Children need to play—for social, physical and emotional development, and for mental health. As a matter of fact, play is so important for children it is listed as a right by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights. Unstructured, child-driven play is the primary way children learn about their environment. It provides opportunities to …Read More
Tag Archives: Parenting
By Cary and Tonja Rector Becoming a parent for the first time is amazing. Most parents will tell you it was a pivotal moment, changing them in unexpected ways. While there is lots of information available for expecting or new mothers, information for first-time fathers can be harder to find. This coupled with the fact …Read More
When a child feels conflicted about a stepparent By Cary and Tonja Rector In our work with stepfamilies we often hear about children’s behavior toward a stepparent: “My husband’s daughter doesn’t like me! She is rude and he does nothing about it,” says a woman who sits with her arms crossed during a therapy session. …Read More
Help your child address learning difficulties By Cary and Tonja Rector As the reading aloud portion of instruction begins, David squirms in his seat and talks to his neighbor. When the teacher asks him to read from the assignment, he calls the teacher a name and gets sent to the principal’s office. School is the …Read More
Parents can help sons and daughters in unhealthy relationships By Cary and Tonja Rector “We are very concerned about her relationship with her boyfriend,” she tells the therapist after her daughter has left. “We think he may have pushed her during a recent argument. He seems to be jealous of her other friends and …Read More
Developing empathy is an extended process By Cary and Tonja Rector. When 3-year-old Emily sees her older brother has cut his finger, she grabs her own finger and winces. This “mirroring” effect, where we experience “secondhand” pain, is something we have all felt. Research is demonstrating there is a neurological link between our own …Read More
End power struggles with your child By Cary and Tonja Rector We often encounter parents and kids locked in a power struggle. The issues vary, but the dynamic is the same. Parents are irritated, angry and cannot understand the kid’s behavior. The child continues the behavior—and gets into more trouble with his parent. Certain …Read More
Guiding your teenager’s social media use By Cary and Tonja Rector Think you know your teen’s social media platforms? TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat—right? How about YouTube, Meta and WhatsApp? All of these social media sites are available as apps. Kids do not need a computer to access them. As a matter of fact, they probably …Read More
Parents must teach kids about financial realities By Cary and Tonja Rector What parent has not gone through the experience of trying to make a quick stop at Target for a specific item when their preschooler spots a toy he wants. This is not the best time to start teaching your child about resisting …Read More
Females use different tactics but still hurt victims. By Cary and Tonja Rector. Bullying among kids has gained national attention and schools now have programs to recognize and address it right away. Parents are more aware of the issue, and what was once considered a rite of passage during childhood is getting a reappraisal. …Read More