I hope you read part one of this series, “Avoid making challenges worse for children.” I shared how adults typical react to the uncertainty of challenges. Noting the pattern I’ve named “The Four D’s,” you learned about the pitfalls...
How do children learn appropriate behaviors? We involve them! We may need to make some updates to our approach, however, to teach with the brain in mind. 21st century teaching and parenting recommendations have finally caught up with what Benjamin Franklin recommended...
“Just let them” is a phrase that often arises in therapeutic contexts. It can carry a multitude of meanings, each shaped by personal experiences, emotional wounds, and our cultural messages about control and attachment. In my practice, specializing in...
Humans use both language and actions to express themselves. Children often express with behavior what they cannot put into words, leaving adults to decode the message. To increase successful detective work, adults must shift their focus from trying to stop a child’s...
Every once in a while, I feel compelled to clear up some “misinformation” ubiquitously shared. Today, the focus is understanding gaslighting. Gaslighting is when someone questions another’s perception of reality. In the broadest terms, they try to tell you that you...
Anxiety has outpaced depression as the number one mental illness in this country. While everyone will experience anxiety in their lifetime, we can prevent anxiety disorders. How does anxiety shift from an emotion to a disorder? Lots of factors play a role. But mostly,...
People regularly seek therapy to get rid of, stop, or eliminate something in their lives. Most often it’s the intrusive thoughts, challenging emotions, and behaviors that stem from managing anxiety. Just stop anxiety. I get it. When we perceive something is...
During a counseling session, a parent shared her challenges with her child’s behavior during lock down for COVID. She told me, “I try to just stay positive and tell him not to worry. I offer as many distractions as I can think of. That’s all I can do, right?”...
Does it feel like you mostly notice the things children are doing wrong? Do you tend to focus on challenges in your life in general more than what is going well? If so, you want to check out these articles. Because the negativity bias shapes behavior. This can lead to...
In recent years, mindfulness seems to have garnered quite a bit of interest in the West. People regularly talk about being mindful, but what does that mean? And, in particular, how might mindfulness be taught to young children? Promoting mindfulness in the classroom...
Want to prevent challenging behavior and promote social, emotional, and relational skills? Replace praise with positive, descriptive, acknowledgment. What’s that? I’m glad you asked! Positive, descriptive, acknowledgment explains itself: you acknowledge...
“”””In this article, Laura demonstrates how Executive Functioning (EF) in young children impacts learning and development. Specifically, how a lack of skill in this area leads to challenges for the child and challenging behaviors. This article...
