Puberty Can Be Emotionally Overwhelming to Adolescents

Parents may have forgotten what it was like to go through puberty. According to Psychology Today writer David Schwartz LMFT, puberty can be emotionally overwhelming to adolescents. Your tween or teen may be experiencing emotional difficulty as their body changes. According to David Schwarts LMFT, adolescents start to experience a whole new world of feelings when they reach puberty. They start to have emotions, recognizing their own sexuality and longing for closeness with others of their own age. This can create an overwhelming sense of change and uncertainty. Many adolescents aren’t sure what is happening to them. Parents can help … Continue reading

Strength-Based Parenting

There are a wide variety of parenting styles to choose from. Parents can choose to raise their kids with the parenting style that they were raised with. Or, if they want something different, they can select a parenting style that matches their values and the needs of their kids. One option is called strength-based parenting. Lea Waters is the chair of positive psychology at University of Melbourne. She has written a book called “The Strength Switch”. The full title continues with “How The New Science of Strength-Based Parenting Can Help Your Child and Your Teen to Flourish”. The book is … Continue reading

The Hazards of Distracted Parenting

Humans can become distracted every now and again. Parents are only human and cannot be hyper focused on their children every second. There is a difference from a moment of distraction and a pattern of it. Be aware of the hazards of distracted parenting. It has become common for people to spend time looking at the screens of their smartphones while they are outside. Some people are recording video, and taking photos, to preserve memories. Smartphones make it easy to share a fun trip to the zoo with a grandmother who lives far away. That scenario can be fun way … Continue reading

New Jersey has a Baby Box Initiative

New Jersey has become the first state to adopt what has been called the Baby Box initiative. The idea comes from Finland and is also used in Canada. The main purpose of the program is to reduce the chances of sudden infant death syndrome. The New Jersey Baby Box Initiative was inspired by the Finnish Baby Box intervention, which has led to Finland having the lowest infant mortality rates in the world. New Jersey’s Child Fatality & Near Fatality Review Board (CFNFRB) now offers free Baby Boxes to every new or expecting family in New Jersey. The Baby Box itself … Continue reading

“Hypo-Parenting” is Not a Parenting Style

Have you ever wished that you could hypnotize your children so they would behave the way you wanted them to? One parent has been doing exactly that, though there is no science to support the idea that hypnosis is an effective parenting tool. Lisa Macheberg is a hypnotherapist who has three children. She says she started hypnotizing her children the help them get through the night without wetting the bed. She didn’t stop there, though. She now uses hypnotizing as a tool to help her kids deal with range of problems from performance anxiety to difficulty focusing. In an ABC … Continue reading

The Kids of Same-Sex Parents are All Right

A study that was published in the Journal of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics found that there was no differences between kids who were raised by same-sex parents and kids who were raised by opposite-sex parents. In short, children who were raised by lesbian or gay parents are just as healthy as kids who were raised by one man and one woman. The study included children who were between the ages of 6 and 17. The researchers compared kids who were raised by same-sex female parents versus kids who were raised by different-sex parents. In both cases, the researchers looked at “continuously … Continue reading

Research Confirms the “Parenting Happiness Gap”

There has been debate over which group of people are happier: parents, or people who do not have children. In general, this argument relies on individual people’s perceptions based on their own experiences. Research has confirmed that the “parenting happiness gap” exists. The correlating factors that make parents less happy than non-parents has a lot to do with where the parents live. The “parenting happiness gap” is a phrase that sums up a reality that may surprise some people. No matter what country you live in, or what stage of life you may be at, people who do not have … Continue reading

Nibble + Squeak Welcomes Toddlers

Many families consider dining out to be a relaxing treat. The experience might not be so easy for parents of toddlers. There is reason to be concerned that your toddler might throw a loud tantrum that causes other people in the restaurant to complain. Fortunately, there is a dining club that is actively welcoming toddlers (and their families). Nibble + Squeak describes itself as: a unique dining club for “parents with pipsqueaks”. It hosts food events for babies and toddlers and their caretakers (parents, grandparents, and more) at its restaurants. Right now, there is a Nibble + Squeak dining club … Continue reading

The Hidden Dangers of “Shake it Off” Parenting

                What do you do when your child is upset? The answer to that question can be based on the parenting style that you choose to practice. One option is to comfort your child until he or she feels better. Another option is to tell your child to “shake off” the injury or emotion that he or she is experiencing. Parents that do this often feel it is a good way to help their child grow up. However, there are some hidden dangers to “shake it off” parenting that you should be aware … Continue reading

Some Ads in Parenting Magazines Show Unsafe Practices

Flip through a parenting magazine while you are in line at the grocery store, or while waiting for your child to see the doctor. The photos and images your eyes skim over might actually be showing children who are doing unsafe things. These pretty photos in the advertisements may give parents the wrong idea when it comes to child safety. Parenting magazines, of course, are intended to be read by parents. These magazines offer advice on everything from nutrition and health issues, to how to cope when your child is having a public “meltdown”. One would reasonably assume that the … Continue reading