Blog

When you think about someone who is struggling with their mental health, you may picture them as being sad, feeling down, being withdrawn, and lacking motivation. Depression is a large problem across the lifespan. Approximately 16% of children and teens in the United States have expressed struggles with depressive symptoms. This actually might be an underestimate of the overwhelming impact of depression; many believe rates have risen due to increased isolation during the pandemic and teen social interactions occurring more and more online and via social media.

Addressing school refusal as early as possible is important for providing your child with the greatest opportunity for success in school. Here are some steps you can take at home, and with professionals, to provide your child with support.

The transition back to school after a long summer can be challenging, both for kids and for caregivers. Sometimes, kids and teens can experience so much emotional distress when returning to school, that they can repeatedly attempt to avoid going to or staying in school.

Did you know that the phrase “time-out” is shorthand for “time out from positive reinforcement”? “Time-out” is widely used to refer to a form of discipline used by caregivers when a child misbehaves. Oftentimes, families think of “time-out” as a consequence for their child’s misbehavior, where the child is removed from the space and told to “think about” their actions. However, evidence-based time-outs that have been proven to work look a little different.

On TikTok, social media, and maybe even in your community, you will hear people express that praising your children can backfire. They might say that praising your kids can make them become self-involved, can encourage perfectionism and performance anxiety, and can decrease motivation. What they will not tell you, is that the type of praise you are giving truly does matter.