The Mason family is like so many others that I have seen in counseling. They happen to have two boys–Sam who is fourteen, and Max who is seventeen-but I’ve heard the same story from families with girls. Both parents are particularly concerned about Sam whose grades have been spiraling downward at the same time as […]
Does Your Toddler Tweet? Protecting Young Kids on the Internet
Did you know that more than half of kids aged 6 to 9 now use some kind of children’s social network? Or that 47% talk to their friends on the Internet? And that 14% are on Facebook in spite of the fact that they are underage? To top off these startling revelations of a new study is […]
Be Happy, Moms and Dads, Your Teen is Arguing with You!
“Spiteful words can hurt your feelings but silence breaks your heart.” -C. S. Lewis A family arrived in my counseling office for their first session. Dad looked nervous, Mom looked relieved and the two teenage kids looked like they had just walked into a morgue. Both parents complained of being driven crazy by the constant […]
8 Insights to Keep Love Alive in Intimate Relationships
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new.” -Ursula K. LeGuin In thirty-five years of counseling couples and families, I have continually been reminded about how little most of us are taught about specific tasks […]
Americans Get the Gold Medal for Anxiety
“As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.” -Henry David Thoreau NEWSFLASH!: The United States gets the gold! We have become the nation with the highest level of anxiety in the world. According to a recent study […]
7 Hints for Setting Boundaries with Your Kids
“The most important thing parents can give their children is love. The second most important thing is discipline.” -T. Berry Brazelton, M.D. Many parents today could use some serious coaching on how to create healthier boundaries with their kids. Just spend some time at a park where lots of families hang out and you’ll […]
