Motor Skills

Developing Motor Skills

Your child's mastery of fine-motor skills will allow him greater independence. Here are some of the skills your youngster will perfect in the preschool years.

Another area of development to encourage this year is fine motor skills—or use of the hands. Just as gross motor skills enable your child to perform important everyday tasks, such as getting out of bed and going downstairs for breakfast, fine motor abilities allow for increasing independence in smaller but equally significant matters: opening doors, zipping zippers, brushing teeth, washing hands, and so on.

When combined with increasing hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills also open new doors to exploration, learning, and creative expression. In fact, research shows that emphasis on purely intellectual activities—memorization of letters and numbers, for instance—is far less useful at this stage than pursuits that encourage fine motor abilities and hand-eye coordination. These skills—rather than counting or reciting the alphabet—lay the foundation for academic learning in later years. In order to learn to write or draw.

Among the fine motor skills your child will perfect in the preschool years are the abilities to:

• paste things onto paper
• clap hands
• touch fingers
• button and unbutton
• work a zipper
• build a tower of 10 blocks
• complete puzzles with five or more pieces
• manipulate pencils and crayons well enough to color and draw
• copy a circle or cross onto a piece of paper
• cut out simple shapes with safety scissors

The best way for you to help promote these and other hand-related skills is to provide your child with a wide range of materials to manipulate as her imagination dictates. Good choices include blocks (especially the interlocking types like magnetic blocks, Legos, bristle blocks, Tinker Toys, and construction straws), crayons, nontoxic and washable markers and paints, paste, glue, modeling clay, an easel, construction paper, safety scissors, a smock to guard against stained clothing, coloring books, and simple sewing cards. This is also a prime time for puzzles, sand and water toys, and musical instruments.

We came across the heart wrenching news of the loss of an innocent life within the premises of a school. This is the second time in a year that a child has lost his life within school boundaries. It is natural to feel hurt and angry about the injustice of it all.Who is responsible for the safety of our children? Is it the school or the parents or at a larger level, the government? Perhaps it is all of them.

As a parent, it is important that we teach our children to be assertive in order to protect themselves against incidents of bullying and emotional exploitation. And most importantly, make our homes a place of trust and support. At school, creating a safe learning environment, identifying pupils who are suffering or at risk of harm and then taking suitable action, are vital to making sure that children are safe.We, as parents, have an added responsibility to use such forums with utmost care and caution. In today’s time of dwindling family ties internet sometimes takes over the role of pseudo parents and may function as their only emotional support systems. We, as the community, need to provide more robust personal “ live” forums where our children can seek support for all their emotional needs.

Turning off our computers, our phone, logging off Facebook, and just getting rid of social media and actually having face to face conversations with our children is the need of the hour and may actually save this generation. Together we can protect our future generation by teaching them to be smart, strong, and safe.

Developmental Delay

Developmental Delay

As a child grows and develops, he learns different skills, such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, or waving goodbye. These skills are known as developmental milestones. There is normal variation around what age children will achieve a specific developmental milestone.  Developmental delay refers to a child who is not achieving milestones within the age range of that normal variability. Most often, at least initially, it is difficult or impossible to determine whether the delay is a marker of a long-term issue with development or learning (i.e. known as a disability) or whether the child will ‘catch-up’ and be ‘typical’ in their development and learning.  ’There are five main groups of skills that make up the developmental milestones. A child may have a developmental delay in one or more of these areas:

• Gross motor: using large groups of muscles to sit, stand, walk, run, etc., keeping balance and changing positions.
• Fine motor: using hands and fingers to be able to eat, draw, dress, play, write and do many other things.
• Language: speaking, using body language and gestures, communicating and understanding what others say.
• Cognitive: Thinking skills including learning, understanding, problem-solving, reasoning and remembering.
• Social: Interacting with others, having relationships with family, friends, and teachers, cooperating and responding to the feelings of others.

Usually, there is an age range of several months where a child is expected to learn these new skills. If the normal age range for walking is 9 to 15 months, and a child still isn’t walking by 20 months, this would be considered a developmental delay (2 standard deviations below the mean). A delay in one area of development may be accompanied by a delay in another area. For example, if there is a difficulty in speech and language, a delay in other areas such as social or cognitive development may coexist.

It is important to identify developmental delays early so that treatment can minimize the effects of the problem. Parents who have concerns about their child’s development should consult the child’s physician, who, in turn, might make a referral to a developmental pediatrician, developmental psychologist or pediatric neurologist. The consultant can evaluate the child and recommend treatments and therapies that might benefit the child.

What Causes Developmental Delay?

Developmental delay can have many different causes, such as genetic causes (like Down Syndrome), or complications of pregnancy and birth (like prematurity or infections). Often, however, the specific cause is unknown. Some causes can be easily reversed if caught early enough, such as hearing loss from chronic ear infections.

Can Developmental Delay Be Prevented?

Since there are so many different conditions that can lead to developmental delays, there isn’t one “right way” to prevent developmental delay. What’s important is to be aware of when your baby should be reaching developmental milestones and to consult your pediatrician if you think there may be a problem. Early intervention is key in helping your child overcome any developmental delays.

How is Developmental Delay Treated?

There is no one treatment that works for every child with a developmental delay. Children are unique; they learn and grow and develop in their own way, at their own pace, based on their strengths and weaknesses. Any treatment plan will take this uniqueness into account and be designed to focus on individual needs. Early intervention services are the main theme of treatment, but any underlying conditions that have led to developmental delay will need to be treated as well. Early intervention services may include:

• Speech and Language Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Behavior Therapies, such as those used to treat autism and behavioral issues

In addition, if there are other disabilities present medical or surgical treatments may be required to manage those conditions.

It is important for all children with developmental delay to have their hearing and vision evaluated so that untreated visual or hearing impairments do not complicate the situation.

DIFFICULTY IN LEARNING

IS YOUR CHILD SUFFERING FROM DIFFICULTY IN LEARNING?

Learning disabilities is a general term used to describe a variety of learning disorders. According to the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities  struggles with reading and writing, avoids school, and has difficulty communicating. Many children with learning disabilities are extremely smart. They can use their strengths to hide certain difficulties, like using a phenomenal auditory memory to avoid reading or taking notes.If you notice your 3- to 5-year-old having difficulty rhyming words, singing the alphabet song, or mispronouncing words more than other children their age do, these could be signs of a learning disability.
Here are some symptoms -


Mispronouncing words
Word substitution
Poor spellings
Difficulty copying shapes, letters, and words
Letter and word reversals


TYPES OF LEARNING DISABILITY
Many children may have both an LD and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder .Here are the six main types of LDs.

Dyslexia
 Contrary to popular belief, dyslexia is a language-based disorder, not a visual problem that causes children to reverse letters. Individuals with dyslexia may have challenges with reading, spelling, and writing in conjunction with challenges in both understanding and expressing language. Such challenges may be severe or subtle and difficult to recognize,"The reason may be that girls tend to sit more quietly in their seats while boys often have behavior problems that draw attention to their learning disabilities.

Dyscalculia
 Dyscalculia refers to difficulty with mathematics, such as computing, remembering math facts, and learning time and money concepts. The signs of dyscalculia change over time.This type of LD affects functional skills such as playing board games, counting money, or measuring things.

Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia refers to difficulty with the task of writing.Children with dysgraphia struggle to organize letters, words, and numbers on a page. Handwriting is a complex process that involves processing information and putting thoughts on paper by coordinating vision and pencil movements to form letters and words.Children with this type of LD may also have difficulties with other fine motor skills and spelling.

Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia refers to difficulty with fine motor skills, such as controlling a pencil, grasping scissors, and hand-eye coordination. Parents may observe early signs of dyspraxia in a baby who does not imitate waving and pointing. Dyspraxia also affects gross motor skills such as the coordination to ride a bike or play sports

Auditory Processing Disorder 
Children with auditory processing disorders have difficulty with interpreting auditory information related to language development and reading. Parents and teachers might observe difficulties with discriminating similar sounds and words, following directions, and distinguishing important sounds.

Sensory Processing Disorder
Learning disabilities affect the brain's ability to take in information, process it, and use it in a functional manner such as reading, writing, or following directions.children with learning disabilities often have sensory processing issues that compound their difficulties,

Visual Processing Disorder
Visual processing disorders involve difficulties interpreting visual information related to reading, writing, and math. Children with this type of LD might have a problem discerning visual similarities and differences.Other signs of a visual processing disorder include difficulties sequencing symbols, words or images, and spelling.

Diagnosing a Learning Disability

Teachers typically offer a referral for educational testing to understand why a student is not working up to his potential. Usually the discrepancy between a student's expected achievement (such as reading at grade level) and actual academic performance is a hallmark of a learning disability.A speech and language pathology (SLP) evaluation can diagnose dyslexia or, along with an audiologist, diagnose an auditory processing disorder, and an occupational therapy evaluation may indicate dyspraxia, dysgraphia, or a visual processing disorder. Although developmental or learning challenges may be observed in younger children, learning disabilities are typically identified in school-aged children when academic demands increase and skills are closely monitored.
Learning disabilities vary in terms of severity, with sensory systems (e.g., visual, motor or auditory) and functions (e.g., difficulty speaking, reading, or writing) being affected. Parents who observe that their child is struggling to learn should ask their school to provide comprehensive testing by a team composed of a psychologist, occupational and physical therapists, a speech language pathologist, and an educational specialist.

Depression in Children and Adolescents

Depression in Children and Adolescents

Depression is a common and serious form of childhood mental disorder. Until as recently as the 1980s, doctors and others rarely considered that children could become depressed. But research has shown that they do, suffering many of the same symptoms that are seen in adults with a major depression, but also some that are unique to their age. When recognized early and diagnosed accurately, depression is highly responsive to treatment; still, each episode of this recurrent illness tends to increase the likelihood that episodes of illness will recur; and, thus, depression must be treated and managed with an eye toward the long term.

As many as 5 percent, or one in 20, of children and adolescents experience a potentially disabling depression before age 19. This frequency of occurrence, or prevalence, of depression at young ages – and the fact that fewer than half of those who have the illness receive appropriate treatment – helps explain why depression is now the leading cause of disability among adults
Several forms of depression affect children and adults alike. Major depression is characterized by specific signs and symptoms; suffering at least five of these symptoms for two weeks or more is a highly reliable marker of depression. In dysthymia, symptoms generally are less severe, but the illness is marked by a more chronic and persistent course; rather than shifting episodically into well-defined periods of depression, the child with dysthymia lives in world tinted a joyless gray.

Does my child have a mental disorder?

The question is difficult, even frightening, for a parent to voice. Understandably, it is easier to overlook or explain away subtle signs of illness that may occur periodically at worst and are set against the rapid changes of childhood or the turmoil of adolescence. “It’s just a phase.” “He’ll grow out of it.” “She’s under a lot of stress.” “We need to assure him that we love him.” “No one in our family has a mental illness.” Yet the concern that sparks a parent’s question may be justified. One in five American children and adolescents has a mental or behavioral disorder that interferes with their ability to learn in school or to establish healthy relationships with family members and friends. For one in 10 youngsters, a mental disorder will lead to moderate to severe impairment in one or more facets of their life.

What Causes Childhood Depression?

No single cause of depression has been identified. However, we know that depression is an illness with a pronounced biological basis. The genes that we inherit, and which continue to be influenced by experience throughout life, may predispose a person to the illness, but this predisposition, or vulnerability, to depression typically is “triggered” by life events.

Researchers have begun to identify these triggers, called risk factors, for depression.

A child’s risk for becoming depressed may increase with stress or with an experience of devastating loss or trauma. Behavioral problems and mental disorders – for example, conduct, attention-deficit, learning, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders — frequently co-occur with depression and may help explain its onset. A family history of depression or bipolar disorder is a significant risk factor for depression in a child or young adult.

Depression may – and frequently does – occur when no member of a family has knowingly experienced a serious mental disorder. The underlying biological mechanisms and triggering events for illness in these instances have yet to be clearly understood.

What can be said with surety is that in children no less than in adults, clinical depression is not a character weakness, normal sadness, or a passing phase. It is a real medical illness that can be accurately diagnosed and effectively treated. Indeed, a child’s response to appropriate treatments is a valuable way of validating the presence of the disorder.

What is the Risk of Suicide?

Suicide frequently is a direct and lethal outcome of depression. When a teenager thinks or talks about suicide, the risk is real. Children should understand that if a sibling or friend discusses suicide, it should be called to the attention of an adult. A suicidal gesture should not be viewed as attention getting, but as an anguished cry for help.

The mid-1960s marked the start of an alarming, three-decade long increase in rates of suicide by young white males, a tragic incline that has been followed more recently by young black males. Each year in the U.S., almost twice as many adolescents commit suicide as die from all natural causes combined. Not even pre-teens are immune.

A recent down-turn in rates of adolescent suicide may reflect increasing widespread use of safer and more effective medications to treat depression. Suicide remains a public health crisis, however, that demands research to improve preventive strategies.

How Can We Recognize Depression?

Extensive research has identified the signs and symptoms of major depression. In children, doctors are learning, these classic symptoms often may be obscured by other behavioral and physical complaints – features such as those bracketed. At least five symptoms must be present to the extent that they interfere with daily functioning over a minimal period of two weeks.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression
(As seen often in children and adolescents):

1. Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying
2. Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
3. Hopelessness
4. Preoccupation with nihilistic song lyrics
5. Decreased interest or enjoyment in once-favorite activities
6. Low energy
7. Persistent boredom
8. Frequent complaints of physical illness; for example, headache, stomachache
9. Poor communication with family and friends, social isolation Low self-esteem, feelings of guilt
10. Oppositional; negative
11. Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
12. Inability to concentrate (poor performance in school; frequent absences)
13. Changes in sleep habits (Excessive late-night TV; refusal to wake in the morning)
14. Changes in eating habits (Failure to gain weight as normally expected; bulimia or anorexia)
15. Talk of running away from home or efforts to do so
16. Thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive behavior

What Can We Expect From Treatment?

Treatments for depression are well-defined and effective for the vast majority of those with the illness. Teachers, or a pediatrician or other health care provider, often are the first to put a name to the changes in a child’s behavior that are seen with depression. Your child’s doctor can rule out the presence of general medical illnesses that might present with some depressive symptoms and, in some instances, may be willing and capable of treating depression. Often, however, seeking specialty care is advisable.

A mental health professional can verify a suspected diagnosis and help a parent and child understand the array and benefits of different treatment options.

Ideally, a treatment program will combine psychotherapy and medications. The former relies on age-appropriate communication as a tool for bringing about changes in a patient’s feelings or behavior. While different types of therapies tend to be offered in various communities, research has shown that “here and now” approaches that concentrate on solving problems (rather than on gaining insight into psychological processes) are preferable.

15 Things you Should Never do to an Introverted Child

15 Things you Should Never do to an Introverted Child

If you are an extrovert – your introverted child might completely baffle you?
 Being an introvert isn’t a problem in and of itself. We are all wired differently. Some of us get energized being around others and some of us get depleted. Many of us understand these types of kids because we are introverts ourselves.
The bigger problem emerges when an extroverted parent doesn’t understand their introverted child. When you birth a child who is wired completely differently than you – parenting can become a struggle.

 Here are 15 things you should NEVER do to your introverted child.
Some parents have a jokey personality. They like to tease and poke fun at their kids. They aren’t doing it to be mean – they are doing it to be funny.



Unfortunately, your introverted child will completely miss the humor in this type of interaction. Worse – it has the potential to make them resent you.



Force them to have discussions with others.



I get it – you want them to be social. You want them to talk. But, forcing them to talk with others isn’t going to work. An Introverted child needs to feel comfortable in order to open up. If they are pushed into talking too soon – they will withdrawal completely.



Orchestrating social interactions.



Maybe you see another quiet kid on the playground. You think this is your time to help your child make friends. You call the kid over. Introduce the child to your child. You wind up talking for your child and the conversation is going south quickly.


There is nothing wrong with helping your child jump start a social interaction – but know when to back off and let the conversation naturally flourish or die a quick death.



Make fun of them in front of others.



There is only one thing worse than making fun of an introverted child – and that is making fun of them in front of other people. Introverted kids can be highly self-conscious and they are more likely to get embarrassed over things you might think are no big deal.



Put them on the spot in front of others.



Did your child forget to do a chore? Did they say thank you too quietly or not at all. Putting your child on the spot and scolding them in front of others will just make them want to curl up and die. There will be no learning curve in those moments. If you want to correct their behavior – address it after the audience has left.



Ask them to perform in front of other people.



Maybe your daughter has the most beautiful voice or your son tells the funniest jokes. Introverts don’t want to be on stage and do not appreciate an unwanted spotlight on them. Avoid putting them on show and asking them to perform for others. You might think it is cute – but most likely they will not.



Talk for them – when they do not want you to.



People ask your child a question and you are quick to answer for them. He’s too quiet. He’s too shy. He won’t answer quickly enough. Give your child some space to talk for themselves.



Over schedule them.



Many kids are over scheduled – but some kids flourish with an abundance of activities. In general an introverted child needs more down time. They get overwhelmed with too much stimulation and need to recharge at home.


Plan back to back activities with no down time.



If you have a busy day – be sure to plan some down time in between. Think of your introvert’s social energy as a battery. Every time they are out their battery is getting depleted. Your home is the charging station. An Introverted child needs to be recharged frequently.



Force them to go outside and play when they want to recharge inside.



A seven hour school day can be completely exhausting for an introverted child. They might want to come home and just collapse.



You might feel uncomfortable with your child just sitting on the couch or lying on their bed reading. However, that might be just what your child needs after a long school day.



Belittle their quiet demeanor.



The worst thing a parent can do is demean their child for being an introvert. I witness this all the time and it makes me cringe. Telling your child, “stop being so quiet” or “just go up and talk to them!” doesn’t help and only makes them want to withdrawal even further.



Consider them rude when they have a hard time saying hi to acquaintances.



An introverted child may have a hard time saying hi to acquaintances. People might walk past them and they might ignore their hellos. They are not being rude. Introverts can have a hard time being friendly to acquaintances. Instead of scolding them – teach them that a nod or a smile would be the polite thing to do.



Be loud and draw attention to yourself when you are around their peers.



An introverted child can be acutely self-conscious around others. When you are loud and rambunctious around their peers – that might mortify them (just sayin’).



Ask their peers questions.



An introverted kid might be on high alert around peers. When you swoop in and start asking their friends questions – this can be unnerving for your child. They might worry about what you might say or do.


Disclose personal information in front of other people.


You might think it is no big deal to talk about silly things your child did as a baby or what cute mistakes they made when they were younger – but to the introverted child this can feel like ridicule.

Even the most mundane facts about an introverted child can be perceived as personal and private information to them.

Not all extroverted parents do these things to their introverted kids. You don’t have to be an introvert to successfully parent an introverted child.

Taking the time to read your child’s cues and learning to respect their boundaries will go a long way. Even if you don’t understand why they get embarrassed so easily or why they don’t talk as freely – respecting their feelings is huge!
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Are you raising an introvert at home? What are your experiences? Leave a comment and share with other parents.



Do you know other friends and families who could benefit from learning more about the introverted child? Share this article and educate others.

Skills to Teach Your Child by Age 10

Your child is more capable than you realize.Even your preschooler can begin to learn these essential life lessons.
With so much for our children to learn in today’s high-tech world, it’s all too easy for them to miss out on practical life skills, whether it’s running a load of wash, reading a map, or handwriting a letter.Start teaching these life skills now, and put your kid on the path toward independence

1. Doing the Laundry

Too many teens head to college with no clue how to clean their clothes. Don’t let your kid become one of them. You can begin teaching your child when she is around 6. If you have a top-loading washer, keep a step stool nearby. Walk her through the process—how to measure and add the detergent, choose the settings, and start the machine.



2. Planting a Seedling

Lots of preschoolers learn to plant seeds in class but not how to transfer sprouts into a garden.

• Ask your child to dig a hole that’s slightly larger than the container the plant is in.
• Once you remove the plant from the pot and place it in the hole, have her delicately push soil around it and pat it down.
• Let your child water it with a gentle stream from a watering can with a perforated nozzle.
• By age 6 or 7, your child can remove a seedling himself. Have him split two fingers apart so the stem of the plant goes between them, then squeeze the outside of the container until the plant comes out. If the roots are wound tightly, he should loosen them a few at a time before planting.

3. Wrapping a Gift

Your child already loves giving presents, and wrapping them makes it even more satisfying. Preschoolers can help cut the paper and stick on the tape, while kindergartners can complete additional steps with your help, like removing the price tag, finding the right size box, and wrapping paper all the way around the gift to make sure it fits before cutting it.

4. Hammering a Nail

• Give your child a 7- or 9-ounce hammer. Home-improvement stores sell kids’ models as light as 4 ounces, but with those it’s harder to pound a nail.
• Use a piece of soft wood (such as pine, poplar, or cedar). You can hold it in place with clamps or a vise, or simply place it on the ground.
• Pick nails with a wide head. At first you’ll have to “start” each one for him.
• When your child is ready to do it himself, you can push a nail through a small piece of cardboard so it’s held in place as he hammers it into the wood. Make sure your child holds the edge of the cardboard instead of the nail (to protect his fingers).
• Once he’s mastered that method, have him try holding the nail. Be prepared for a sore thumb or two, but before long he’ll get the hang of it.

5. Writing a Letter

Toddlers can dictate a letter to a family member (enhanced with drawings), attach the stamp, and drop it into a mailbox. Teach an older child how to address an envelope and the five parts of a letter: date, greeting (“Dear…”), body, closing (“Sincerely”), and signature. You can also have them help with holiday cards, find a pen pal (sites such as Amazing Kids and International Pen Friends can help)

6. Preparing a Simple Meal

Invite your child to help make meals, assign him jobs to do, and stay calm when the flour spills and the eggshells fly, says Christina Dymock, a mom of four and author of Young Chefs. Yogurt with fruit is a good first DIY breakfast. Preschoolers can spoon yogurt into a bowl and add prewashed cut-up fruit. Work with kids 5 and older on making sandwiches and smoothies (monitor the blender closely). Around age 7 or 8, your kid can try toaster-oven faves like English-muffin pizza, or make a simple salad by ripping lettuce, dumping in croutons, and cutting up tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots. By age 10, kids can use the stovetop with supervision for a grilled-cheese sandwich. Focus on safety and practice, and you might just have a MasterChef Junior on your hands. 

7. Navigating

If you’ve ever gotten lost following a GPS’s turn-by-turn voice directions, you know why being able to read a map is essential (even if it’s one on your phone). These activities will build your child’s navigational skills.

• Hunt for treasure. Maps seem boring…until you use them to look for booty. Hide toys in your yard and then draw a simple sketch to mark their location. Show your 3- or 4-year-old how objects on the map correspond to those in front of her.
• Have her lead the way. Zoos, museums, and theme parks have colorful, easy-to-read maps. Ask your preschooler to track her path, and challenge an older kid to get you from point A to point B.
• Take up geocaching. Kids ages 5 and up love this outdoor treasurehunt game, which uses GPS tracking to find containers filled with trinkets.

8. Treating a Wound

Teach your child from a young age not to freak out when he sees blood (and don’t overreact yourself). Giving him a game plan will distract him from the pain and come in handy when you’re not around to kiss his boo-boos: Apply pressure until the bleeding stops, rise the cut with water, dab on some antibiotic ointment, then apply a bandage.

9. Cleaning the Bathroom

Keep rags or a sponge handy for wiping toothpaste blobs off the sink. Toilet duties require greater skill. School-age kids can clean the lid, seat, and base with a disinfecting wipe. Make sure they wash their hands thoroughly afterward. Big kids can scrub the bowl with a nontoxic cleaner: Sprinkle the sides with baking soda, let it sit for a few minutes, pour in some vinegar, then scrub with a toilet brush.

10. Comparison Shopping

Teaching kids to be smart consumers takes practice. This three-step approach worked for our family:

• Explain as you go. Mention prices out loud and talk about your choices: “I’m getting gas at the other station because it costs 10 cents less per gallon.” I tell my kids about some things I’d like to have (Lululemon yoga pants, anyone?) but don’t buy because they’re not in our budget. 
• Let your kid pay sometimes. Give him an allowance, and then designate items he is responsible for purchasing. My husband and I don’t buy any sweets. That’s forced our kids to become savvy shoppers. When the ice pops at our local pool began putting a dent in their cash flow, they pooled their money and bought a box of 12 to keep in the freezer.
• Play the grocery game. At the supermarket, challenge your kid to find the least expensive brand of paper towels or tomato sauce.

Make teenagers happy

Teen depression is a serious problem in America, with an estimated 20% of adolescents suffering depression at some stage. Changing hormones make life tough enough without the added pressures often caused by social media and modern advertising. Here are some ways to make sure your teen is happy and educated in the information age.

Be Aware of the Risks

The life of a teenager is almost unrecognizable to even 20 years ago. Social networks and the changing face of media and advertising have led to greater pressures on teens to look and behave a certain way. It’s always good for parents to arm themselves with knowledge, so take some time to understand the life of a teen today. 

ou’ll notice there’s a huge focus on images, with many teenagers following favorite celebrities. They’re often idolized for their appearances, shopping habits, and lifestyles. It’s not all bad, and some people choose to follow educational or entertaining people that create enriching content. 

Communicate and Lead by Example

Depending on your relationship with your child, it can be difficult and even counter-productive to be too controlling. It’s difficult to police what teens are doing at school or alone, so it’s important to promote good practices and lead by example. Don’t ban technology outright, but set strict limits on computer and social media time. Be sure you’re practicing what you preach and put your own phone down now and then. Be your child’s greatest role model.

Engage your teen in a discussion at dinner times, for example on a popular advertising campaign or Instagram celebrity. Make sure they understand that images are often heavily edited and that people get nice bodies with proper diet and exercise. Discuss the risks of counter-productive eating practices and the fact that they’re unsustainable and dangerous

Encourage All Their Virtues

It’s also important to praise your children where appropriate. So much emphasis is put on appearance that it can be easy to forget that a good sense of humor, being charitable and practicing a skill like music or sports are all to be admired. Be sure to offer rounded encouragement that reinforces the idea that all these things are important. It’s easy to forget that most children look up to their parents and follow their examples, so use your influence wisely.

Fundamentally, create a positive environment where your children feel comfortable with talking to you about issues. An open and understanding household is a good basis for identifying any problems. It’s more likely they’ll be honest when they’re having difficulty and you’ll notice any odd changes in behavior, which may signal issues. Take such signs seriously and let them know you’re there if they need to talk. Avoid rushing or pressuring your teen, and remain open for communication. Seek professional help through your doctor, the school or services 

How To Make School Mornings Easier

How To Make School Mornings Easier

For parents, school mornings can pack in all the stress of a normal day into just a couple of hours. Here are five ways you can make school mornings easier, leading to happier kids :

Be Strict About Sleep

You almost certainly give your kids a bedtime, but be sure you’re sticking to your own as well. Everyone differs in how much sleep they need, and you know how much is enough. Do yourself a favor by getting to bed on time so you’re less cranky and more able to deal with the hurdles of the morning with ease.

Get a Head Start the Night Before

It’s tempting after a long day of work to put off what you can until the next day. Yet, leaving things for when your brain is still waking up only makes things harder. Make preparations for the next morning, like putting out breakfast bowls and the kids’ clothes, part of your nightly routine. Once dinner, cleaning and homework help are out of the way, you can relax knowing you’ve made the next day as easy as possible.

Make Time for Yourself

Getting up earlier might sound like the last thing you want to do, but even 10 minutes to yourself with coffee and the morning paper can help you relax. With a peaceful mindset, you can then get started on waking up the kids and preparing for the day. A calmer attitude sets you up for the rest of the day.

Incentivise Getting Ready Early

Giving yourself and your kids enough time to get ready is key to avoiding rushing around and getting stressed. It can be difficult for kids to see the benefit of getting to school on time, as they’re usually reluctant to go in the first place. If you offer a small treat for finishing early, like 15 minutes of cartoons before leaving, children often get ready on time by themselves. Even better, make treat time something you share with them, either by watching their shows as well or doing some drawing or playing together.

Give Everything a “Home”

If you’re always scrambling to find the car keys, school bags or shoes, make sure you set places for all these things so you know where they’ll be. Tell your kids it’s important to put everything back in its proper place, and supervise until they make it a habit. You’ll find you spend less time looking for everything and more time enjoying your mornings together and being on time.
With everyone sleepy and thinking of the tasks for the day ahead, mornings with kids can often be the most stressful part of the day. By implementing some structure, planning and fun time into the routine, school mornings can become a lot less stressful and set you and your kids up for a great day ahead.

How to Teach Your Child to Be More Responsible

How to Teach Your Child to Be More Responsible

Teaching children responsibility is one of the jobs you have as a parent. It’s daunting to think about but necessary. Many adults don’t understand responsibility, not for themselves, their finances or for anyone else. But teaching your child about accountability doesn’t have to be impossible. It doesn’t even have to be hard. Children who grow up to be responsible adults have usually had some guidance in their younger years. They’ve been given the chance to contribute to the household in some form, they’ve been taught about money and they’ve been given the independence to learn to rely on themselves.

Though children should be allowed to be children as they grow up, teaching them responsibility from a young age is equally important. One of the ways to teach them this is through chores. Having responsibilities around the house, and contributing to the family, can help them learn about being accountable. Chores also teach them about respect. They learn to respect what their parents do for them, the toys and belongings that are given to them and to respect their own ability to contribute in a meaningful way.
One of the biggest difficulties for adults is managing money. Good habits should be learned in childhood so that they have already had the practice necessary. Giving your child an allowance is the first step in teaching them about being financially responsible. In order to earn their allowance, children should need to compete their chores just as they will later in life. Teach them about saving and spending responsibly but then allow them to make their own decisions. This is where they can safely make mistakes about money and learn how to handle it to benefit themselves. This is also where you can teach them about charity, so that as adults they will know not only how to be responsible for themselves but also how to help others.

A lot of modern parenting encourages keeping your child wrapped in cotton-wool. But having some measure of independence is where they learn to rely on themselves. Children learn responsibility by being made to face the consequences of their actions. Don’t try to protect them wholly from themselves or their decisions. Learning comes from making mistakes and it’s better to make those mistakes as a child where the consequences aren’t as severe. Don’t be afraid to let your child spend time alone or be afraid to let them make decisions about their time, hobbies and friends. Give them the independence they need to grow into responsible adults who know how to take care of themselves.

Teaching children to be responsible doesn’t need to be impossible. Though there are many adults in the world who don’t know the meaning of responsibility, this doesn’t have to be the case for your children. Teach them to contribute through age-appropriate chores and they’ll better appreciate what you do for them and what work is. Give them a weekly or monthly allowance when they’d completed their chores and allow them to spend it how they wish. Whether spenders or misers, they’ll learn financial lessons that will carry into adulthood. And give them the independence to learn to entertain themselves, make their own decisions and to live with the consequences of those decisions. Give them the basic foundations of responsibility in childhood and you will have taught them to be the adults the world needs.

6 Ways to Teach Kids the Value of Money

6 Ways to Teach Kids the Value of Money

Money is an essential part of life, and it’s never too early to teach your children its value  and the importance of saving, so they will be equipped to spend sensibly when they grow up. Learning the principles of responsible handling of money should give them many opportunities for advancement when they are older, which is why it is important that, even at a young age, children cultivate a respect for money.

1. Expand on the basics of math

Once your children start school and learn the basics of math, begin to educate them about money and give them some practice. Play money games at home, or download them to your computer and/or tablet. This way, your child will learn how cash  is actually used.

2. Get them a piggy bank

This simple action will teach your children the importance of saving, and engender a sense of responsibility towards handling money.  Encourage your children to save a certain amount in a particular time frame, or suggest they save coins of a particular denomination. Make it a game as well as an aim, to keep it interesting. On your chosen date, open the piggy banks and count the savings. Make some sort of visual record, to encourage your children to save more, and teach them the basics of simple record keeping.

3. Familiarize them with the bank

Take your kids to the bank and open savings accounts in their names.  Let them talk to the teller and conduct their business themselves. Make sure they understand the terms and conditions of the account, and suggest they commit to depositing regular amounts on a weekly or monthly basis. For more convenient banking, ask if the accounts can be serviced online. Having their own bank account will give your children a feeling of achievement which could even motivate them to save more.

4. Encourage them to plan how to spend their savings

Planning for future spending motivates your children to achieve their savings goals.  It reminds them that with enough money, they can buy whatever they want.  Allow them to dream big, and encourage them to save more, so they can achieve their goals more quickly.

5. Let them do their own shopping

Give your children their own allowances when you go shopping. Then you can observe their attitudes towards spending money.  If your kids want to spend more than their allowance, advise them to be more frugal and more patient. Educate them on sensible spending and explain the priorities when shopping. Also, remind them that at the end the day, the most important thing is that they can buy what they want, because they were able to save money in the piggy banks.

6. Pay in cash

Credit cards are a great temptation to spend money you don’t have, then pay more for the privilege later. Show your kids that the best way to buy things is with the money in their pockets. Keep it real at all times – handing over cash is the best way to learn how to use money responsibly.

The best way to teach your kids the value of money and the importance of saving is to lead by example, and allow them some responsibility. Give them an allowance for the things they might want to buy, and encourage them to save in various ways. Familiarize them with simple record keeping and the way savings accounts work, and leave the credit cards at home when you shop with the kids. These simple but effective measures will help them to learn how to handle money responsibly, and equip them for adult life.

Do You Know What Your Teens are Doing Online?

Do You Know What Your Teens are Doing Online?

You think you know what your kids are doing online, but do you really? Unfortunately, statistically speaking, there’s a good chance you don’t. Not really.

Consider these heartbreaking statistics, for example…

How to Keep Your Children and Teens Safe Online

Now, please understand, I do not write this assuming your children are rotten troublemakers, out there getting into all sorts of nonsense. I write this assuming your children are normal children, that they face real pressures every day, that they probably don’t fully understand the gravity of the choices they make online, and that they could benefit from a little parental guidance as they navigate the rocky tween, teen and young adult years.

I’d say that’s a pretty safe assumption.

Kids today NEED their parents to be involved. They need them to help educate them about the very real dangers and temptations in the world and to give them the tools and resources they need to make the right choices when placed in the wrong situations. And here’s how you can provide just that:

1. Set Up Parental Controls Immediately


Are your computer, your phone and your teen’s phone set to block mature content? (This is NOT the same as installing an anti-virus software. And it often needs to be done manually, so don’t assume mature content is blocked automatically.) Are the settings hidden behind a password? Did you choose a strong password your children won’t be able to guess?

While many teens can get around parental controls fairly easily, parental controls are an important first step in helping prevent your kids from accidentally clicking on something they shouldn’t.

You can set filtering through your computer’s browser settings or by installing an Internet filtering software like Covenant Eyes. (Be sure to scroll to the bottom for a special Covenant Eyes coupon code!) No program will be able to catch absolutely everything, but it’s a good start.



2. Keep Your Computer in a Well-Trafficked Area of Your Home


This tip won’t help much with smart phones, but if you have a desktop or laptop computer your family uses, make sure you keep it in a well-trafficked area of your home where someone could walk by at any time. While your kids can still minimize a screen quickly when they hear you approaching, it will help deter them from spending large amount of time on objectionable websites they shouldn’t be viewing.



3. Know Your Kids’ Log in Information


Okay, this tip may seem Big Brother-ish to some, but honestly, I don’t care. Yes, you should have your kids’ passwords and they should know that you can and will check their social media profiles and email accounts at any time for any reason (or no reason at all).

They will hate you for this, but it doesn’t matter. Your job isn’t to be your kids’ friend. It’s to be their parent and keep them safe.

Personally, in my family, my husband doesn’t know all of my passwords (we can barely remember our own passwords, let alone each others’!), but my computer and phone are always left out in the open and everything is always logged in. Same with his. Not because we are checking up on each other, but because we have nothing to hide. Either of us is allowed on the other’s devices at any time.

If your kids have nothing to hide, then there shouldn’t be a problem. And if there is a problem, too bad. You’re the parent. You make the rules. You keep your kids safe.

4.Sign up for an Internet Accountability Program

Of course, knowing your kids’ log-in information will only help you if you know what sites they are logging into. It doesn’t prevent them from opening up new, secret accounts on the same social media sites or other ones. It doesn’t tell you what sort of things they are searching for online. It doesn’t tell you what websites they are looking at when no one is looking.

If you have ANY reason to suspect that your children are getting into trouble when your back is turned, you may want to look into an Internet accountability program such as Covenant Eyes. (Be sure to scroll to the bottom for a special Covenant Eyes promo code!).

Covenant Eyes is an Internet accountability software designed to help families keep each other accountable for their online behavior and to help start open and honest dialogue about what is happening online.

Basically, when you sign up for Covenant Eyes, the software monitors and records what sites your family is visiting online, and then sends you a report to review. After you review the report, you can talk to your family about what is going on in your home.

Are your children searching for information on depression, suicide, anxiety or eating disorders? Covenant Eyes will let you know so you can start a conversation.
Are your children attempting to avoid parental guidance by setting up new accounts on social media sites they know they aren’t allowed on? Start a conversation.
Is your child sneaking on the computer late at night when they are supposed to be asleep? Find out what’s going on.
Is someone in your family–whether you, your spouse or one of your children–struggling with pornography or other objectionable addictions? Hold each other accountable.


The point of Covenant Eyes isn’t to be controlling and nosy. It’s to hold everyone in your family accountable for their online behavior. After all, using the Internet is a privilege–not a right–and it’s one that comes with a great deal of responsibility.



5. Talk to Your Kids


And last but certainly not least, talk to your kids! And not just once, either, but regularly.

Children and teens often don’t know or understand the seriousness of the trouble that they could get into online. They don’t automatically know what sorts of things they could accidentally stumble across or what to do if they find it. They don’t automatically know how to tell if a person they meet in a chat room is a friend or a potential stalker. They don’t automatically understand that the Internet isn’t as anonymous as they think and that something they post today could easily come back to haunt them twenty years down the road.

So talk to your kids.

Give them the basic information they need to know, such as never giving out personal information or agreeing to meet a stranger in person.
Share examples you come across in the media of Internet usage gone wrong–not to scare, but to open their eyes.

• Talk about what sorts of things your kids and their friends are up to.
• Ask your kids how they would respond in different situations.
• Let them know their Internet use is a privilege–not a right–and that it can and will be revoked for misuse.
• Share stories of your own early Internet use and the mistakes you’ve made.
• Let your children know they can always come to you for help if a situation is getting out of hand.
• Work every day to instill the right values in your children so they will make wise decisions when the time comes.

And pray like none other!

7 Common Parenting Mistakes You Need to Stop Making Now

Nobody’s perfect. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t strive to be the best parent that you possibly can.

And the best way to do that? Figure out where you’re messing up and try to fix it!

Here are seven very, very common parenting mistakes most parents make. Are you guilty of any of them?

1. Not Planning Ahead:

You know your sweet little baby is eventually going to hit the terrible twos and then the ugly teenage years–why not start preparing for them now? The best time to figure out your parenting strategy is BEFORE the issues happen–that way you can respond intentionally, instead of responding with a knee-jerk reaction you may regret later.

2. Not Setting Clear Expectations:

 If you want your children to be especially well behaved when you are out and about, don’t yell at them after the fact. Tell them what you expect upfront so there are no surprises. Even if you think they know, it’s worth the 30 seconds it takes for a quick recap before you go in.

3. Not Following Through on Consequences:

How many times have you threatened a punishment, only to completely not follow through because it was inconvenient or your child did half of the job you asked them to do? When you don’t follow through, you teach your children that they don’t have to listen–they aren’t going to have consequences anyways. Make sure you consequences that are clear, appropriate and doable ahead of time, and then keep them!

4. Always Putting Your Children First:

While there are times when baby will have to come first, child-centered parenting runs rampant in America these days and it’s a real problem. The universe does not revolve around your children and their wishes, and you are doing them a major disservice if you are inadvertently teaching them that it does.

5. Not Setting High Enough Expectations:

Your children may be little, but they are capable of FAR more than you know. The problem is that we never give them the chance to rise to the occasion. You can’t baby for your kids for 18 years and then expect them to suddenly turn into competant, capable adults. Instead, you have to set age-appropriate expectations from the very beginning. Expect your children to misbehave and they will. Expect more and often they’ll rise to the occasion.

6. Always Coming to Your Child’s Rescue:

What happens when your child gets frustrated by a toy, has a fight with a friend, falls on the playground or forgets his homework? Do you always immediately rush to the rescue? While it is natural to want to take care of our children, if you are constantly “rescuing” your child, he will never learn to take care of himself or deal with frustration on his own. Better to learn this life lesson in the minor things as a child than to suddenly have to deal with it as an adult!

7. Resorting to Bribery:

Of all of the common mistakes parents make, this one has to be one of the most common–and one of the most unnecessary! Let your children eat because they are hungry, not because they want dessert. Teach your children to obey in the store because it’s the right thing to do, not because they want a toy. While no one is denying that a little bribery works really, really well on occasion, it definitely should not be a way of life.

Sure, none of these mistakes will (probably) mess your child up for life, but do too many of them too often and you’ll definitely be kicking yourself later!

Six Essential Tricks for Raising Well-Behaved Children

Six Essential Tricks for Raising Well-Behaved Children

If there’s one thing every parent wants, it’s well-behaved children.
Whether our reasons are selfish (they are easier to raise!) or selfless (it prepares them for life), pretty much every parent would agree: we want our kids to behave!
If your children haven’t been on their best behavior lately and you’d like to change that sooner rather than later, these six tips can help.

 Equip Yourself

When I was pregnant with my first child, I seriously read pretty much every single book in the library about babies, parenting, sleep, etc. After all, why would I want to stumble through parenting making lots of mistakes when I could learn from those who had done it already? As a result, I got a TON of great advice that really impacted my parenting in a positive way.

 Be Clear In Your Expectations

How can your children behave appropriately if you don’t first tell them what appropriate behavior is? Young children don’t automatically know how to behave at church. in the library or at a restaurant–you have to spell it out for them, preferably before you get there.

For example, on the way to church, you might say: “We are headed to church. Church is a place where people go to worship God, and they don’t want to be distracted by little children running, talking or playing. At church, we sit in our seats and are quiet and still. After church is over, we will go to the park, and you can run and be noisy there.”

 Obviously, the exact wording you use will depend on the age of your child and whether you’ve already been over the routine before.

Teach Them How to Perform Essential Actions

Just because your children know what they are supposed to do doesn’t automatically mean that they know how to do it. Take cleaning their room, for example. While the concept may be simple for you, it can be completely overwhelming for a small child who doesn’t know where to start.

Whether you want your child to sit still, make his bed, brush her teeth or wait politely while you talk on the phone, you will probably need to show your child how. At least, if you want the task done correctly.

The first step in this process is telling your children exactly what you need them to do, but that’s only the first step.

You also have to give good directions, set the right consequences and follow through in a timely and consistent manner. Raising well-behaved kids requires a lot of work and follow through,  but it’s worth it!

Be Consistent

When it comes to discipline, consistency is key. Otherwise, if you get in the habit of ignoring behaviors or giving in to demands, your children will learn that all they have to do is act up and they will get their way. Once you set rules, stick to them.

Consistency may be difficult at first–you may feel like the worst mother in the world–but once your children see that you mean what you say, they will have no reason to fight you on it. This can help behavior tremendously.

And once you do this over time, it becomes second nature for everyone.

Model Excellent Behavior Yourself

Honestly, I think one of that hardest parts of parenting is simply remembering to model excellent behavior yourself. All of us have issues we struggle with, and kids sure seem to have a knack for picking them up and repeating them at the most inappropriate times!

It only makes sense, though. If your child sees that you yell when you are frustrated, he will learn to do the same. If your child sees that you are rude to pretty much everyone, she will learn to do the same. After all, how can a child learn a life skill that they haven’t seen modeled?

It’s always a good check for me to hear the words and tone coming out of my children’s mouths and to know that they got them from me. Am I saying words and behaving in a way that I want them to repeat?

6. Hand Out Grace as Needed

When is the last time you went an entire day without making any mistakes? If you’re like most people, it’s probably been a while! It should come as no surprise then that our children will make plenty of mistakes as well. After all, we know the rules; they are still learning.

It isn’t your job to be perfect and it isn’t your child’s job either. You both need grace, love and acceptance, no matter how many times you mess up. Parenting isn’t about being perfect, and it isn’t about raising perfect kids either. As long as you’re doing your best, chances are you and your children are going to turn out just fine. And these six tips will help .

child therapy,teen therapy

As children and adolescents grow, they are constantly in the process of developing the social skills and emotional intelligence necessary to lead healthy, happy lives. When children experience emotions or engage in behaviors that interfere with their happiness and ability to thrive, they may benefit from meeting with a mental health professional such as a therapist or counselor. Parents and children often attend therapy sessions together, as therapy can be a safe space in which to address the thoughts, feelings, and emotions experienced by all members.

Developmental Stages from Birth to Adolescence

As they grow, children will experience changes in their moods and behaviors. Some of these changes are relatively predictable and, though they may be challenging, most are completely normal aspects of child development. In general, as long as children are behaving in ways that are consistent with their age range, the challenges they experience should not create cause for concern.
There are many theories addressing the developmental phases that children go through, and recognizing these phases can be invaluable to parents and caregivers in understanding child behavior and developmental needs.

 Eight stages in life:

Infancy: Trust vs. Mistrust. In the first stage of human development, infants explore the world and learn whether their environment is a safe, predictable place. Infants require a significant amount of attention and comforting from their parents, and it is from the parents that they develop their first sense of trust or mistrust.

Early Childhood: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. In the second stage of psychosocial development, children begin to assert independence, develop preferences, and make choices. Defiance, temper tantrums, and stubbornness are common. It is in this stage that a person first begins developing interests, a sense of autonomy, and shame or doubt.

Preschool Years: Initiative vs. Guilt. In this stage, children learn about social roles and emotions. They become active and curious. Imaginary play is a crucial part of this stage. Defiance, temper tantrums, and stubbornness remain common. As they develop, children will begin exhibiting behaviors of their own volition. The way parents and caregivers react will encourage a child's initiative to act independently or cause the child to develop a sense of guilt about inappropriate actions.

School Age: Industry (Competence) vs. Inferiority. Relationships with peers and academic performance become increasingly important in this stage. Children begin to display a wider and more complex range of emotions. This is a time when problems or disappointment in academic and social settings may lead to mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. As academic and social tasks become more demanding, conditions such as attention-deficit hyperactivity and oppositional behavior may interfere.

Adolescence: Identity vs. Role Confusion. Adolescents become more independent and begin to form identities based on experimentation with new behaviors and roles. Puberty usually occurs during this stage, bringing with it a host of physical and emotional changes. Changes during these often volatile adolescent years may strain parent-adolescent relationships, especially when new behaviors go beyond experimentation and cause problems at school or home, or if emotional highs and lows persist and lead to experiences such as anxiety or depression.

Triggers and Risk Factors

Every child will respond differently to changes in life, but some of the events that may impact a child’s mental health include:

1. Parental divorce or separation.
2. The birth of a sibling.
3. The death of a loved one, such as a family member or a pet.
4. Physical or sexual abuse.
5. Poverty or homelessness.
6. Natural disaster.
7. Domestic violence.
8. Moving to a new place or attending a new school.
9. Being physically or emotionally bullied.
10. Taking on more responsibility than is age-appropriate.

A child’s age, gender, and other factors will influence his or her resilience to changes and challenges in life. Younger children and boys, for example, often have an easier time adjusting to divorce than do girls or older children. Genetics play a role, too, as some mental health issues, such as bipolar, tend to run in families.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Issues

 About 4 million children and adolescents experience a mental health issue that significantly impairs them at home, school, or in their social groups. 

The rates for the following diagnosable mental health conditions among children ages 3 to 17:

• Attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD): 6.8%
• Behavioral conditions: 3.5%
• Anxiety: 3%
• Depression: 2%
• Autism: 1.1%
• Tourette syndrome: 0.2%

When children reach adolescence, relationships, romantic or otherwise, can be a point of significant strife. Relationships between parents and children are crucial to healthy development, but may become strained by the many ups and downs of adolescent life. For example, most teenagers worry about romantic relationships. However, for some teenagers, worrying about relationships may excessively drain their energy and make it difficult to enjoy life.

school counselor or pediatrician who can refer you to someone with specialized training and experience in working with youth. Treatment, whether it’s medication or therapy or a combination of both, works for many adolescents experiencing mental health issues, but it must be accessed in order to work.

Substance Use in Adolescents

Experimentation with alcohol and drugs is fairly common among adolescents and can lead to serious developmental, social, and behavioral issues. The CDC has estimated the following prevalence rates for problems associated with substance use among adolescents ages 12 to 17:

Problematic illegal drug use: 4.7%

Problematic alcohol use: 4.2%

Physical dependence on cigarettes: 2.8%

Residential treatment provides a safe, supportive environment and medical supervision, promotes camaraderie among residents, and removes residents from their daily lives where triggers may compel them to continue using substances.

Other examples of treatments for adolescent substance abuse may include:

Teen Intervene: This is a fairly brief intervention for teens who show early signs of problems with drugs or alcohol. The treatment helps adolescents set goals and recognize their own values that may help them avoid using drugs and/or alcohol. The treatment also helps adolescents identify healthy coping strategies for dealing with stress without the use of substances.

Adolescent Community Reinforcement: This treatment approach addresses substance use by identifying factors from the adolescent’s life and family that may have led to substance use. The treatment then helps the family develop a support system for the adolescent trying to move away from substance abuse.

Multisystemic Family Therapy: This is a highly-individualized treatment that works to address problems that may occur at school, home, or in friendship circles. A combination of therapeutic approaches, including behavioral, cognitive behavioral, and family therapies are used to help families address substance use and other mental health conditions that occur for the adolescent in treatment.

Therapy and Counseling for Youth

Youth of any age may feel uncomfortable, afraid, or ashamed about communicating what they are experiencing to an adult they do not know. If you are a parent or caregiver, these tips can help when talking to children about therapy and mental health treatment:

• Find a good time to talk and assure them that they are not in trouble.
• Listen actively.
• Take your child’s concerns, experiences, and emotions seriously.
• Try to be open, authentic, and relaxed.
• Talk about how common the issues they are experiencing may be.
• Explain that the role of a therapist is to provide help and support.
• Explain that a confidentiality agreement can be negotiated so children—especially adolescents—have a safe space to share details privately, while acknowledging that you will be alerted if there are any threats to their safety.

When searching for a therapist or counselor, it may help to seek advice from a school counselor or pediatrician who can refer you to someone with specialized training and experience in working with youth. Some therapists specialize in family therapy, in which multiple family members may attend sessions together, as well as independently, if necessary. There are also treatments designed to address parenting skills, such as parent-child interaction therapy. These treatments may be useful when a child’s behavior becomes difficult to manage.

Medication and Therapy for Children and Adolescents

Many prominent bodies of research highlight the efficacy of a combined treatment approach, or the use of both medication and therapy, when medication is prescribed by a physician or psychiatrist for a mental health issue.Many mental health professionals argue that medication is overprescribed as a “quick fix,” while therapy, which may teach a person long-term coping strategies and self-management, is not encouraged enough. If your child is prescribed an antidepressant, antipsychotic, anxiolytic, stimulant, or other psychotropic drug, consider finding a therapist or counselor to pair with the drug treatment.

 

Mental health

One challenge to treating a mental health problem is that a person can’t just point to a part of their body and say, “This hurts, please fix it.” Without a diagram to label, experts who study and treat mental health problems have to develop concepts and metaphors in order to communicate, and it can, understandably, get very complicated.
The words and concepts weren’t selected systematically but rather were chosen based on the researchers’ experiences as teachers, textbook writers, journal editors, and academic writers who also write for popular audiences, and what they observe other experts doing. The goal was to provide a compendium of words that everyone—academics, 
journalists, and casual readers of pop psychology—could use some clarification on. 

envy” vs. “jealousy”

In common usage, “envy” and “jealousy” are deployed interchangeably, but they are indeed distinct.

Envy is something you feel toward another person. It is a desire to be them or have what they have: physical attributes, money, success, that carefree joie de vivre. Jealousy is technically the fear of losing something through some kind of rivalry. Jealousy implies a relationship; if you are jealous, you feel the loss of your ex to his or her new partner, your relationship with your boss to your colleague, or your connection with your mother to your sibling. 

psychopathy” vs. “sociopathy”

“Psychopathy” is typically used to describe a personality disorder characterized by severe antisocial behavior, poor impulse control, lack of empathy, and unstable moods. “Sociopathy” is typically used to describe the same thing.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is a category called “antisocial personality disorder.

obsession” vs. “compulsion”

Obsessions and compulsions are very close in definition. Obsessions are repeated, unwanted thoughts and urges, while compulsions are repeated behaviors, urges, or thoughts that are a response to an obsession. A person might be obsessed with symmetry, and in response they might have a compulsion to ordering and reordering the items on their desk. “Obsessions are anxiety producing, whereas compulsions are anxiety reducing, at least in the short term. 

mind-body therapies”

Labeling meditation, yoga, and Reiki as “mind-body therapies” implies that the mind and body are separate. In reality, most mainstream scientists would say there is no mind separate from the body; it’s a part of the body. 

chemical imbalance

The idea of a “chemical imbalance” implies there there’s such a thing as a chemical balance. There is no known ‘optimal’ level of neurotransmitters in the brain, so it is unclear what would constitute an ‘imbalance,'” they write. “Nor is there evidence for an optimal ratio among different neurotransmitter levels.”