A Simple Solution to Keep Our Teens Safe Online

Some people seem to make poor life choices, a problem identified in new research as a “faulty compass.”. The four causes of a faulty compass can be traced to deficits in emotional memories. By understanding the causes of your own poor choices, you can set off on a more...

Anxiety is a common part of childhood grief as children feel their world is less sturdy and that other losses could happen. Anxiety in children may manifest as physical symptoms including headaches, stomachaches, and more frequent visits to the school nurse. Allowing children to feel the difficult feelings with their...

People who are more anxious try to give some of their anxiety to those who are less anxious. Anxiety tends to be polarized into rigid gender roles in heterosexual couples. Some men try to "solve" their female partner's anxiety in order to avoid feeling negative emotions themselves. Accepting more of...

"Can you settle an argument?" One day, after a Playful Parenting event in a bookstore, two employees in the children's section asked if I would be willing to quickly read a book “to settle an argument.”. This was intriguing. I was happy to oblige. The book was Smile a...

If you have a child who is a big reactor, connection and co-regulation require a whole different set of tools. Being a "gentle" parent doesn't mean that your child is going to make you feel like you are being gentle. There is no gentle parenting without clear limits and boundaries.

A dangerous idea has become commonplace: that someone not in our presence can have as much claim on our attention as the person we are actually with. We feel the buzzing and we instinctively grab for the phone to see who's texting. While taking a look and maybe typing a quick response, we mutter an apology or gesture that this will only take a second. Sure, we get right back to the conversation at hand; it's just that it's now normal for both parties to accept what has been forfeited.