When it comes to talking about tweens, teens and bullying, we have to be willing to recognize that the scariest consequence isn’t just our children getting hurt or coming home in tears. The scariest consequence is them being pushed to a point no parent ever wants to imagine their child being pushed. Suicide. The sad truth is, bullying can take a fatal turn more often than anyone really wants to acknowledge. Last winter saw a string of tween and teen suicides, all related to bullying. Bethany Thompson, just 11 years old, took her life in October of 2016 after beating cancer, only to then ..read more

Nothing brings out the mama (or papa) bear in parents quite like learning someone has been hurting your child. In an instant, all reason goes out the window and we become determined to do whatever it might take to protect our little cub. That instinct is exactly why most parents who learn their child is being bullied have to initially resist the urge to go out and bully the little jerk that is hurting their child right back. Having that urge is normal. But obviously, acting on it isn’t an option. So what can you do? According the to the US Department of Education, 1 in 3 studen ..read more

A kid shoved into a locker. Another tripped on the bus. Even the online profile set up specifically to catfish a teen. We all recognize these as examples of overt bullying; unwanted, aggressive behavior meant to take the bullying victim down. It’s behavior just about anyone would recognize as bullying if they saw it. But what about those instances when the intent, and even the act of bullying, isn’t so clear? Your son comes home from school upset. There’s a rumor going around that he doesn’t want to tell you about, but that has people treating him differently. He doesn’t know who started it ..read more

By Erik Goldfield, LPC, NCC Time to come down for dinner dear!”.  “Why don’t you get off now and finish your homework?!”.  These are phrases that every parent in today’s modern world have surely heard themselves mutter, speak, or scream several times a day to little or no avail.  While responses typically vary, most are surely not favorable and that is because nothing can compete with the stimulation and grip of a screen.  Nothing, in turn can be more enraging then being told you can’t be on one. Distraction Turned to Captivation Screens started out as a distraction.  ..read more

Practical reasons and solutions to help you and your child settle in for Winter Even though we are approaching the winter months of school, your child could still be on an emotional roller-coaster from a bumpy start to the year. Several factors may contribute to this such as: Baggage from a previous school year Recent traumatic experience Going through psychotropic medication change The list goes on… Here are a few tips for dealing with a troublesome school year: Find out the source of the issue – knowing what to address rather than focusing only on symptoms is more productive. Thisan limit ..read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Kids as young as kindergarteners are waking themselves up in the middle of the night and sneaking off, hoping to catch paranormal activity on camera. “That’s really frightening as a parent,” said Debbie Breen, a licensed family counselor with South Charlotte Family Counseling. “3 a.m., the witching hour, that’s just really dangerous for kids.” The goal of the challenge: wake up at 3 in the morning, catch something scary on video, then post it to YouTube. “This is just setting a dangerous precedent I think,” said Erik Goldfield, a licensed child counselor who specializes in ..read more

Kids of any generation have undoubtedly heard the phrase “When I was a kid….” from parents, grandparents and almost any adult figure in their lives. I, myself heard it countless times from every teacher I ever had growing up. It’s a timeless rite of passage for adults to impart perspective and wisdom onto the younger generations, and in doing so engrain themselves as a potential role model for that younger person. However, what makes this new generation different, is not that things were different when we were kids, but that people were inherently different as well. Nowhere is this more evide ..read more

How to coach your child to make the right choice. Limits are crucial to life. Acknowledging your child’s feelings helps them feel understood and develops their ability to identify emotions. Setting limits for your child is very important. As you may remember, communicating the limit is ideally done without judgment or anger, in a plain and matter-of-fact tone. It is best shared using this type of format ”__________ is not for _________.” Then list two or three alternative behaviors acceptable for the situation. There will be days that your limit setting skills are strong, but your child’s will ..read more

Preserving Patience and Providing Love with 5 Helpful Tips ADHD from the APA The American Psychiatric Association defines ADHD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) as: “A persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development  . . .” Ensuring Your Response Doesn’t Exacerbate the Problem – Easier Said than Done Imagine taking on the task of teaching your child, diagnosed with ADHD, how to manage his long list of symptoms when your child (according to the DSM-5, and your experience) has a difficult time paying attention ..read more

Targeting Alternative Behaviors- Part 3 of 4 in Our Summer Blog Series Part 1: Acknowledging your Child’s Feelings Part 2: Communicating Limits Targeting appropriate behaviors for your child AFTER setting a limit, is arguably the most important aspect of teaching boundaries. Limits are crucial to life, as we have discussed in this series. Feel confident in setting them by combining the skills learned in Part 1 and 2, with the skill we will discuss in this month’s article. As a review, in our previous posts, we talked about acknowledging your child’s feelings. Doing so will 1) convey that he/sh ..read more