Okay, so most of us want a better relationship with our kid...even the ones with big, huge emotions that make us feel like crappy parents. Tell me I’m wrong...and mean it. If the relationship with your kid could use some improvement, you could keep doing what you’re doing (you know, they say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results…) or you could implement small changes to start the process gradually. It’s complete

A new school year is just around the corner and many of our children, whether they are starting elementary school or college, are getting that nervous excitement to see what the new school year brings. New classes, new teachers and new friends can be exciting. It’s not always rainbows and butterflies though. For some, just hearing the words back-to-school may send shivers of anxiety down their backs. Children who struggle with strong feelings of anxiety may want to run the ot

We are halfway through 2014, you think we'd know how to...How many times have you said or heard that? Well it's 2014, you think we'd know how to...raise kids...right? Raising kids is tough and it doesn't matter if you have 1 or 6, it's still a hard job. The world has changed so much that it's hard for even the younger parents to stay on top of things in their child's world. Parenting toddlers and teenagers is especially tough. It can be excrutiatingly difficult. Toddlers are

Children are little humans who experience the whole gambit of emotions. You’ve heard the squeals of delight, seen the tears of sadness and the throws of frustration. When your son bites his hand or when your 13-year-old has a screaming fit that started because you looked at her, what is really going on? Is it that she’s mad or can she just not communicate the feeling with you? Children often don’t have the words to tell you what they are feeling, so parents are left interpret

Many parents call me or ask during a child’s (or teen’s) counseling session, “What is wrong with my sweet baby?” Well, if you ask your child, it’s probably that you still refer to him or her as your baby…But in reality, your sweet child is still in there, tucked away in a compartment in the brain getting upgraded. When our children reach the age of about 12, their brain does some dramatic upgrading…think an extensive overhaul. It’s not a secret; adults think their adolescents