Is There More to Love Than What You’ve Experienced?
One of the core traits of a dependent personality is difficulty accepting challenging or disturbing truths about self or others out of a need to maintain the status quo.
When Parents Play Favorites
Julie looked up and scanned the bleachers. Nope, he wasn’t there yet. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the fact he probably wouldn’t make it — again. When it came to her swim meets, something always seemed to come up — an...
Boys and Their Tunnel Vision
It appears that when boys—or men—are engaged fully in a task, they develop a sort of tunnel vision. This ability to concentrate has some advantages, as it allows for minimal disruption due to distractions and, presumably, increased productivity.
Exposing Children to Inappropriate Sexuality
One’s childhood can be stolen through so many types of abuse, including sexual abuse. Childhood sexual abuse can happen through the overt actions of others or the failure to shield children from sexual content or behaviors.
Learning How to Forgive Your Parents As a Teenager
Have you ever been so mad at someone (it doesn’t have to be a parent) that it’s all you could think about? Every time you were around that person, you kept thinking about how mad you were. You didn’t want to be around that person.
Weathering the Storm with Your Teenagers
As adults have gone through adolescence ourselves, we recognize that being a teen is a black-or-white, all-or-nothing time. Much of this roller coaster of emotions has to do with the hormonal, chemical changes going on within a teenage body. There are a couple of key things you can do as a parent to help your teen weather this particular storm.
Navigating the Teenage Years
Teenagers are on the cusp of their future. They’re still grounded in childhood but can easily see adulthood just off in the distance. They’re chomping at the bit to grow up and dragging their feet at the same time.
Parenting the Smartphone Generation: The Device is Yours
“We talked about this,” Beth said, taking a deep breath. Madison just stood in her bedroom doorway, incredulous. “But…but…you can’t take away my phone!” she stated, as if this truth should be obvious. “It’s not...
What’s Going on with Your Teenager: Part 2
As we discussed in Part 1 of this post, the teenage years can be difficult, and they can produce adolescent behaviors that have been fairly consistent across generations. For parents, knowing what to look for, and having a better understanding of what it all means,...
How Your Inner Child Influences Your Food Choices
You may be over forty, but most of us have one stubborn little kid rattling around inside. This “kid” represents some unfilled childhood need. And until we either fill or let go of that need, there he or she stays—never aging, always demanding. Kids like to eat junk...
Family’s Affect on Eating Disorders
The key to an eating disorder or to disordered eating often lies in relationships. For most people, those relationships lie within the family. The behaviors surrounding a dysfunctional relationship with food are often the result of another relationship—perhaps several...