Kiddos

Sleepy Teens 4.5 Times More Likely to Commit Crimes as Adults

-Traci Pedersen Teenagers who feel sleepy in the middle of the day are more likely to engage in antisocial behaviors, such as lying, cheating, stealing, and fighting. Now, a new study shows that those same teens are 4.5 times more likely to commit serious crimes as adults. “It’s the first study to our knowledge toContinue reading “Sleepy Teens 4.5 Times More Likely to Commit Crimes as Adults”

Kids Who Believe They Can’t Sing Tend to Quit Music Education

-Traci Pedersen Elementary school children who have confidence in their own musical abilities are more likely to continue their music education through middle school, while those with poor musical self-concept are more likely to opt out of music class — regardless of their true talent for singing or even their love of music, according toContinue reading “Kids Who Believe They Can’t Sing Tend to Quit Music Education”

Teens Who Get Mental Health Help Less Likely to Suffer Depression Later

-Janice Wood Young people with mental health problems who have contact with mental health services are significantly less likely to suffer from clinical depression later in their adolescence, according to new research. The study, published in Lancet Psychiatry, found that 14-year-olds who had contact with mental health services had a greater decrease in depressive symptomsContinue reading “Teens Who Get Mental Health Help Less Likely to Suffer Depression Later”

Dealing with Big Feelings – Teaching Kids How to Self-Regulate

-Karen, Hey Sigmund Life with a small human can be hilarious, wonderful, ridiculous and unpredictable. And wild – so wild. All kids are capable of ‘bewildering’ behaviours that can bring the strongest of us to our knees. These behaviours can take different forms. There are the ones that can be seen through the eye of aContinue reading “Dealing with Big Feelings – Teaching Kids How to Self-Regulate”

Fear of Missing Out, and Not Even Trying…

-Donna C. Moss Dear Folks, I’ve been off line a few days with a family emergency. In that time I was interviewed for a radio show called “Emotions R Us” about how vulnerable normal teens are in this day of news feeds and violence and social media. What I explained to my host was that weContinue reading “Fear of Missing Out, and Not Even Trying…”

How Parents Can (and Why They Should) Utilize Principles of Play Therapy in Everyday Life

-Meghan Owenz The goals of play therapy pretty easily translate into the goals of parenting: to have a good relationship with your child and create a safe environment in which he or she can be themselves. Parents can utilize some of the techniques in a specific play therapy intervention within their own home. What IsContinue reading “How Parents Can (and Why They Should) Utilize Principles of Play Therapy in Everyday Life”

Mindfulness for Children: Fun, Effective Ways to Strengthen Mind, Body, Spirit

-Karen, Hey Sigmund Mindfulness has an extraordinary capacity to build a strong body, mind and spirit in ourselves as adults, as well as in our children. Science has told us that it can help to protect against stress, anxiety, depression, illness and pain, ease the symptoms of autism and ADHD, improve academic performance and social relationships, asContinue reading “Mindfulness for Children: Fun, Effective Ways to Strengthen Mind, Body, Spirit”

This school replaced detention with meditation. The results are stunning.

-James Gaines Imagine you’re working at a school and one of the kids is starting to act up. What do you do? Traditionally, the answer would be to give the unruly kid detention or suspension. But in my memory, detention tended to involve staring at walls, bored out of my mind, trying to either surreptitiouslyContinue reading “This school replaced detention with meditation. The results are stunning.”

Early Childhood Language Skills May Impact Depression Risk

-Rick Nauert, PhD Emerging research suggests language skills children possess early in life can predict the likelihood they may experience depression. Childhood depression can lead to social, emotional, and academic setbacks during childhood and later in life. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, about one in 20 children and adolescents in theContinue reading “Early Childhood Language Skills May Impact Depression Risk”

Were You a Needy Child? There is No Such Thing

-Jonice Webb, PhD My mother has complained about my behavior as a child for YEARS. When I was little, she says I “always wanted to be held,” and was “so dramatic” as a teen, acting out to get attention. I was nearly held back in Kindergarten for lack of social skills; I hadn’t been aroundContinue reading “Were You a Needy Child? There is No Such Thing”