Being a parent and finding out that your child has been intentionally harming themselves without any intent to kill themselves can be bring up a range of emotions; it can be upsetting, difficult, and maybe even confusing. It is something that no parent ever wants to learn about their child. This can bring up many questions for a parent related to how to proceed or why this is happening. The following will help best answer these questions.

Blending two families can be a complex and challenging process.  With some basic skills and commitment to ideas like being patient, having open communication, and a willingness to compromise, it is possible to create a harmonious and fulfilling family dynamic. Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you are in the process of blending two families:

Cognitive development in teenagers is a fascinating topic.  As teens develop both socially and cognitively, they are also able to think more deeply about complex ideas and concepts, and they begin to understand the world around them in a more complex way.  This however, does not come without its share of successes and challenges for the teen and those committed to supporting them.

Picture this: it is a Saturday morning, and your child has a soccer game. You spend the morning rushing to make sure your child eats breakfast, puts on their clean uniform, and has a bag packed of necessary items. As you are pouring your coffee in a thermos before you run out the door, your child gets comfortable on the couch and turns on the television. You remind your child as you approach the door, “we are getting ready to leave, turn the TV off, and let’s go!”. Your child, who is zoned into their favorite show, does not listen, and continues to watch the TV. Frustration sets in and all patience disappears as you are looking at the clock and opening the door, “Bye! I’m leaving without you!”. Those simple five words then causes your child to begin crying and screaming, a full-on meltdown. The frustration grows bigger, and a fight begins, causing you to then be late for the soccer game (which you were trying to avoid happening). The result: you are agitated, your child is upset, and now you are late. Many have been in this position, when you express to your child that you are leaving without them. While this expression may come out of frustration, it can be considered a fear tactic which may invoke long term stress or fear of abandonment within your child. It is important to avoid invoking this fear because it could foster mental health and emotional difficulties. Getting your child ready to leave the house can become a positive experience to foster the growth of time management and responsibility by making a few changes to that morning routine.

If you are a parent seeking out help and to better understand how to support your child, male or female, living with an eating disorder, below are some strategies and resources for you. Maybe you just started to learn more, or you are here because you suspect your child is struggling with unhealthy eating habits, or maybe something more severe.

Most parents have been in the situation where their child continues to act out, break rules, or even talk back; all these situations can be frustrating and disheartening. Now think back to these times and how it is that you reacted. Did you find that your reaction was effective in changing or stopping the unwanted behavior? The way that parents react and discipline in these situations can be a great learning opportunity for their child.

If you have teenagers or have older children who were at some time a teenager, you may be able to understand how different it can be to interact with someone from the ages of 13-19 than it is to interact with someone younger or older. It has been well documented those adolescent years have unique and often challenging experiences for both the teen as well as those close to them in their lives. It is in these years that many parent-teen relationships suffer with both parties feeling as if the other is so disconnected. This is a common issue that many families struggle with, and it is also indicative of a time in all our adolescent journeys that we may use to relate to one another.

Talking to your child about any topic can be difficult at times, however, the discussion of mental health can be particularly tricky. There could be many reasons why this topic is tip-toed around, but it is important to address if you are worried about your child, so you can assist them in receiving proper mental health treatment.

Working mothers juggle many responsibilities and play many roles to maintain the stability and happiness of their families. From the basics such as groceries, paying bills, maintaining a home, to of course dedicating time to raising strong, healthy, children, to having a successful career can be demanding and stressful. Read on for some strategies to manage the stress of balancing work and parenting responsibilities.

Parenting kids of any age is one of the most emotionally challenging things most people go through. It is filled with daily struggles to motivate yourself and motivating your kid(s), sometimes even motivating your spouse as well. Trying to get your kids to go to sleep on time, wake up on time, get ready for school, eat their vegetables, get dressed, get bathed, do their homework, catch the bus, put down the cell phone, and another thing, and another thing without conclusion. While being a parent has its built-in rewards like cuddle time, hearing your kids laugh, and the occasional unsolicited “I love you mommy” or “I love you daddy”, the day-to-day can be very emotionally, mentally, and physically exhaustive. It is at this point where a lot of parents fall into a trap and build a series of assumptions that decrease their effectiveness as parents. While there are plenty of ways to reframe your thoughts and build more effective assumptions, these are three worthwhile assumptions that have been born out of my experience in the field of family therapy.