Notes From The Couch

No school, no playdates As I write this it is day three of no school and working from home for most of America families. We are all experiencing unprecedented daily changes, increasing death tolls, infection numbers, restaurants and retails closings. Anxiety is high and we can’t really protect our kids from hearing about what is …

Social Distancing Almost two weeks ago I sent the first session notes out about Coronavirus and how to talk to kids about it. Here we are 12 days later, most schools, day cares, sporting activities, concerts and businesses are closed or working remotely. Life as we knew it has completely changed and parents are managing …

Kids with Anxiety Are Getting Even More Anxious The past two weeks have been triggering for many families. The flu season is elevating and reports of thousands of deaths from the flu are making its way into the Coronavirus conversation around reports of hospitalizations, quarantines and deaths. It is hard to protect kids from these …

What’s the difference between moody and a mood disorder? The question that I am often asked, especially about teen girls, is what is the difference between moody and a serious problem and is this normal? In order to answer questions like these I have to ask a lot of questions first. We want to be …

Why is suicide among kids on the rise? In the fall of 2019, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that teenage suicides have increased 56% over the past decade. Age ranges span from 10-24 years old. Yes, we are seeing more and more middle school children dying by suicide than ever. And even though …

 Why do I feel irritable and tired? The month of January is filled with transitions, new beginnings, and big goals. It is also filled with endings, debt and failed resolutions. It is normal and common to have a hard time transitioning from vacation, time off, and leisure time to schedules, routines and responsibilities at work. …

So many things to do and such little time Mid November through January are some of the more ironic times of the year. For many, it is a time of family gatherings, travel, trips to the mall, spending more than you can really afford, baking, decorating, gift wrapping, gift giving, donating, cleaning, cooking, and basically …

What is Mindfulness, really? With so much being written about the benefits of Mindfulness, sometimes I get asked what that really looks like in kids. Mindfulness, by definition, is a noun that means a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily …

Many parents don’t think of themselves as the ones who will teach their kids to actually read. Parents typically say that is what they send their kids to school for. However, there are simple, easy things that any parent or caregiver can do to enhance a child’s early literacy skills to set them up to …

Parents need to understand different forms of bullying Parents don’t often ask me about different forms of bullying. I think most people just think of bullying as a blanket issue but it’s not. In support of National Bullying Awareness Month I decided to focus on this topic this week as well as encourage you to …

Kids doing chores almost seems like a thing of the past. So many parents I speak to say that they vividly recall doing chores when they were younger but that their own kids barely help out around the house. It’s never too late to get your kids involved in helping maintain their rooms and the …

It seems that the word “play” evokes a general sense for people that it is just what kids do. That they naturally know what to do and how to do it. I think it’s important for parents to understand play even deeper than that. To understand what it prepares children for socially, emotionally, and cognitively. …