The Gratitude Prescription: A Medicine for the Mind
Have you ever considered the meaning and wisdom behind the phrase “count your blessings”? In fact, gratitude intersects with religion, science, and culture and weaves its way through the tapestry of human history. How? From a religious perspective, gratitude could be appreciating the kindness or grace in one’s life. Scientifically speaking, gratitude could be associated …
Choosing the Best Sports For Your Child
Children of all ages can benefit from participating in sports and engaging in physical activity. As a parent, you may want to consider your child’s age, personality, interests, and abilities when signing them up to participate in sports and activities. It may be useful to implement a phased approach with your child for sports participation—start …
Rise and Dine
March is National Nutrition Month! This may be a good time for you to remind your family that starting their day with a nutritious breakfast can be important. In the hustle and bustle of modern life, adults often skip breakfast to gain extra time, use the time differently, or even consume fewer calories. Similarly, children …
Exercising Intelligence: How Physical Activity Nurtures Brain Development in Children
While many parents and caregivers acknowledge that being physically active can produce significant health advantages for children, the full impact of engaging in physical activity on learning and one’s overall well-being might not be entirely evident. Motor-skill development can have a profound effect on children’s social, cognitive, and psychological domains. Below are some examples of …
Setting Boundaries and Expectations
As your child becomes an adolescent and then a teenager, your relationship with them will likely fluctuate. To help maintain consistency in your connections with your child, you can create age-appropriate boundaries and expectations for them by engaging in conversations. Having open conversations with your child in which they can share their opinions and viewpoints …
Re-Establishing Your Child’s Routine After Vacation
Many families take advantage of school and child-care center breaks and closures as opportunities to spend time bonding, relaxing, vacationing, and taking trips to visit extended family. During these times, family routines may change, house rules could ease, and unstructured activities may become the norm. After days or weeks of excitement (or complaints of boredom) …
Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? Helping your Child Understand and Navigate Complicated Relationships
Peer conflict is a normal part of human interaction, and children often begin to experience this type of conflict during childhood. These conflicts can occur for several reasons and may be verbal (i.e., spoken or written) or physical confrontations. As a parent, understanding some of the reasons for childhood peer conflict can help you better …
Holidays with a Blended Family: 10 Tips for Parents and Stepparents
The holiday season has arrived! For blended families, this can be a time of additional stress as parents and stepparents attempt to maintain special traditions and create memories with their new or still-adjusting family members. Below are some tips that can help you create a positive holiday experience for everyone in your blended family. Plan …
