By Myra Strassler, LCSW-C All parents have the experience of seeing their children become anxious now and then. It might be when they are facing their first day of school, taking a test, or learning a new skill. A little mild anxiety is helpful in some situations; it helps children anticipate what lies ahead. They … More »
Blog Posts Tagged ‘Parenting’
On Their Own Away from Home: What 20-something Adults Need Most from their Parents
By Bryan Kraus The process of growing up, and what the psychologists call individuating from one’s parents, is usually not an easy one. We go from being completely dependent to independent, from being part of a whole to being individual agents in and of ourselves. I do not consider myself an expert on this topic; … More »
Growing Up with a Sibling Who Has Special Needs
By Emily Hecht For twenty-one years I have had a brother who has High-Functioning Autism. Some might say that having a sibling with any type of special need can be difficult, challenging, often times overwhelming, and even frustrating. However, being a sibling to someone who has a disability can also be exciting, motivational, powerful, and … More »
Bedtime Stories 2.0
By Alison Dodge, Development Coordinator At a family gathering over the weekend, my sister brought a recently purchased copy of Goodnight iPad, a parody of the children’s classic Goodnight Moon. As parents of toddlers, we all browsed the pages, laughing at the updated “goodnight iPhone, goodnight charger…” text and graphics. However, while a part of … More »
When Your Teen Begins Driving: Nightmare or Opportunity?
By Susan Kurlander, Health Educator I had gone out shopping while my husband took my daughter out for her first driving experience. I thought I would come home to find my husband feeling successful and my daughter feeling elated as this eagerly awaited new stage in her development was getting under way. Instead, I came … More »
Jewish Parents are Jewish Educators (Whether They Know it or Not)
By Noah Aronin, Supervisor, JOIN for Teens Many Jewish parents today don’t see themselves as Jewish educators. They aren’t fluent in Hebrew, they aren’t experts in Jewish texts, and they might not even know what contemporary educational researchers recommend. But Jewish parents are Jewish educators, whether they know it or not. Judaism isn’t an abstract … More »
If It’s Friday, I Must be Going to Dad’s…
By Ilene Federman, LCSW-C Imagine what it’s like to be a child shuttling back and forth between two homes on a weekly basis. You have two bedrooms, two sets of toys, two neighborhoods. That is the reality in many families today. Due to high rates of divorce these children are living between two parents, in … More »
Ready for a Sleepover?
By Emily Love, LCSW-C The new school year is in full swing. Has your child been invited to a sleepover yet? Seems like everyone is doing it. As a child therapist, I get questions from parents of young children such as: “How do I know when my child is ready for sleeping away from home?” … More »
Who’s in Charge?
By Wendy Hoffman, LCSW-C These days it seems as if children have the upper hand in many families. Children are making their own rules in the home, and parents are letting them get away with it. Sometimes it’s hard to exert our authority as parents. Coming into conflict with our children can feel uncomfortable, … More »