If you're a parent, you get plenty of suggestions on how to raise your child. From experts to other parents, people are always ready to offer advice. Parenting tips, parents' survival guides, dos, don'ts, shoulds and shouldn'ts - new ones come out daily. The truth is there is more than one "right" way to be a good parent. Good parenting includes, keeping your child safe. showing affection and listening to your child, providing order and consistency, setting and enforcing limits, and more. - Excerpted from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Attachment: A New Way of Understanding the Problems of Parents and Kids
Attachment is the emotional connection between any two people. However, life's first attachments are by far the most important, as they set a template for all later relationships. Learn more...
Technology and Youth: Protecting Your Child from Electronic Aggression
Electronic aggression is any type of harassment or bullying that occurs through e-mail, a chat room, instant messaging, a website, blogs, or text messaging. Learn more...
Helpful Ways to Reduce TV Time for Kids
This page contains a few simple tips to help children reduce their screen time and increase physical activity in order to maintain a healthy weight. Learn more...
Understanding Your Child’s Behavior
If parents understand their child's behaviors and know what to expect at different developmental stages, the parent's reactions will, more likely, support and nurture the child. Learn more...
Ways to Help Children Cope with Their Fears
There are many things you can do to help children with their fears. This article describes nine ways you can help children deal with their fears. Learn more...
Nightmare Remedies: Helping Your Child Tame the Demons of the Night
To help children restore their capacity to sleep and to harness the healing and creative potential of scary dreams, parents should help them break the spell of their nightmares. Learn more...
Eight Sleep Tips for Every Child
Many children under age five have sleep problems. Sleep issues are complicated and have many causes. Children's sleep problems impact many issues, including dawdling, temper tantrums, hyperactivity, growth and health. Sleep affects everything. Learn more...
Different Types of Parent-Child Relationships
There are at least four kinds of attachment relationship categories. The categories describe the ways that children act and the ways that adults act with the children. The strongest kind of attachment is called 'secure.' The way a parent or provider responds a child may lead to one of the four types of attachment categories. The way a child is attached to their parents also affects how they will behave around others when the parents are not present. Learn more...
Good Cop/Bad Cop Parenting
Some fathers and mothers take opposing roles, "good cop" and "bad cop," in dealing with their children. For instance, dad is the kid's best buddy, and mom is the nag. Or dad is strict and mom is a sympathizer. Learn more...
Parenting Style and Its Correlates
This article defines and explores four types of parenting styles. The author then discusses the consequences of the different styles for children. Learn more...
Parenting the Strong-willed Child
When children who are not generally strong-willed don't get what they want, they may feel sad, shrug off the disappointment, and then go on to something else. Strong-willed children, however, tend to demonstrate intense anger. Learn more...
Why Children Lie and What To Do About It
To many teenagers, lying seems to be the easy way out of trouble or into adventure that has been disallowed. But lying is deceptive: what seems simpler at the moment proves complicated over time. It can be helpful for parents to itemize the high cost of lying in order to encourage a return to truth. Parents should explain some of the costs that commonly accompany lying. Learn more...
Is It A Phase?
Parents are very prepared to tolerate phases. But they're not prepared to tolerate inappropriate behavior. So they may label the child's inappropriate behavior a "phase" because that makes it easier for them to accept it. Learn more...
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism is a group of developmental brain disorders, collectively called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The term "spectrum" refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment, or disability, that children with ASD can have. Some children are mildly impaired by their symptoms, but others are severely disabled. Learn more...
Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Best Practice Guidelines for Screening, Diagnosis and Assessment
These Guidelines represent wide collaboration and consensus from expert panels across the state of California regarding screening, evaluation and interdisciplinary assessment for individuals who may meet diagnostic criteria for autistic spectrum disorder. Learn more...
Dealing with Biting Behaviors in Young Children
This report discusses why young children bite, how common biting problems are, what interventions might be considered, and how teachers or caregivers can interact with and involve parents in dealing with biting behavior. Learn more...
Helping Young Children Deal with Anger
This digest explores what we know about the components of children's anger, factors contributing to understanding and managing anger, and the ways teachers can guide children's expressions of anger. Learn more...
Good Behavior is not “Magic” – It’s a Skill: The Three Skills Every Child Needs for Good Behavior
Good behavior isn't magic. Good behavior is a skill that can be learned. This article discusses three of the most important skills for children to learn as a foundation for good behavior: how to read social situations, how to manage emotions, and how to solve problems appropriately. Learn more...
Managing the Meltdown
If the parents don't respond in an effective way, the child learns that having a meltdown or a temper tantrum will help him accomplish a goal. Learn more...
Sibling Conflict
Fighting is not a sign of children not getting along. It is how they get along - using conflict to test their power, establish differences, and ventilate emotion with a familiar family adversary. Conflict from sibling rivalry is built into family life as children compete for dominance, parental attention, parental support, and household resources. Learn more...
Children with Disabilities: Understanding Sibling Issues
The birth of a child with a disability or chronic illness, or the discovery that a child has a disability, has a profound effect on a family. Children suddenly must adjust to a brother or sister who, because of their condition, may require a large portion of family time, attention, money, and psychological support. Learn more...
The Unplanned Journey: When You Learn That Your Child Has a Disability
In this article, the author offers the insights that she and others have gained through their own experience of having a child with a disability. The article also provides information to support the life cycle, health, and well-being of the family when a member has a disability. Learn more...
Answers to Common Questions about Counseling
Throughout life, there are times when help is needed to address problems and issues that cause emotional distress or make us feel overwhelmed. When experiencing these types of difficulties, individuals may benefit from the assistance of an experienced, trained professional. Learn more...
Connecting with Your Kids: Strategies for Tough Conversations
The challenge for parents is to learn to listen and to be available without being pushy. They must find ways to talk about the hard stuff, so that the child feels comfortable sharing with their parent(s). If parents can control their emotions and keep the situation safe, the child may be able to share their deepest worries. Learn more...
Helping Your Child Learn Independence
Adolescents do best when they remain closely connected to their parents but at the same time are allowed to have their own points of view and even to disagree with their parents. This page contains some tips to help balance closeness and independence. Learn more...
Assessing Young Children’s Social Competence
Research suggests that a child's long-term social and emotional adaptation, academic and cognitive development, and citizenship are enhanced by frequent opportunities to strengthen social competence during childhood. Learn more...
Social Phobia
Social phobia, also called social anxiety, is a disorder characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and of being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work or school - and other ordinary activities. Learn more...
Social Phobia’s Traumas and Treatments
Social phobia is far different from the run-of-the-mill nervousness associated with stressful situations. It's the intensity of the fear that distinguishes the condition from the almost inevitable butterflies that most people feel when they are about to give a speech or go to an interview or even a party. Learn more...
How Can We Strengthen Children’s Self-Esteem?
Children with a healthy sense of self-esteem feel that the important adults in their lives accept them, care about them, and would go out of their way to ensure that they are safe and well. Learn more...
Self-esteem and Anxiety in Teens: 5 Ways to Start Real Conversations with Your Teen
The parent's job is to be a coach and not to step on the court - it's to coach from the sidelines. Parents should remove themselves from the court. They are not doing their child a favor by playing the game for them. Parents sometimes get in there because they want to help, but if they are doing that, ultimately they are handicapping their child. Learn more...
Helping Your Child Learn Responsible Behavior
This page focuses on practical suggestions for helping young children appreciate the importance of acting responsibly. It also provides ideas on how to help children make responsible choices, and stick with them, even when doing so is hard. Learn more...
Being an Effective Parent – Helping Your Child Through Early Adolescence
Parents often become less involved in the lives of their children as they enter the middle grades. But the young adolescent needs as much attention and love from their parents as they needed when they were younger. Learn more...
The Truth About Bullies
Bullies bully other people to feel powerful around them and to feel power over them. Bullies start out feeling like zeroes, like nobodies. When they intimidate, threaten or hurt someone else, then they feel like somebody. The key is the feeling of power. Learn more...
Understanding Violent Behavior in Children and Adolescents
There is a great concern about the incidence of violent behavior among children and adolescents. This complex and troubling issue needs to be carefully understood by parents, teachers, and other adults. Learn more...
Optimism and Health
Some studies have revealed that individuals with an optimistic perspective on life generally have a more positive sense of their own well being, are less likely to experience anxiety, are less prone to depression, and live longer and healthier lives. Learn more...
Fostering Resilience in Children
Resilience is the term used to describe a set of qualities that foster a process of successful adaptation and transformation despite risk and adversity. Learn more...
Your Child and Medication
One in ten of America's children has an emotional disturbance such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression or anxiety, that can cause unhappiness for the child and problems at home, at play, and at school. Since each child is different, choosing the right treatment for your child is very important. At times, psychotherapies, behavioral strategies, and family support may be very effective. In other cases, medications are needed to help the child become more able to cope with everyday activities. Learn more...
Listening Well
One of the most important steps to having good relationships at work, at home, and with friends is to listen well. It might be surprising that for most people, listening well is very difficult. Misunderstandings are very common in interactions between people as a result of poor listening. Learn more...
The Disneyland Daddy: A Case Study
Some families work out an arrangement in therapy that if the child is acting out, the father has to come over and help restrain him. It puts some responsibility back on the father and discourages him from creating the problem. I've seen divorced parents make agreements that if the child comes home and is acting out, he goes back to the father's and stay an extra night. This can only happen if mothers are empowered through the divorce decree and custody arrangement or through regular or court-ordered family therapy. But it's important for mothers in these situations to have that empowerment, so that the family has a structure for the co-parenting task. Learn more...
Positive Discipline
Positive discipline holds that the adult is wiser, in charge, not afraid to be the leader, and occasionally has priorities other than those of the child. Learn more...
Ten Ways to Be a Better Dad
Too many fathers think teaching is something others do, but a father who teaches his children about right and wrong, and encourages them to do their best, will see his children make good choices. Involved fathers use everyday examples to help their children learn the basic lessons of life. Learn more...
Tips for Dads: Practical Tips for Knowing Your Child
First, a father should listen to their children. Also, fathers should listen to their child's friends, teachers, coaches, and, especially, their mothers. All of these people see a different side of the child, and they will give dads insights they would have never noticed on their own. Learn more...
Fathers and Discipline
Discipline refers to training and teaching specific behaviors of selfcontrol and moral development. This is a tall order for all parents, yet one that has historically been embraced by fathers. Learn more...
Anger Cues and Control Strategies
In addition to becoming aware of anger, individuals need to develop strategies to effectively manage it. These strategies can be used to stop the escalation of anger before loss of control results in negative consequences. An effective set of strategies for controlling anger should include both immediate and preventive strategies. Learn more...
Impulse Control: The Early Years
Impulse control, sometimes called self-regulation, refers to a child's ability to control his or her behavior. An important part of growing up is learning how to show emotions at appropriate times and in appropriate ways. Children who learn to control their anger or frustration, and who use words to express their feelings, get along better with others. Learn more...
Oppositional Defiant Disorder: The War at Home
Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) lose their temper quickly and often. They are easily annoyed and frustrated by other people, resentful and hostile with adults, bossy and pushy with other kids. They blame everyone else for their difficulties and make excuses for their inability to cope. They gravitate toward negative peers and tend to be sulking, angry adolescents. Learn more...
Conduct Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Children with conduct disorder repeatedly violate the personal or property rights of others and the basic expectations of society. A diagnosis of conduct disorder is likely when symptoms continue for 6 months or longer. Conduct disorder impacts the child and their families, neighbors, and schools. Learn more...
Communication — Helping Your Child Through Early Adolescence
Adolescents often are not great communicators, particularly with their parents and other adults. When parents know where their children are and what they are doing and when the adolescent knows the parent knows, adolescents are at a lower risk for a range of bad experiences. It is easier to communicate with a young teen if parents established this habit when the child was younger. Learn more...
Assertiveness
Assertiveness is a manner of behaving that communicates respect for others as well as commands respect for yourself. Learn more...
Tips for Helping the Child Who Expresses Anger
Some young people turn to violence, because they do not see other ways to endure what they are feeling at that moment. They may not anticipate the repercussions of their violence. Learn more...
Children of Alcoholics
More than 6 million children live with at least one parent who abuses or is dependent on alcohol or an illicit drug. Learn more...
Depression and Disability in Children and Adolescents
For many years, depression and other disorders of mood were thought to be afflictions of only adults. Within the past three decades, however, it has become evident that mood disorders are common among children and adolescents. This digest focuses on three depressive disorders that are exhibited in childhood and adolescence. Learn more...
Depression FAQs
Depression is a prolonged or deep emotional sensation of sadness, being "blue", or "down." Depressive feelings such as discouragement or sadness are perfectly normal if they do not become too severe or last too long. Depression becomes a clinical problem if a person's mood becomes too depressed or if the episode lasts more than two weeks. Learn more...
Antidepressant Medications for Children and Adolescents: Information for Parents and Caregivers
As it is in adults, depression in children and adolescents is treatable. Antidepressant medications can be beneficial to children and adolescents with depression. However, knowledge of antidepressant treatments in youth, is limited compared to what is known about treating depression in adults. There is some concern that the use of antidepressant medications may induce suicidal behavior in youths. Some psychological therapies also have been shown to be effective. Learn more...
Childhood Depression Awareness
As many as one in every 33 children and approximately one in eight adolescents may have depression according to the Center for Mental Health Services. Although many people recognize the warning signs of depression in adults — sadness, withdrawal and lack of interest — few parents are aware that the signs of depression may look differently in youth. Besides feeling sad and hopeless, children with depression may also complain of frequent headaches or stomachaches, become irritable or act out. Learn more...
Treatment of Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients and Families
EDIT - Bipolar disorder is a disease in which the person's mood changes in cycles over time. Over the course of the illness, the person experiences periods of elevated mood, periods of depressed mood, and times when mood is normal. The three most important types of medication used to control the symptoms of bipolar disorder are mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and antipsychotics. Learn more...
Separation Anxiety in Children
Separation anxiety is a perfectly normal and important developmental adaptation. Nearly all children experience separation anxiety between the ages of seven and eighteen months. Some have more intense reactions than others, and for some, the stage lasts longer than others, but almost all babies have it to some degree. Learn more...
Panic Disorder
Panic is a rush of overwhelming anxiety that comes on very quickly. People use the word "terror" to describe the severity of the anxiety connected with panic. Sometimes the sudden episode is called a panic attack. Learn more...
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, one of the anxiety disorders, is a potentially disabling condition characterized by obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors. While most people at one time or another experience such thoughts or behaviors, an individual with OCD experiences obsessions and compulsions for more than an hour each day, in a way that interferes with his or her life. Learn more...
Diabetes in Children and Adolescents
Diabetes is one of the most serious health problems facing the world today. In the United States each year, more than 13,000 children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Increasingly, health care providers are finding more and more children and teens with type 2 diabetes, a disease usually seen in people over age forty. Learn more...
Healthier Eating
Most Americans consume too many calories and not enough nutrients, according to the latest revision to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The typical American diet is low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar. As a result, more Americans than ever are overweight, obese, and at increased risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain cancers. Learn more...
Paraphilias
Paraphilias are sometimes referred to as sexual deviations or perversions. Paraphilias include fantasies, behaviors, or sexual urges focusing on unusual objects, activities, or situations. Learn more...
Young Kids Acting Out in School: Top 3 Issues Parents Worry about Most
While it's important to recognize that their child's behavior might be normal, parents also need to use rules and consequences to clearly teach their child how to stop behaving too aggressively. Learn more...
Early Warning, Timely Response
EDIT: A Guide to Safe Schools Learn more...
Written Expression Disorder
Students with written expression disorder have writing skills that are significantly below what is normal considering the student's age, intelligence, and education. The poor writing skills cause problems with the student's academic success or other important areas of life. Learn more...
How to Navigate the School System When Your Child Has a Disability
It is the parent's job to advocate for the best education that can be provided for thier child. Parents know their child and should be their cheerleader and supporter. Parent's involvement in their education will make all the difference for their children. Learn more...
Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities are caused by a difference in brain structure that is present at birth and is often hereditary. They affect the way the brain processes information. This processing is the main function involved in learning. Learning disabilities can impact how someone learns to read, write, hear, speak, and calculate. There are many kinds of learning disabilities and they can affect people differently. Learn more...
Learning Disorders
A student may have a learning disorder if his/her achievement in reading, writing, or mathematics falls below what is expected for the child's age, grade level, and intelligence. To be called a learning disorder, the problems must have a negative impact on the person's academic success or another important area of life requiring math, reading, or writing skills. Learn more...
Mathematics Disorder
Students with a mathematics disorder have problems with their math skills, which are significantly below normal considering the student's age, intelligence, and education. The poor math skills cause problems with the student's academic success and other important areas in the student's life. Learn more...
Reading Disorder
Students with this learning disorder demonstrate reading skills that are significantly below what is normal considering the student's age, intelligence, and education. The poor reading skills cause problems with the student's academic success and/or other important areas in life. Learn more...
Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability is characterized both by a significantly below-average score on a test of mental ability or intelligence and by limitations in the ability to function in areas of daily life, such as communication, self-care, and getting along in social situations and school activities. Intellectual disability is sometimes referred to as a cognitive disability or mental retardation. Learn more...
Eating Disorders and Obesity
Eating disorders and obesity are usually seen as very different problems but actually share many similarities. This information sheet is designed to help parents, other adult caregivers, and school personnel better understand the links between eating disorders and obesity so they can promote healthy attitudes and behaviors related to weight and eating. Learn more...
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder
Attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder, ADHD, is highlighted by the persistent inability of a person to pay attention to what is considered important. There may be the additional characteristics of hyperactive motor movements and/or impulsivity. Learn more...
How To Stop Arguing – and Start Talking – with Your ADHD Child
This article teaches parents to help children turn their ability to argue into a positive trait rather than a negative one. Learn more...
ADHD: Can Your Children Drive You To Drink?
This article first reviews the relationship between childhood behavior problems and subsequent adult drinking behavior, and then explores the effects of child behavior on parental drinking. Learn more...
Straight Facts About Drugs and Alcohol
Many signs, such as sudden changes in mood, difficulty in getting along with others, poor job or school performance, irritability, and depression, might be explained by causes other than drugs or alcohol. Unless you observe drug use or excessive drinking, it can be hard to determine the cause of these problems. A good first step is to contact a qualified alcohol and drug professional who can provide further advice. Learn more...
Teen Alcohol Use: Prevention Strategies for Parents
While parent-child conversations about not drinking are essential, talking isn't enough. Parents need to take concrete action to help their child resist alcohol. Research strongly shows that active, supportive involvement by parents and guardians can help teens avoid underage drinking and prevent later alcohol misuse. Learn more...
Talking with Your Teen about Alcohol
Although many kids believe that they already know everything about alcohol, myths and misinformation abound. Learn more...
Alcohol and the Family
About 8% of American adults abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent. This is a primary health concern and it has significant implications for families and child well-being and development. Approximately one out of every four U.S. children under the age of 18 years is exposed to the effects of alcohol abuse or dependence in a family member. Learn more...
Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know
Before the 1960s, many Americans had never heard of marijuana, but today it is the most often used illegal drug in the United States. Cannabis is a term that refers to marijuana and other drugs made from the same plant. Learn more...
Growing Up Drug Free: A Parent’s Guide to Prevention
(Needs Editing) Learn more...
Inhalant Abuse
Inhalants are chemical vapors that people inhale on purpose to get "high." The vapors produce mind-altering, and sometimes disastrous, effects. These vapors are in a variety of products, such as paints, glues, gasoline, and cleaning fluids, which are common in almost any home or workplace. Learn more...
Are You an Enabler?
If you are involved with an addicted individual, become as independent of the individual as you can, develop new support systems for yourself, and to the extent feasible let the costs of addiction fall on the individual, not yourself. Learn more...
ADHD: Concentration Building Techniques
Children with ADHD typically have impairment of functions such as concentration, memory, impulse control, processing speed and an inability to follow directions. Learn more...
Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD: Interview with Harlan Gephart, MD
ADHD is a chronic health condition, and early identification and treatment of the disorder increase the child's chance for academic, emotional, and social success. Learn more...
Behavioral Treatment for ADHD
Despite the well documented benefits of stimulant medication for treating ADHD, medication is no panacea, and some children with ADHD should not receive it.For all these children, other treatments are often necessary - and some would say, always necessary - to effectively treat ADHD. Learn more...
Gifted Children with ADHD
Initial findings suggest two points for consideration. First, research indicates that identified gifted ADHD children are more impaired than other ADHD children. Second, high ability can mask ADHD. Also, teachers may tend to focus on the disruptive behaviors of gifted ADHD students and fail to see indicators of high ability. Learn more...
Hyperactivity
Hyperactivity, which is sometimes associated with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), is defined as excessive physical activity or movements that have no purpose and are increased in speed. Learn more...
Under the Radar: How Girls with ADHD Go Undetected And Why the Correct Diagnosis is Important for Girls and Boys Alike
Many parents and teachers do not suspect a young girl's inability to concentrate is due to ADHD. Girls with the disorder, frequently, are not hyperactive or disruptive. They may be just the opposite. Girls with ADHD tend to be quiet and to daydream. But these girls cannot concentrate or complete their schoolwork. Many parents are surprised when their daughter is diagnosed with ADHD. Learn more...
Peer Relationships and ADHD
Parents of children with ADHD may be more than twice as likely than other parents to report that their child is picked on at school or has trouble getting along with other children. Learn more...
Overweight and Obesity: FAQs
Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. The terms also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems. Learn more...
Questions and Answers About Acne
Acne is a disorder resulting from the action of hormones and other substances on the skin's oil glands (sebaceous glands) and hair follicles. These factors lead to plugged pores and outbreaks of lesions commonly called pimples or zits. Learn more...
Tourette Syndrome Fact Sheet
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. The early symptoms of TS are almost always noticed in childhood. Males are affected more often than females.Although TS can be a chronic condition with symptoms lasting a lifetime, most people with the condition experience their worst symptoms in their early teens, with improvement occurring in the late teens and continuing into adulthood. Learn more...
Helping Your Overweight Child
Healthy eating and physical activity habits are key to a child's well-being. Eating too much and exercising too little may lead to overweight and related health problems that may follow children into their adult years. Learn more...
Recovering from Rejection
We are usually not taught by our parents or society at large how to effectively deal with rejection. First of all, we need to be aware that rejection is an essential facet of life. If we take chances and risks like trying out for a play, writing a book, applying to college or asking out the attractive man, there is the distinct possibility that none of these pursuits will work out. Learn more...
Divorce and Children
Although not all children who experience divorce have problems, children of divorce are twice as likely as children living in nondivorced families to have emotional and behavioral difficulties. Learn more...
Symptoms of Emotional Damage to Children of High-Conflict Divorce
The long-term emotional damage to children as a result of the improper conduct of their parents during a divorce inhibits their ability to lead happy and productive lives within the society. Learn more...
Parents’ Anger and Jealousy Are Damaging to Children after Divorce
Getting past the "couple conflicts" you've experienced for many years will allow you to focus on your child's needs - and on your own. Learn more...
Stages of Adjustment to Divorce
Children's adjustment to divorce is a long process. Divorce does not happen all at once, either. It is a series of events and changes. At different points, children deal with different issues. Also, different children react to the same changes and situations in different ways. Some studies show that children react to divorce in three stages. Learn more...
Why Step Relationships Aren’t Easy
When two people remarry and one or both have children, they do not have the luxury of simply marrying as partners. They must commit to the complexity of learning to marry as parents, too. This parental dimension to their union requires additional communication as they not only work out how to function as a couple, but as a family, as well. Learn more...
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disorder that has affected people throughout history. People with the disorder may hear voices other people don't hear. They may believe other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. This can terrify people with the illness and make them withdrawn or extremely agitated. Learn more...
Schizophrenia: A Handbook For Families
This handbook has been primarily developed as a guide for families when early signs indicate that a relative may have schizophrenia, and as a resource for these families when a diagnosis of schizophrenia has been determined. Learn more...
Expert Consensus Treatment Guidelines for Schizophrenia: A Guide for Patients and Families
Although widely misunderstood and unfairly stigmatized, schizophrenia is actually a highly treatable brain disease. The treatment for schizophrenia is in many ways similar to that for other medical conditions such as diabetes or epilepsy. The good news is that new discoveries are greatly improving the chances of recovery and making it possible for people with schizophrenia to lead much more independent and productive lives. Learn more...
When A Child Is Dying
A team of psychologists, hospice professionals, social workers and spiritual counselors can be helpful to the family as they say their goodbyes to the dying child and prepare for what lies ahead. Learn more...
The Death Of A Child
When a parent dies, you lose your past; when a child dies, you lose your future. - Anonymous Learn more...
Children and Grief
The death of a loved one is a part of the life cycle that brings grief to children as well as to adults. In addition to the death of a parent, many children may also experience the death of a grandparent, sibling, or friend. Parents and teachers can play an important role in helping children deal with loss. This digest discusses psychological tasks that appear to be essential to children's adjustment, how children understand death and react to the death of a loved one, and how parents and teachers can help children cope with loss. Learn more...
Loneliness in Young Children
Lonely children may miss out on many opportunities to interact with their peers and to learn important lifelong skills. Learn more...
Grandparents’ Guide For Family Nurturing and Safety
Parents and grandparents are bound to disagree over child-rearing choices. The trick is in knowing how to cool the friction before the fire gets out of hand. Learn more...
Motivating Underachievers Part 1: When Your Child Says “I Don’t Care”
There is a simple truth: It's impossible to have no motivation. Everybody is motivated - it just depends on what they're motivated to do. Rather than being unmotivated, some children are actually motivated to not perform and to resist their parents. In other words, they're motivated to do nothing. Learn more...
Motivating Underachievers Part 2: Get Your Unmotivated Child on Track before School Starts”
Before school starts and when things are going well, ask your child, "What did you learn from what you went through last year?" And then ask the follow-up question, "And what will you do differently this year?" Learn more...
Homework Survival for Parents
This article contains helpful hints for parents to stop the battle and get their children to do their homework. Learn more...
Child Abuse and Neglect
Child abuse is defined as any intentional, emotional, physical, or sexual injury to a child. Child neglect is the most prevalent kind of abuse and can be either physical, emotional, or educational. Child neglect can be intentional or unintentional. Learn more...
Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse includes a wide range of sexual behaviors that take place between a child and an older person. These sexual behaviors are intended to erotically arouse the older person, generally without consideration for the reactions or choices of the child and without consideration for the effects of the behavior upon the child. Learn more...
What Is Child Traumatic Stress?
From a psychological perspective, trauma occurs when a child experiences an intense event that threatens or causes harm to his or her emotional and physical well-being. Learn more...
Stress and Young Children
This article discusses how children experience and adapt to stress, and offers suggestions to teachers and parents on preventing and reducing children's stress. Learn more...
Treatment of Children with Mental Disorders
This fact sheet addresses common questions about diagnosis and treatment options for children with mental illnesses. Disorders affecting children may include anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. Learn more...
Filial Therapy
Communication gaps between parents and children may exist because many parents are unaware of their children's emotional needs and lack the skills necessary to interact effectively with them on an emotional level. Children communicate through play, their innate language. By teaching parents the language of play, and how to use play therapeutically, the communication gap between parent and child can be closed. Learn more...
Neurotherapy
Neurotherapy is a clinically proven, non-drug method of treating ADD/ADHD and other learning disabilities. Learn more...
Money Talk: The 10 Best Things You Can Say to Your Children about Money
How effective are you at talking about money with your children? In this article you will find a list of the ten best things you can say to your children about money. Learn more...