish line as the tortoise had only a few feet left to go. Despite his best efforts and closing rapidly on the tortoise, the hare lost the race. The Aesop fable of the Tortoise and the Hare has been a classic tale told to generations of children. The lessons…
“Do you want to go to timeout?” the mother asked her three year old son as he threw his toys around the room. “If you don’t stop this at once, that is where I am going to put you,” continued the mother which had no apparent effect on her son’s behavior. “This is the last…
The parents were a bit nervous. They were flying for the first time with their two children who were one and four years old. The parents had heard nightmare stories from others about their young children flying. This included one child who had run away from her parents while in the airport security line and…
The mother was making a list of tasks that her children needed to complete before the start of the school year. There were the usual tasks of summer readings to complete, buying school supplies and getting clothes for her quickly growing teens. In addition, she needed to get sports physicals for all of her teens.…
The four year old boy heard the arguing and started scanning for a place to hide. Whenever his mother started arguing with her boyfriend, it wouldn’t be long before she came looking for him. The bruises had finally started to fade from the last time his mother hit him. The boy crept under his bed…
The long awaited family vacation had finally arrived. The family had traveled over nine hours in the car to get to their destination. Everyone was unpacked and ready to enjoy a week off. As the mother looked out from the balcony, she saw the sun going down and the sun rays reflecting off the ocean…
The boy only remembers the colorful flashing lights and the sounds of yelling. When he crawled out from under his bed, the boy saw his father being handcuffed and escorted to a police car. It was at that instant when the boy’s life would forever change. His mother could no longer afford to pay the…
“Aren’t those some girls from your class?” asked the father, “You should go over there and say hello.” His seven year old daughter shook her head and said, “I can’t. I don’t know what to say. I am too shy anyway.” The father was not sure what to do next. He just didn’t understand why…
The mother awoke suddenly and sensed a presence in the room. Startled and half asleep, the mother tried to reorient herself. Then, she heard this small, little voice. “Mommy, I can’t sleep. The basement is flooding and the crocodiles are going to get me,” said her four year old son. The mother was a little…
“Times up kiddo, go ahead and shut down the video game. It has been an hour,” said the mother to her son. “But this is the most important part! Can I have just 10 more minutes to finish this?” pleaded the boy. The mother considered for a moment, but said, “You can pick up where…
“Ok mom, I am heading over to Jenny’s for the sleepover,” said the teenager to her mother. “Alright honey, make sure to call me when you get there,” said the mother. The teenager hurried off into her friend’s car. However, they did not go to her friend’s home. They went several miles away to a…
“But it is too hard. I am never going to get it,” whined the boy to his mother as he stared at the long sheet of math problems. His mother came over to the kitchen table and said, “Look, you haven’t even tried these yet. You are a smart boy. I am sure you will…
The family had just sat down for a nice dinner together. Everyone was starting to eat when the familiar chirping sound of a smart phone went off. The family quickly looked at one another to see whose phone it was when the father realized it was his phone. He looked at the phone and got…
The parents watched as their 9 year old daughter weaved through the opposing players and scored another goal. Everyone in the stands started cheering and their daughter’s teammates crowded around her to celebrate. Later in the game, their daughter collapsed in pain as she grabbed her ankle. The parents ran out of the stands to…
The parents entered their son’s pre-school to attend a parent-teacher conference. The teacher greeted them warmly and proceeded to tell the parents what a delight their son was to have in class. She told them how he helped around the classroom, shared with others, and got along so well with his classmates. As the parents…
There seemed to be kids everywhere during the first week the swimming pool was open for the summer. The most popular attraction at the pool was the addition of a high diving board. All of the boy’s friends had jumped off it and were telling the boy how thrilling it was to stare down into…
Both the mother and father had noticed that their teenage daughter had slowly been withdrawing from various activities that she had enjoyed. First she quit the soccer team and now the academic team. She no longer asked to go out with her friends on the weekend and it was all her parents could do to…
The group playdate had already started at the church. The room was full of toddlers crawling, walking, and running around to various play areas. The mother put her 18-month old son down on the floor and watched him crawl off to play with the other toddlers. As she started talking with the other mothers and…
“Please mom! All of the other girls in my grade already have an account. I am missing out on everything,” pleaded the girl. The mother was torn on whether to let her 12 year old daughter have an Instagram account. She knew that most of her daughter’s classmates were on Instagram and that is where…
As the bus pulled up to the bus stop, the mother quickly kissed her daughter as she headed out the door. It was hard to believe she was in 5th grade and already talking about how some of her friends had crushes on boys. It would not be long now before her daughter would be…
The call came from the school to the father’s cell phone. It had happened again. His seven year old son had gotten upset when he had been bumped in the hallway. This time he threw one of his textbooks and hit one of his classmates in the head. It was another example of the son’s…
The father and his teenage son got into the car on the way to go to a ballgame. Once the car got onto the road, the father started talking to his son. “I have noticed that you have been spending a lot of time with your girlfriend recently. I’m glad things seem to be going…
A heartfelt card, dinner at a romantic restaurant, and a bouquet of roses are common activities for Valentine’s Day. The day is perfectly tailored for a splurge on jewelry for a true love or even a marriage proposal. Valentine’s Day is the one holiday meant for couples in romantic relationships. That is how most adults…
“Put that down!” yelled the mother at her four year old daughter. “I don’t know what has gotten into you, but you are pushing my buttons today.” The mother continued to yell at her daughter as she cleaned up the spilled cereal her daughter had been attempting to put into a bowl. Once she had…
The snow flurries had been forecast a couple of days in advance. Schools, businesses and government offices had all been cancelled in anticipation of the coming storm. Now all the family could do was watch as the snow came down and began to accumulate as they became snowed in. Fortunately, they had prepared and had…
The 13 year old was glued to her smartphone as her fingers rapidly tapped out a message to her followers. She could then be seen scrolling through a variety of pictures and occasionally stopping to click a “Like” button. Her parents knew that their daughter could be on her phone for several hours doing this…
The advertisements show up on TV and the internet. These ads claim that by doing brain training exercises people can improve their ability to multi-task, pay better attention, and be able to learn and remember more. These types of improvements sound like they would be perfect for students. The area of brain fitness training is…
The words were still ringing in the young mother’s ears and she struggled to listen to what else the psychologist was telling her. Despite her best efforts, she could not stop hearing the word “autism”. All at once, many of the mother’s dreams for her child were cast in doubt. Milestones that most parents took…
It was time to load up the car and make the annual pilgrimage to grandma’s house for Christmas. Once a year, all of the relatives and extended family came together to continue family traditions and gather for a large dinner. It also gave the adults some time to catch up with one another. However, this…
The mother was thinking about everything that needed to get done before Christmas and the holidays. First, she had to make sure all of the kids had their presents and stocking stuffers. Then, she needed to go to the grocery store to pick up food and ingredients for the meals and snacks that everyone enjoys.…
It had been a hectic start to the holidays for the family. The car had broken down and the boy’s parents were stressed at the thought of fixing the car and still being able to afford Christmas presents for their three children. All of the stress had spilled over and the father had been particularly…
The shopping cart was getting a little full and the three year old was getting antsy. He stood up and started to climb over the side of the cart. By the time his mother glanced up from her smartphone, it was too late. The little boy was already starting to fall from the cart. The…
“I miss grandpa,” said the boy out of the blue while he was eating breakfast. “He always got up early when we visited and made us pancakes.” His mother did not know quite how to respond or why her son would bring up his grandfather now. His grandfather had passed away several months ago and…
The media coverage of the terrorism attack was all encompassing. It was on television, social media, news websites and even YouTube. It was hard to escape the video taken of the attack and the immediate aftermath. The seven year old boy was starting to worry that such an attack could happen in his town. He…
“Ok honey, mommy needs to get some work done. It is time for your show”, said the mother to her two year old daughter. The mother put a tablet computer in her daughter’s hands and started cleaning dishes. Her daughter swiped a couple of times and soon Sesame Street came on the tablet. The little…
The children were finally asleep and their parents were looking forward to a little relaxation time before turning in for the night. Suddenly, they heard a shriek from their four year old daughter’s room. They rushed upstairs to find her thrashing around and screaming. When they tried to go comfort her, she pushed them away…
“I am going to get so much candy this year. We need to make sure to go to our neighbor’s house first as they always give away a lot of candy,” said the eight year old boy. His four year old sister responded, “Do they really give all that candy? I am scared of that…
“Tommy, could you read the next section in our book?” the teacher asked Tommy. Tommy looked around sheepishly and said, “Where are we in the reading?” The teacher was not surprised by Tommy’s response as she often had to remind him of what he was supposed to be doing in class. He also was having…
Almost instinctively, the teen reaches into her pocket and quickly makes some swipes on her smartphone. The teen repeats the process several more times during her conversation with her friends. This would seem a little bit odd except her friends are engaged in the same habits, checking their smartphones without even seeming to be aware…
The mother hears the alarm go off to wake up her daughter for school. The alarm stops and several minutes go by without a sign of her daughter coming down the stairs. The mother stops her own morning preparations to go pry her daughter out of bed yet again. This is followed by preparing her…
The little boy had covered his ears and started crying as the crowd milled around him at the zoo. His parents were very concerned as they thought their son would love seeing all of the animals that he had read about and seen on TV. No matter what the parents tried, the little boy was…
“Here honey, let mommy do that,” said the mother as she reached for her daughter’s shoes to help put them on. The two year old looked squarely at her mother, yanked away the shoes and said, “I do it.” The little girl in this case was firmly expressing her self-confidence that she could put on…
As the start of the school year comes, it is time for children and adolescents to get their annual check-ups. Most families make the trip to their pediatrician prior to school to get sports physicals or various vaccinations that schools require. The benefits of annual well-child check-ups go beyond meeting school’s requirements. The check-up is…
The mother leaned over her little boy’s crib and asked, “Do you want your juice now? Do you?” The infant smiled and grabbed eagerly at the bottle the mother had offered. He greedily began to drink the juice. His mother smiled but was a bit concerned that her son’s appetite had decreased recently. It seemed…
The father could see there was something on his son’s mind. The boy had has forehead furrowed and he was looking slightly agitated. “Is there something on your mind son?” the father asked. That simple question seemed to break the ice as a look of relief passed over his son’s face. “Actually Dad, there has…
His son had become increasingly despondent over the past few weeks. Any time the father tried to talk with him, his son would pull away. In the few times he got his son to talk, his son would make comments about how he was worthless and nothing really mattered anymore. The father knew his son…
“Starting today, our family is going to start eating healthier,” announced the mother. “There is going to be no more soda, fast food, or microwave meals. In addition, we are all going to start exercising as a family and not just lay around watching TV and playing video games.” There are a few times every…
A plume of vapor escaped the teenager’s mouth as he began to inhale again on his e-cigarette. The taste of vanilla flooded his taste buds as he felt more relaxed and clear-headed. He looked over to his friends who were also vaping, smiled, and said, “We have to do this more often”. The use of…
There are sounds of objects crashing into walls and screaming. The girl hurries out of her room to get her younger brother into his bedroom. She knows she must act quickly to make sure he does not get hurt. The commotion continues for several minutes before it becomes quiet. The girl cautiously comes out of…
The teenager rushed into the house after getting home from school. He quickly nodded towards his mom before turning on his Xbox. His mom heard him muttering into a headset, “We need to form an alpha team so we can encircle them.” The teen stayed glued to the screen, playing on his Xbox for the…
The mom and her daughter had just nestled into bed for the daughter’s bedtime story. The mother wrapped her arm around her daughter and began to read from Wild About Books by Judy Sierra. The mom’s voice lifted and dipped at the sounds of the rhymes as she read, “In a flash, every beast in…
The excitement is beginning to build as a new school year is about to start. There will be new teachers and classes along with seeing friends that students have not seen all summer. There is also a bit of nervousness about how the school year will unfold. Many times the start of the school year…
The winds had picked up and the sky had darkened quickly. In the distance, lightning bolts could be seen crackling across the sky. Then a loud BOOM followed by a low rumble filled the house as the splat of raindrops hitting the window could be heard. The little girl looked around in a panic. “The…
The father could see it coming. His two year old daughter was already starting to turn red in her face and her hands began to ball up into little fists. Soon his daughter began screaming “No!” at a full, high pitched volume. At the same time, tears came streaming down her face. The father knew…
“Bounce house!” screamed the little girl as she sprinted out towards the inflatable that had recently appeared in her yard. Several children were hot on her heels and soon shouts of joy could be heard from the bounce house. This was quickly replaced by the sound of crying as the little girl came crawling out.…
“Mom! My Instagram account just got hacked. Whoever took it over is sending all of these nasty photos to all of my friends. How could this have happened?” cried the girl. The mother came over to her daughter and asked, “Well, let’s just see if we can’t get into your account and change the password…
“Hey mom! Look at me. I am a flying purple elephant,” said the five year old. His mother glanced up and shook her head in wonder at what her child would come up with next. Many parents wonder why their children’s behavior can be so unpredictable and sometimes bizarre. If only there was a way…
“Do you wonder if our kids spend way too much time on their smartphones? It just seems like they are on it all the time and they never seem to talk to anyone. They just sit there, staring at the screen. I wonder if it’s our kids or if that is just the way things…
The sun is bright outside and the kids are out of school for summer vacation. Rather than hearing the yelling of kids playing outside, it is eerily quiet. As the father goes back inside to finish some chores around the house, he notices that all three of his children are looking at the screens on…
The boy looked at his mother and said, “I don’t think I can. I usually mess things up.” The mother sighed and wondered why her son was so reluctant to try new things. She just knew that he could be good at so many things if he would just try. In the situation above, the…
“It’s time for recess. Everybody get ready to go outside,” said the teacher. All of the preschoolers lined up to head out. Once outside, the preschoolers were engaged in all sorts of activities. Some children were playing a game of tag. Others were climbing on the monkey bars, swinging from one rung to the next.…
The teacher softly sighed as she raised her voice one more time, “Alex, please sit down and start on your work!” Alex heard the teacher and headed back to his seat to get back to work on his assignment. However, he got distracted by some classmates and headed over to their desks to see what…
As soon as the weather starts to warm and the sun shines for longer portions of the day, students’ eyes start to glaze over in anticipation of the promised summer break after a long academic year. Typically students start anticipating the break well before the end of the school year as their behavior gets more…
“When I grow up, I am going to be a singer and I am going to sing on TV in front of all my fans,” said the little girl. “Well when I grow up, I am going to be a doctor and make other kids better when they are sick,” said the little boy. Knowing…
The child had several bruises on his arms. He no longer smiled and waved at his neighbor. The easy going child had gradually changed before his neighbor’s eyes into someone who was irritable and cried easily. The neighbor suspected there was something going on but was not sure what to do. After all, it wasn’t…
The mother and her three year old son were huddled on the couch and looking at pictures of the family’s summer vacation at the beach. “Oh, this is a good one. You were just finishing your ice cream sandwich when your brother started chasing you with the hose,” said the mother. Her son looked at…
“You better give me that or I am going to punch you in the face,” said the son to his mother as he balled up his fist to punch. The mother felt that this was a good time to give into her son’s demands as it was not worth the fight, particularly over an action…
The family was sitting down to dinner when all of a sudden a loud burp comes out of a little boy. He looks around briefly before he starts giggling. Without skipping a beat, his mother asks, “What are you supposed to say after you burp?” The little boy put his head down and says, “Excuse…
The mom tells the kids to get dressed for school while she gets ready for work. Fifteen minutes later, the mom is ready to take the kids to school, but they still have their pajamas on. Looking at her watch, the mom knows this is going to make her late for work. She yells, “I…
After a very long winter, the sun is finally making its’ presence known. The daffodils are starting to bloom and birds are singing. All of these signs alert families that school spring breaks are quickly approaching. Spring breaks can be a challenge for families regarding what to do with the children during that time. Many…
A ping goes off as the mother glances down at her smart phone and notices that her son just lost a behavior point in his class. She makes a mental note to talk him about it when he gets home from school. Later in the day, while the mother is waiting in line, she checks…
The house is alive with a flurry of activity. A young girl is quickly shoving papers into a backpack while her mother is finding her car keys. The girl’s brother still looks slightly dazed as he finishes putting on his clothes while his father exhorts him to get ready to go. In a short-time, the…
It seems that growing up these days is an increasingly dangerous endeavor according to media reports. A few examples of these concerns include; devastating effects of bullying in schools, drug use among teens, increasing prevalence of cyberbullying and sexting, and rising rates of depression among a lonely generation. Pay attention to the various media headlines…
The boy had been acting in plays since he was little. He and all of this friends were trying out for the middle school play. The boy was sure he would get the lead due to his previous experience in other plays. Unfortunately when the various parts were posted, the boy was relegated to a…
It was late at night and the room was dark except for the glow of the computer screen. The adolescent boy was hunched over the computer playing just a little more of World of Warcraft before heading to bed. Thirty minutes later, he logged off the game and laid down in bed. Despite feeling exhausted,…
The nine year old boy came up to his parents and breathlessly asked, “Can I get Minecraft? Everybody at my school is playing it and it is so awesome!” The boy’s parents looked at each other with some bewilderment. Neither had a clue as to what Minecraft was, much less whether their son should be…
The 6th grade teacher could see it by the look on the girl’s face. There were the furtive glances at the boy in front of her and the whispers and giggles of her friends. The teacher knew that the girl was experiencing her first crush on a boy. By middle school, many tweens begin to…
The girl’s mother could see that her daughter was starting to get anxious. Her daughter’s eyes were beginning to widen and her face was starting to flush. Then the questions began with her daughter seeking reassurance from her that everything would be ok. The mother looked at her daughter calmly and told her, “I think…
It seems to happen almost overnight. One day parents are sitting down helping their child learn to read and do basic math problems. The next day, the child is explaining to her parents how to do algebra and the finer points of the scientific process. Something has obviously changed but what exactly has changed regarding…
“Ok everyone, it is time to eat. Make sure to wash your hands before sitting down,” reminded the mother to her children. This is a common reminder many parents use prior to eating and it illustrates the importance parents place on hand washing. Washing hands is one of the best ways for children to prevent various…
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…
As the clock finishes striking 12 and the ball has dropped in Times Square, a new year begins. Almost immediately after the grand occasion people start to sing Auld Lang Syne. The song starts, “Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?” The song goes on to focus on the importance of…
The two year old boy runs over to another child and hits him. He then yanks the toy car away from the other child. When the parent tells the child to give back the toy car, the boy shouts, “No!” The parent grimaces but thinks, “It is just a phase. I am sure it will…
The floor is littered with wrapping paper and half-open boxes. The frenzied joy of opening presents has subsided. The children are now searching around for any presents that they may have missed. One of the children looks at his parents and asks, “Is that all of the presents?” There are children who are fortunate enough…
In the living room alone there is a huge big screen television that is connected to various streaming services that offer endless entertainment options. Connected to the television is an Xbox with several games stacked by it. In addition, there is the family iPad and one of the children’s iPods. All of these devices are…
“Stop touching my stuff! I told you I don’t like that,” shouted the sister to her brother. “I didn’t touch your stuff, you are just trying to get me trouble,” shouted back the brother. The mother turned around in her seat and said, “Would you two stop it! Both of you fighting is making this…
“You should really sign up for the musical. You have such a good voice,” said a teenage girl to her friend. Her friend nodded in agreement but said, “I don’t think I can. I just get too nervous even thinking about it.” “But that is what you always say,” replied the girl. “You never take…
The children finally get home with their bags full of candy after a night of trick or treating. They take off their costumes and begin gorging on their candy horn of plenty. The next day at the store, one of the children points to a display and says, “Look mommy, it’s Christmas!” This is soon…
“I don’t know if I studied enough,” commented the teenage girl, “I just never can seem to get enough time to study. I barely got in five hours to study for the test last night but that should be enough, shouldn’t it?” Her mother nods in agreement but is getting concerned about her daughter’s behavior.…
“Come quick, I think he is about to say it again!” said the father as he frantically gestured for his wife to come by the baby. The baby boy looked up at both is parents and said, “Da-da”. Both parents looked excitedly at each other and in unison said, “His first word!” Many infants say…
“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.”…
Witches, ghouls, and black cats prowl through the night looking for the next house to enter. There are people screaming and others running around the streets with bags in their hands containing their ill-gotten gains. All around are masked people and nothing looks familiar as the night begins to descend leaving only the glow of…
The clock strikes eight o’clock and a small shiver goes down the spines of the mom and dad. Shortly the bedtime battle will begin. It is something that both parents dread. There is always something that delays the kids from going to bed. Either a favorite blanket can’t be found or an overwhelming thirst overtakes…
“Mommy! My head feels hot and my legs hurt. I don’t feel good,” said the little girl. Her mother rushed over and found that her daughter was spiking a fever even though she was fine earlier in the day. A day later, the little girl had chills, a sore throat, and a hacking cough. Her…
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…
“Be careful young man. If you keep this up, this will go on your permanent school record!” said the teacher to the misbehaving student. This type of threat has been heard in schools over the years and the thought of a cumulative record that follows students as they progress through school is intriguing. It is…
As his third grade teacher stood in the front of the class giving directions to the next assignment, the boy sat staring out the window. He often stared out the window or would spend time playing with paper or his erasers. The boy’s grades were beginning to suffer as assignment after assignment would be turned…
The toddler is sweating with a fever and crying. She has not eaten in a couple of days and she has swollen glands on either side of her face. Her parents look on anxiously and try to get her fever down. Unfortunately the disease progresses and the little girl becomes deaf. In the 1950’s it…
“No, that’s not right! There is a correct way to load the dishwasher. All of the plates have to be facing the same way and the glasses need to go from smallest to largest,” said the mother to her son. Her son looked exasperated and finally said, “I am not loading the dishes anymore and…
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…
“Ms. Smith said that we were going to have an exciting day tomorrow,” the five year old reported to her mother, “and she said we are going to paint and then see a movie and then play on the computer!” The mother nodded as the child spoke as she focused on a TV show she…
Would you rather be alone with your own thoughts for 15 minutes or give yourself a painful electric shock? The question seems like a hypothetical one that a person would find in a board game or during idle conversation with friends. However, this very type of situation was presented to participants in an experiment by…
Open communication between teachers, their students, and parents is one of the keys for students doing well in classes. Many parents rely on e-mail as a quick and efficient way of maintaining communication with teachers. However, the communication between home and school can quickly get sidetracked when parents send e-mails to teachers like the one…
Her son started to reel off a series of questions. “What if I can’t remember what class I go to next? What if I can’t make it to class on time?” he asked. His mother smiled reassuringly but was a bit alarmed at how anxious her son was becoming about going to middle school. Anxiety…
“I told you to stop doing that!” yelled the mother as she spanked her three year old son’s behind. Her son lets out a yelp and stops what he was doing. The mother does not feel happy that she had to spank her son, but it did get results. The problem is that spanking is…
“Mommy, my skin hurts,” says the six year old boy. His mother looks at her son and realizes that she forgot to have him put on sunscreen before he came outside. Now he has been out in the sun for the past three hours and looks as red as a lobster! While parents do their…
“Can I get a Facebook account?” asked the sixth grader to her parents. “All of my friends are on it and I feel left out because I don’t have an account,” she argued. She wrapped up by saying, “Besides, Facebook is free and you won’t have to pay anything for me to join.” By middle…
Water can serve as a magnet for children. Something about it is innately appealing whether the water is a rain puddle or a swimming pool. As summer gets underway, scores of children head out to play in pools. In addition, families go on vacations to be around water by heading to the beach or going…
“The lion ate him!” said the two year old boy to his father. The father smiled and said, “Yes, that’s what happened in the story we read last night.” Young children often say things that are out of context which leaves most adults befuddled as to what a child is talking about. The only adults…
“I’m bored!” said the girl to her mother, “there is nothing to do around here.” The mother heaved a deep sigh and though about how it would be a long summer as it was the first week of summer vacation. “How about going to some summer camps. There are a lot of neat ones available,”…
A little girl breathlessly runs up to her mother in the park and says, “I just made my new best friend!” The mother is very happy for her daughter and asks several follow-up questions like, “What’s your friend’s name?” and “Does she live around here?” Her daughter just says, “I don’t know” to each question…
The arguing and strife had a reached a climax and the decision had finally been made by the boy’s parents to get a divorce. Divorce occurs in roughly 40% of all marriages and many divorcing couples have children. The impact of divorce on children can be incredibly disruptive and it can take children years to…
The parents, grandparents, and relatives are all sitting in the bleachers watching with pride as the young woman walks across the stage to accept her high school diploma. As the graduation speaker begins the keynote address, many parents reflect on the job they have done in helping their children grow up and become adults. They…
The boy was hard at work with his scissors, tape, and glue. He had spent his entire free period in kindergarten working on his creation. When his teachers asked him what he had been working on so hard, he held up his paper whip and paper hat. “I want to be Indiana Jones and we…
“But Dad, I really want it!” whined the little boy. The tears began to well up as the father told his son that he could not have the toy. The little boy responded by yelling, “You never get me anything I want!” As illustrated above, it is natural for young children to get upset when…