Does your child seem to act out or misbehave on purpose? Learn the four reasons why kids act out, and how to respond when they do. This post is part of our Ask a Child Psychologist series, where we answer anonymized questions submitted by readers like you. This post deals with topics related to big behaviors and acting out. Please take care when reading. Sometimes, your child’s behavior can be downright baffling. It’s difficult to know what to do when kids act out. Should we reprimand them? “Ignore” them? Get them mental health support? In this article, we hope to provide a little bit of clar ..read more

If your child is a picky eater, you may be wondering what causes picking eating and how to respond. Learn 9 ways to respond to picky eating. This post is part of our Ask a Child Psychologist series, where we answer anonymized questions submitted by readers like you. This post deals with topics related to picky eating. Please take care when reading. Is a little one in your life a picky eater? If so, you know how difficult it can be to make sure that they’re getting the nutrition they need, without stress at mealtimes.  In this blog, which is based on questions submitted to our “Ask a Chil ..read more

As a parent, it can be difficult to know what to do when your child is being bullied. In this post, you’ll learn tips about how to respond and when to worry. This post is part of our Ask a Child Psychologist series, where we answer anonymized questions submitted by readers like you. This post deals with topics related to bullying. Please take care when reading. What can you do  if your child is being bullied? That’s exactly the question posed to us by one parent, who shared that their daughter had a conflict with a “more popular” child at school, and was subsequently being bullied by the ..read more

If your child has ADHD and has gained weight, you may be wondering how to help them. This article aims to clarify how ADHD can impact weight, and what you can do to support your child’s health. This post is part of our Ask a Child Psychologist series, where we answer anonymized questions submitted by readers like you. This post deals with topics related to ADHD and weight challenges. Please take care when reading. When children gain weight, it can be a cause for concern about their health. Sometimes, mental health challenges can make it more difficult for kids to maintain a healthy weight. In ..read more

Preparing for your first appointment with a child mental health expert? Here are 15 questions a psychologist or psychiatrist might ask your child in the first appointment. As your first appointment with your child’s mental health professional approaches, you might be wondering what questions a child psychologist would ask. This guide will show examples of questions a child psychologist would ask in your first appointment, so you can feel prepared.    In this article, you’ll learn: Guidelines for approaching your first appointment with a child psychologist. What type of ques ..read more

If your 2-year-old is having daily tantrums, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed and exhausted. This blog aims to help provide insight, and help you learn when to worry. We know how exhausting and worrisome it can be when your 2-year-old has lengthy, frequent tantrums. As adults we often forget how hard it is to be little, and that underneath every big behavior is a big feeling.   In this blog, you’ll learn: How many tantrums a day is normal for a 2-year-old? Why does my 2-year-old seem to constantly have tantrums? How do I deal with my 2-year-old’s frequent tantrums? Wh ..read more

Dealing with a “big reactor”? Here are a few insights, mindset shifts, and parenting strategies that can help you deal with a child who overreacts. Do you feel that your child has epic meltdowns, big reactions, or outsized emotions? If so, you’re not alone - and you’re not a failure. You can’t prevent each and every one of these reactions, and the fact that these reactions occur doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. Parenting can be frustrating, and it’s difficult.  Even the best tantrum advice - even advice you may have read here - isn’t always helpful when dealing with supersized r ..read more

Is your child resisting going to school? Here are reasons why children avoid school and how to respond. Plus, you’ll learn when school avoidance can be a sign of something more serious, like school anxiety. It’s expected for your child not to want to go to school every now and again. (We all know what it feels like to wish for a “day off.”) However, if your child is regularly expressing that they “don’t want to go to school,” or even have meltdowns at the prospect of going to school, you’re probably having questions like, “Should I be worried? Why doesn’t my child like school? And how on eart ..read more

2022 was a big year for the team here at Little Otter. We made meaningful progress toward improving access to mental health care for families across the US. Not only did we expand to more states, we also partnered with Kaiser Permanente to offer in-network care. And last but not least, Little Renegades became part of the Little Otter family to continue our mission of reimagining mental health care and wellness for kids. It’s time for meaningful change in how families access mental health care, and the type of mental health care they receive. The old school way of child therapy tends to focus o ..read more

This post is part of a series where our team of child mental health professionals answer real questions submitted by readers like you. This post deals with worries related to tantrums and sibling rivalry. Please take care when reading. One mom shared concerns about her child’s tantrums when she returned to work. Here is her question, and an answer from our team of child mental health experts. “Since I returned to work, I’ve left my two children - a two-year old daughter and a 9-month-old son- with my mother and a babysitter. My daughter tends to cry more during the day and have tantrums if she ..read more