Before your child even steps out the door every day, their emotional baseline for the day is already set — not by color-coded routines, but by how safe and connected they feel in your presence. As a conscious parenting researcher, I’ve studied more than 200 kids, and I’m a mother myself. I’ve found that the…
It’s natural to want to comfort a child when they’re crying. When parents see their kid hurting physically or emotionally, they often want to do anything in their power to stop their heartache. As a dual certified child life specialist and therapist, I’ve heard parents and even health care workers telling kids “don’t cry” while…
My wife and I recently celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary. In honor of the occasion, I asked couples who had been married 40, 50, or even 60 years a simple question: What relationship advice would you give to your younger selves? The participants ranged from a mid-60s couple who had just celebrated their 40th anniversary…
Ask anyone what they think keeps a relationship strong, and they will probably tell you it’s love. There’s some truth to that: love is what draws us together in the first place. But after years of studying couples as a psychologist, and as a husband, I’ve realized something that research keeps confirming: The real factor…
For the past three years, I’ve written letters to myself and scheduled them to send to me a year later. Here’s why the practice can benefit your mental health. Source link
“My child won’t tell me anything about their day!” It’s a common concern I hear from parents in my psychotherapy office. They’re hoping to gain a glimpse into their child’s world. But asking “How was school today?” usually leads to a one-word answer. As a therapist and the author of “13 Things Mentally Strong Parents…
When your kid is in the middle of a tantrum, logic and lectures don’t work. I’ve studied over 200 kids and worked with hundreds of families, and one thing is clear: Tantrums aren’t about defiance. Research shows that during emotional overwhelm, a child’s prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for reasoning and language) essentially goes…
Saying “no” is essential in parenting. But setting limits shouldn’t start and end with that one word. As a certified child life specialist and licensed therapist, I know that saying “no” is meant to help kids feel safe, supported, and understood. I often help kids understand: “Your parents aren’t saying ‘no’ to control you, they’re…
Last year, while researching for my book “Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead to Long Lives,” I visited five of the world’s healthiest countries — Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Spain — to see how they keep older adults active, engaged, purposeful, and healthy. I picked these countries because they have some…
As parents, it’s our job to give our kids the tools they need to face struggle without breaking. I’ve studied over 200 parent-child relationships, and I’m a mother myself. My goal has always been to teach kids how to process hard feelings and move forward. Mentally strong kids know how to regulate their emotions, trust themselves,…
