Plus three tools for parents and teenagers that will never fail. Yes, teenagers are moody. (See The Negative Voices Inside Your Teenager’s Head) But before you label your kid with anger issues, ask yourself this question: Could I be the cause of my kid’s angry outbursts? So often in my psychotherapy office, I witness well-intentioned, […]
Parents love giving their kids gifts during the holidays, but what happens when they give too much? Overindulging children is a common parenting blunder that always backfires and turns little darlings into ungrateful bullies who are never satisfied—no matter how much they get. Before you go overboard and shower a child with gifts, consider these […]
Learning Disability 101 Is your child struggling academically? Does helping your kid with homework have you pulling your hair out and begging for mercy? Have epic meltdowns around school become customary? Schoolwork can be difficult, but it shouldn’t be torture — for you or your kid. If your child is struggling academically, maybe it’s time […]
Single Parents Need Support, Not Criticism A quick search of “boys raised without fathers” and you’ll quickly find yourself buried under an avalanche of horrifying statistics. More likely to drop out of school, more likely to develop drug or alcohol problems, more likely to be incarcerated; the bad news for single parents goes on and […]
And affordable alternatives to get your teen back on track I used to dis boarding schools. I thought sending your kid away was just plain cruel—a failure of parenting or schooling. I thought therapy could fix everything. Boy, was I wrong. When a kid has too many negative influences in her life, particularly during her […]
Personality traits that every therapist needs. For nearly 25 years, people in my office have shared their secrets, their fears, and their hopes. They’ve confessed wrongs, explored love and relationships, worked through childhood traumas, explored dreams and nightmares; some lasted a few sessions, others stayed for years. Every now and then, a person asks me, […]
New book highlights parents’ role in preparing their children to manage money Will your children know how to save money? Who will teach them to budget? How will they manage their money when you’re not doing it for them? Kimberly Palmer, author of the exciting new book SMART MOM, RICH MOM: How to Build Wealth […]
When planning your getaway, it’s not the place, but the heart that matters most The classroom clock ticks. Tongues click, feet tap, and the ever-present calendar on the wall beckons students’ wandering eyes. Soon, very soon, the two words most beloved by children and fretted by parents will be unleashed into the sun-drenched world. Two […]
Prescription med overdoses now surpass cocaine, heroin, and meth combined. For nearly 25 years I have worked with teenagers in therapy groups and asked them to identify any mood altering substances that they or their friends have tried. Year after year, the top two answers were always the same: marijuana and alcohol. Recently, I asked […]
Attitudes toward divorce are changing. When I was a kid, divorced parents were given the evil eye. Heads shook, tongues clicked; divorcees were home-wreckers, selfish and unloving, they destroyed children’s lives. Some churches banned them from services—apparently, even God wasn’t a fan. The message to married couples: Keep your marriage intact by any means necessary. Times […]
