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,…
When you dream about being happier in the future, you’re probably imagining yourself being content with what you have. Maybe you picture a new house or a luxurious lifestyle. But what you’re really imagining is being satisfied with those things. You’re not just picturing wealth, you’re picturing contentment. That’s the feeling we’re all chasing. But…
When people ask me what couples fight about the most, they expect the usual suspects like money, sex or parenting. But after years of research, and from real-life experience in my own marriage, the answer is much simpler: tone of voice. That’s right. It’s not the dishes in the sink or the unpaid credit card…
When most people prepare for a newborn, they’re focused on baby names, sleep routines, and diapers. As a child life specialist, therapist, and mom of two, I did one other thing early on: I created an email address for each of my kids and started writing to them long before they’d be able to read…
Many parents think kids develop strong social skills from memorizing phrases like “please” and “thank you.” But the real foundation is built much earlier, at home and through everyday interactions. I’ve studied over 200 parent-child relationships, and I’m a mother myself. I’ve found that kids learn to communicate and connect by watching how their parents behave….
Burnout shows up as feeling constantly exhausted, emotionally checked out from work, and struggling to get things done effectively. Delmaine Donson | E+ | Getty Images Burnout is a growing concern across industries, but artificial intelligence is quietly changing the game. Recognized by the World Health Organization as an “occupational phenomenon,” burnout is more than…
When Amy Morin was 26, her husband of five years died suddenly of a heart attack. They’d started building a life together, including buying a house and becoming foster parents. So “when he died, all of the lifelong dreams I had with him died, too,” says the now 46-year-old psychotherapist and author. Morin didn’t think…
Parents are constantly searching for ways to get their kids to listen. But a lot of us focus too much on trying to get them to obey in the moment, rather than building genuine long-term cooperation. I’ve studied over 200 parent-child relationships, and I’m a mother myself. I’ve learned that kids listen best when they…
