School Success and Mental Health We all know we perform better when we feel better; physically or mentally. Now research is supporting our natural instinct with studies documenting children/youth success in school with positive mental health. But what does that mean? What is positive mental health for children? Based on definitions by the leading mental…
Nightmares that Come in the Day Time
Nightmares that Come in the Day Time: When children become seriously ill. Some events come into our lives that fall under the heading “Our worse nightmares”. They are experiences from which we wish we could wake up, but we can’t. They are our “Daytime nightmares” One of these events is the diagnosis of a serious and life…
Military Service: A Family Affair
Military Service: A Family Affair We often take the service provided by our Military for granted expected that people will commit to protecting us without much effort on our part. However, a great amount of sacrifice occurs by both the persons serving in the military, primarily men, and their families; wife (or husband), children, parents…
Life Losses and Children’s Well-Being
Life Losses and Children’s Well-Being Fundamental to children’s well-being, which includes health (physical and mental), safety, and appropriate developmental support in all six developmental areas, is the ability of their caregivers, parents, and guardians to provide those elements of well-being. Adults who have not resolved their own life losses, many stemming from their childhood, lack…
From Abuse to Safety
From Abuse to Safety As children we are drawn to our parents and caregivers to keep us safe, meet our needs and protect us. When those adults do not fulfill the expectations we become confused. We try to trust them and keep going to them for support, protection and love. We do not understand why…
Expand Your Knowledge—Read a Book
Expand Your Knowledge—Read a Book! “The benefits of reading start with the first book a baby hears and continue into childhood and throughout the child’s life. Here are the 10 Benefits of Reading – the Top 10 reasons why reading is important and why children – and adults! – should read often and widely. Kids who read often and…
Divorce, Money and Parenting
Divorce, Money and Parenting Divorce is a common occurrence in our American culture with almost 50% of marriages being dissolved. Divorce courts, mediators and lawyers are kept constantly busy filing the necessary paperwork to end marriages. Counseling offices are filled with adults and children trying to cope with the emotional aftermath of marriages with unhappy…
Creating Healing Environments in the Home
Creating Healing Environments in the Home To support children’s mental health and social development it is important to assist them in understanding their feelings and modeling effective methods of communicating their needs in ways which will be received positively by those in their community (home, school etc). This will assure that their needs are met…
Connecting Families through the Clouds
Connecting Families through the Clouds Even as our world seems to be “grow smaller” our children and grandchildren seems to be living further away. Careers and interests now have our children living not just in another city or state but in another country. For all members of the family at all generations this is a…
Building Positive Social-Emotional Skills in Children
Building Positive Social-Emotional Skills in Children Children learn positive social emotional skills through example/modeling, practice of skills seen, and recognition of appropriate responses by adults. Children are motivated to learn and master skills through positive, fun interactions and experiences. Thus play situations offer the best situation in which to teach and have children practice and…