I would love to be able to say every child or teen client runs out of my office during the week of Halloween with great joy, or they have nothing but excitement for Thanksgiving, but we know that the holiday season can be very difficult for some children and teens, just like it can be … Read more
Fall break is an exciting time for most kids and teens, though it can cause some stress for parents who are trying to balance work, childcare, and keeping their children and teens productive throughout the week. While we want to give our adolescents some freedom, we also want to help them develop responsibility and healthy … Read more
When October comes near, kids and teens are often found either studying their hearts out or checking out completely. Many kids are counting down the days until they can take a break from homework, tests, and early mornings while parents are often nervous about having all their kids home at once and navigating childcare for … Read more
The beginning of the school year often brings excitement and motivation. Students are getting into new routines, teachers are setting expectations, and parents are hopeful for a successful school year. Usually a month or two in, things start to feel different. The excitement wears off, assignments begin to pile up, and many students find themselves … Read more
There are moments in parenting that become so routine we hardly notice them anymore. This can be the start of Parent Burnout. Packing lunches before anyone else wakes up. Making sure backpacks have everything they need. Driving from school to practice, then to the grocery store, then back home to help with homework. Then figuring … Read more
For many students, August doesn’t simply mark the end of summer. It marks the return of expectations and high risk of student burnout. Teachers begin talking about grades. Coaches begin talking about commitment. Parents begin talking about responsibility. Guidance counselors begin talking about the future. Before long, students are balancing homework, practices, clubs, church, friendships, … Read more
A lot of parents experience the same confusing moment after school. Their child walks through the door and completely falls apart. Maybe they start crying over something tiny. Perhaps they are irritable or defiant. Some kids shut down completely and some argue with siblings or explode emotionally within minutes of getting home. And parents often … Read more
When adults think about back-to-school stress, academics usually get most of the attention. But for many kids, the social side of school is actually much harder. Friendships carry enormous emotional weight during childhood and adolescence. Spending time learning and focusing on friendships is actually a key developmental stage. Kids spend hours every day trying to … Read more
Back-to-school season isn’t just stressful for kids. Parents feel it too. In fact, many parents walk into August already mentally exhausted. It feels like a fresh start, but there is a lot happening all at once. There are schedules to coordinate, supplies to buy, forms to fill out, sports to organize, lunches to pack, and … Read more
As summer winds down, we receive the school supply list from our kid’s school. Parents start shopping for backpacks, lunchboxes, notebooks, pencils, and crayons. But as a mental health counselor, I can tell you there’s something else that kids carry into the school year that often gets overlooked big emotions. Kids are carrying so much … Read more