Have you ever heard of accidental bullying? Accidental bullying is a term that was created by Sue Scheff. It means when someone unintentionally (or not on purpose) hurts another person’s feelings. To learn more about accidental bullying, read Sue’s article in HuffPost and watch the video below!
She thought it was silly and shared the joke with her friends. But now it’s ruined a young man’s reputation.
Continue reading The Accidental Bully: Has This Ever Happened to You or Your Child?
When you’re upset, stressed or sad do you ever find yourself humming a familiar tune?
Research shows there are many positive benefits to humming. One article, recently published in Psychology Today, lists a few of the major positive outcomes when one spends at least 20 seconds a day humming.
A few benefits listed in the Psychology Today article are as follows:
Featured Photo Credit: Sudden Fiction via Compfight cc
Is there something you want to do, but have always been too scared to do? What is it? We’d love to hear from you!
Summer is upon us, and for a lot of us that means sunshine, vacationing, picnics and more! It can also mean finding a few good books (or bringing out the ones you’ve tucked away for later) to read during your time spent on the beach or out in the lawn. Plus, summer reading is also beneficial! It allows us to maintain structure and keep a pattern during the busy summer months. Setting aside time for yourself to read can encourage your child to do the same, which is extremely important since keeping up with summer reading is needed and hugely beneficial to children. Therefore, we have put together a list of suggested books to try reading this summer. We encourage you to find the time to sit down with a good book and turn off all electronic devices. Lastly, most public libraries have summer reading programs to check out!
Trigger Warning: Discussion about Suicide
By now you’ve most likely heard about Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why (13RW). It is a very captivating show, but also raises questions about whether the creators did the right thing in the way they used a television show to talk about suicide and rape or sexual assault. The show is about a girl in high school (Hannah Baker) – who is bullied, sexually assaulted, and eventually commits suicide. She leaves behind 13 tapes (or 13 reasons) as a sort of revenge to the people she thought wronged her and who were ultimately responsible for her decision to end her life. It is possible this show will shed light on some very difficult and important topics, but unfortunately, it also has the possibility to cause harm.
Picture this: a thirty-something woman in business-casual attire standing with her hands on her hips, feet spread slightly more than shoulder-width apart, chest puffed out, chin up, flashing a fantastic grin, her hair blowing just perfectly (okay maybe not the last one) in a bathroom stall.
Although the internet can be a great place to learn, connect, and meet people from all over the world, it is important to help our teens navigate it to understand that the people they interact with online may be very different than who they say. How can we know that what people say is true on the internet? And help our teens navigate that?
The period of adolescence is full of many changes, a lot of them being physical changes. This might leave you having some questions about your child’s health.
You might wonder whether the things your child is experiencing (whether they are new emotions, thoughts or physical changes) are normal. Oftentimes to get answers to these questions, we use the Internet. It’s nice because it’s so convenient and fast!
But do you really find the answers you’re looking for? Here’s an example of when searching the Internet can go wrong. Let’s say your child has a lump on the back of their neck. Maybe you saw a Dr. Oz episode about diagnosing tumors early. You begin to wonder whether it could be a tumor. After watching Dr. Oz, you immediately go to your computer and begin researching it online. Your search reveals all kinds of possibly scary cancers! However, the fortunate truth is most young people with a lump on the back of their neck will not end up having cancer. So how do you get the questions you have about your child’s health answered with the most accurate information and the least amount of stress?
A trusted pediatrician (or medical professional) can often be way more helpful – they most likely have experienced similar situations with their other patients and they can think it through with you to come up with a plan. Here’s some advice about how to talk to your child’s doctor about their health.
Also as children get older, parents often have a difficult time letting go when it comes to their child’s health visits with their doctor. However, it can be a good idea to begin exploring and helping your child become independent during their doctor appointments. Listed below are a few steps from the University of Michigan on how to help your child gain health independence:
Do you speak to your child’s doctor when you have questions about their health that need answered? Do you have any thoughts or suggestions about your child gaining independence in regards to their health? We’d love to hear!
Sometimes young people can seem extremely worried about many things. Their lives often feel so much busier than ours when we were their age! So it can seem natural that they frequently worry about grades, school, friends, their appearance, and love interests. How can you tell if your child might actually be experiencing symptoms of anxiety?
Many people can feel stressed or worried at times. When it gets in the way of them living the life they want to live and completing their goals is when it becomes a problem.
Anxiety can first be seen when children are young – and as they go through puberty they may also show signs of depression. The good news is there are many treatments that can help and many are the same for depression and anxiety.
Has your child experienced anxiety and done better with treatment? If you feel comfortable, comment below.
Take some time to reflect on happiness!
1. How do you bring happiness to yourself?
2. How do you spread happiness to others?
