By KJ Dell’Antonia

Oct. 4, 2016

It’s hard to see a child unhappy. Whether a child is crying over the death of a pet or the popping of a balloon, our instinct is to make it better, fast.

That’s where too many parents get it wrong, says the psychologist Susan David, author of the book “Emotional Agility.” Helping a child feel happy again may offer immediate relief for parent and child, but it doesn’t help a child in the long term.

“How children navigate their emotional world is critical to lifelong success,” she said.

opencounseling.com is a great resource for affordable counseling.

With the area code search feature, you can get a list of counselors and agencies that can provide services at low or even no cost.

Instead of being merely the receiver of the parents' psychological and spiritual legacy, children function as ushers of the parents' development.

Jenni had been in an abusive relationship with Ed for far too long. He controlled Jenni’s life, distorted her self-image, and tried to physically harm her throughout their long affair. Then, in therapy, she learned to treat her eating disorder as a relationship, not a condition. By thinking of her eating disorder as a unique personality separate from her own, Jenni was able to break up with Ed once and for all.

Between the ages of 12 and 24, the brain changes in important, and oftentimes maddening, ways. It's no wonder that many parents approach their child's adolescence with fear and trepidation. According to renowned neuropsychiatrist Daniel Siegel, however, if parents and teens can work together to form a deeper understanding of the brain science behind all the tumult, they will be able to turn conflict into connection and form a deeper understanding of one another.

Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids While Staying Cool, Calm, and Connected

by Susan Stiffelman

“Part of me hesitates to hit the publish button today, it feels private. Is the internet the place for these things? But part of me thinks I’m not the only parent overwhelmed and honored and pumped up about raising TCKs. And this part of me wants to acknowledge that alongside other parents and our kids and to share in all the emotions of it. So here is some of what I want to say, and have said, to my own TCKs…”

“…while being "squished" in the sandwich can be overwhelming at times, that doesn't mean there aren't helpful coping techniques available to make everything a little more manageable.”

Did you know that every time you have a thought, your brain releases chemicals that have a direct impact on how you feel? Thoughts are real and powerful.

- Every time you have a thought that is good, happy, hopeful, kind or loving, your brain releases chemicals that make you feel good.

- However, when you have thoughts that are negative, mad, sad, hopeless or helpless, your brain releases chemicals that make you feel bad.

“Most psychology frameworks emphasize the importance of parenting from a “united front”. This is when parents come to a consensus behind closed doors and then present the consensus to the child. I wanted to provide a couple of communication tools that can help parents find a compromise when they do not see eye-to-eye. “

“Your ability to navigate and process endings actually has a lot to do with the level of enjoyment and peace you have in life. Even though though transitions are key to success in life, we rarely focus on how to navigate them well. So let’s take a look these seven ways you can improve your endings?”

Delving into the web’s darkest corners, we meet the unexpected warriors of social media, such as the rapper turned jihadist PR czar and the Russian hipsters who wage unceasing infowars against the West. Finally, looking to the crucial years ahead, LikeWar outlines a radical new paradigm for understanding and defending against the unprecedented threats of our networked world.

“While medical research may eventually develop safe, effective antiaging therapies, there are none I would recommend today.”

Dr. Andrew Weil, MD

Bright and Quirky kids are also called twice exceptional or 2e because both their high intellectual potential and brain-based challenges are two exceptions to the norm.

This unique brain wiring could make your child one of the greatest contributors, thinkers or innovators of our time.

This boxed card deck includes 50 creative mindfulness games, visualizations and exercises divided into 5 categories to help children feel grounded, find calm, improve focus, practice loving-kindness and relax. Whimsical full-color illustrations on both sides of the cards break down each practice into easy-to-follow steps. Tips on individual cards plus an 8-page instructional booklet show modifications that make these activities inclusive for children of all abilities.

“I often asked questions like, “Why is it that the one who’s been wounded, betrayed, or abused, has to be the one left holding the shovel to dig out?” It seems unjust and even a greater burden. Yet, painfully, no one can do the work for us. What I have come to understand in this whole ugly mess is that “embouldered” people, hurt people. Simply put, our wounds that haven’t been dealt with or healed – hurt others.

The one who betrayed us: There hasn’t been one man I’ve met with who is acting out sexually that doesn’t have a history that includes some kind of abuse, abandonment, hurt, or pain. Not one. Please know, I’m not making excuses for them, but I’m highlighting that most of them are embouldered too. They’ve not dealt with their hurt and instead tried to meet their needs in a deceptive and harmful way – at our expense.”