The benefits of no phones at the dinner table

Ken was a single dad with a 6 -year-old daughter named Claire and an 8-year-old son named
Patrick. Ken dreaded mealtime with his kids. It seemed that every time they sat down to eat,
the kids would refuse to eat what he had made, have a tantrum, get up from the table…

Helping kids adjust to school during COVID

No matter if your family is sending your little ones off to school for the first time or if you are dealing with changes in how schools are functioning, as is the case with the COVID-19 pandemic, setting up a regular routine and some structure will support your children’s adjust to the new academic year…

The influence of violent video games on children’s behavior

Johnny and his little sister Lizzy were contently playing with Legos in their living room. After a while, Johnny asked his mom, Nina, if he could play video games for a while. He selected his new Final Fantasy game and played for nearly an hour…

Help teens balance the benefits and risks of being online

John watches his twin pre-teen girls taking selfies non-stop. He doesn’t understand why they are making weird faces to their cameras or taking the same picture over and over again. When he asks them what they are doing, they roll their eyes and say, “We’re snapping with my friends.” John assumes that snapping…

The risks of teenage drinking

Sally and Donna met up with their high school friends on Saturday night to hang out. There was a tub full of ice filled with beers and grain alcohol. Everyone was walking around with large cups filled with their preferred beverages. Near midnight, some of Sally and Donna’s friends lit up a joint of marijuana and offered it to the girls…

Helping our children adapt to the realities of COVID-19

As the recommendations around social distancing and reopening continue to evolve, we must respond and make plans according to our own comfort level and needs. This means, as parents, we need to have conversations with our children—sometimes hard ones—about similarities, differences, and respect. ..