I was interviewed recently by an Israeli journalist on the topic of childhood memories. Karen Tsuriel's article is reprinted here, in part, with permission: In a conversation from her home in Los Angeles, Dr. Karina Wood said that "most things children remember in their adulthood are not extraordinary events, but mostly the daily simple things that involved love exchanges." "For me, it's the … [Read more...]
Childhood depression: signs, solutions
Sad to say that many children do suffer from depression. While we as parents do not want to believe this is so, we must acknowledge that at times our children do suffer. Knowing how to recognize the symptoms of childhood depression and how to deal with them as a parent makes all the difference. The most important part for an adult is to notice -- to be mindful of what is happening and … [Read more...]
Divorce and kids: How to help them
Even if a divorce is amicable and mutually agreed-upon, the children become particularly vulnerable. Seeing their parents break up brings major trauma. All children, somewhere deep inside, wish that everyone would stay together in a perfect world. When that doesn’t happen, there's a shattering that must be addressed. The pieces of valuable lives must put back together with sensitivity and … [Read more...]
Put your teen parenting skills to the test
Being a teen is doubly difficult. And scary. The following quiz is designed to walk you through some positive and effective ways of dealing with your teen. Answer all of the questions for a quick evaluation of your parenting style. (It might be easier to print out this quiz.) For each question, score yourself on a scale from 5 (best) to 0 (worst). Once you have a total, check your … [Read more...]
A healthy child makes for a healthy adult
For children to be mentally stable and to feel loved, they must be allowed to express their fears and pain of losses, as well as their hopes and longings. The parent or primary caregiver must listen to, bear the burden of and validate the child's thoughts and feelings with compassion, love, comfort and care. This is the cornerstone of creating a foundation of deep self worth and safety … [Read more...]