Sleep and the Brain
As parents, we know that sleep is essential, and it is a necessary part of our daily lives and, especially, our children’s daily lives. Just like diet and exercise, the amount of sleep one gets can influence how well we and our children function in school, at home, at work, and with others. There are …
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day: May 9, 2019
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, and May 9th has been designated as a special day to raise awareness about children’s mental health. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the purpose of the children’s mental health awareness day is to “raise awareness of the efficacy of community-based mental health …
April is Month of the Military Child
According to the Department of Defense, there are more than 1.7 million military children worldwide. To honor the unique sacrifices of children whose parents serve in the military, each April is designated as the Month of the Military Child. Here are some ways you can show your support for military families and military children: Read …
Jump Into Spring and Get Your Family Moving!
Spring is here, and this means warm, sunny weather is right around the corner! Spring and summer days provide us with more hours of daylight and more opportunities to be active with our families after the work day! The United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends that children engage in aerobic activities for …
Exercise Produces More Than Endorphins
Research has shown that engaging in physical activity can be beneficial for all human beings. It can reduce heart disease, combat obesity in children and adults, control blood glucose levels (Riddell et al., 2016), and enable one’s body to release hormone groupings called endorphins, which allow people to feel good and happy. As mental health …
Timeouts: Helpful or Harmful?
Timeouts have become a controversial topic. Many magazines, blogs, and parenting advice columns discuss how timeouts can negatively impact a child’s attachment and emotional regulation. Yet, they fail to include peer-reviewed evidence to support these claims. Cooper, Heron, and Heward (2007) define timeout “…as the withdrawal of the opportunity to earn positive reinforcement, or the …
Effects of Social Media Use on Teenagers
The adolescent stage of development can be defined by change or transformation. As early as age 11, parents may start to notice physical, developmental, emotional, and social changes in their pre-teen. Emotional ups and downs, a push for independence, new friend groups, and academic pressures are common experiences among adolescents. In today’s technological world, an …
When to Introduce Common Allergenic Foods, like Peanuts?
Is there a way to prevent my baby from developing a food allergy? How likely is it that my child will develop a food allergy? Questions regarding children and food allergies stem from common concerns that many new and expecting parents consider as food allergies among infants and children in the United States have increased. …
