Keeping Routines Through the Holidays
Kate Smith , M.A.
Last school year, kids were constantly wondering if they would be in the school building or learning virtually. Teachers and parents spent the beginning of this school year fielding the questions of what will this year look like? With...
Parenting: Using Encouragement Over Praise
Maddie McGarrah , M.Ed.
When your child gets a good grade, figures out how to do something, or completes something we often respond with praise such as “Great job!”, “Excellent”, “Way to get an A on that!”. This is defined as praise. While...
How to Support Your Teenager with Anxiety
Madeline Redetzky , M.S.
Most of the teenagers I work with experience anxiety in some form. Over my years working with this population, I have found that I often am supporting the parents and family as well. I do not often hear people...
To be Young, Black and Depressed
There has been more acknowledgement, inclusion and research regarding the disproportionate rates of depression, lack of mental health accessibility and lack of individuals seeking therapy due to the stigma that still resides within the black community. We’ve seen the...
Is Social Media “Influencing” Our Youth?
Alexis Durham , M.S.
Social media: something that has become impossible for some of us to live without. Especially the teens in our life. Social media is a great way to stay connected, this past year has proved that. But how much is...
Tips for Parenting in Stepfamilies
Janet Fluker , M.Ed., M.S.
Newly married couples with children from a previous marriage are often surprised at the challenges they face as a stepfamily. For many children, adjusting to divorce is easier than becoming a stepfamily. Depending on the age of the children,...
Improving Communication with Your Teen
Allison Bates , M.S.
The parent/teenager relationship is one of the most important relationships a teenager will have in the emotionally charged teenage time of their lives; however, oftentimes the opposite occurs, with the teenager pushing the parent away. This can, in turn,...
Stress on Kids During the Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic took the world by surprise in March 2020. It was a new journey for everyone. Parents had to wear many hats during this time- full-time parent, teacher, and employee. We had nationwide lockdowns, schools became virtual,...
School and Anxiety During a Pandemic
Since March of 2020, families and children have had to make major adjustments in their lives due to the pandemic, especially when it is related to school. Many parents were left at home trying to figure out the best...
Back to School: Navigating the “New Norm”
There is so much going into this new 2021-2022 school year already and it has not even fully begun. For children who are returning to in-person learning, there may be anxiety overflowing far beyond just the first day jitters,...
Coping With Back-to-School Anxiety: Back to School Checklist for Parents
Going back to school can be anxiety provoking for many children. These 12 steps can help with reducing feelings of anxiety and help your child feel prepared and less anxious about starting the school year. One week before school...
Dealing With Acts of Aggression from Your Child
Allison Bates , M.S.
One issue I have a lot of my child clients working on is their anger (including tantrums). Some tantrums or outbursts are normal for children under the age of 5, while they are making sense of boundaries and the world around them....
Navigating Technology
Over the last 10 years, technology has become a popular topic and part of life. Many parents and educators are wondering how to handle technology and what boundaries to put in place. There is an increasing amount of anxiety...
Parenting for More Effect – Impart and Implement III: The Why
Stephen Walters , M.Div., M.A.
So far this year, my blogs have been focused on how we can parent for more effect. Specifically, during a time of a pandemic, social distancing, and isolation. Also, generally, as we get closer and closer to “normal times.”...
Healthy Relationships Between Parents and Teens
Healthy Relationships between Parents & Teens require good communication. A healthy relationship is one that is based on respect, honesty, trust, communication, individuality, safety, support, and acceptance. Here are some tips for communication that will help foster a healthy...
Respectful Parenting – Part 1
Alice D. Hoag , Ed.D.
I am privileged to be the mother of 3 young men ages 24, 22, and 19. The blessing came only after a 4-year struggle with infertility wherein I went through almost every fertility procedure known at the time to...
Attachment and Your Child
Allison Bates , M.S.
A secure attachment is the foundation for a child’s responses, their interactions with others, their expectations of you and the family as a whole. When a child is attached to a parent, they are significantly less likely to have...
Understanding ADHD
In today’s culture, it is common to overuse and over-diagnose someone with ADHD. Many parents wonder what “ADHD” truly is and how can they help their child who struggles with it. According to the Child Mind Institute, ADHD is...
Parenting for More Effect: Impart and Implement II: Breathe
Stephen Walters , M.Div., M.A.
Last quarter, I wrote a blog starting a series on how we can parent for more effect. The hope of this series is to make 2021 a year when we move towards a thriving mindset in our parenting and...
Parenting For More Effect – Impart and Implement I: Our Words
Stephen Walters , M.Div., M.A.
I remember when my oldest son was born, my first thought was, “Wow, I really hope I do a terrible job as a parent.” Wait, that is not right. Of course, my first thought was more like, “Will I...