April is National Stress Awareness Month so I went on the air this morning with FOX 5 San Diego to talk about how parents can identify their child’s stress response and help support their child if they are stressed.     According to the National Library of Medicine, approximately 35% of American children experience stress-related health problems. Experiencing stress in children plays a major role in increasing physical, mental, and social problems.      Is Stress Common Among Children?   Stress is a common response to pressure, tension, changes, and challenges an ..read more

This winter, my family and I went on a winter wellness weekend in Idyllwild, California. It is the best Southern California escape to the mountains to see snow that is approximately less than a two hour drive from San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles – and only about one hour from Temecula Wine Country!         We booked our trip through Petite Retreats, a vacation rental website where you can stay in a tiny house, cozy cabin, yurt, tent, or teepee.           Petite Retreats boasts locations across the country, which serve as the ultima ..read more

I had the pleasure of being on FOX 5 San Diego this morning to talk about how to keep children happily busy during spring break and the benefits of independent play. I shared my tips with Anchor, Shally Zomorodi, and in case you missed the segment, I am not only linking it here, but I am expanding what I talked about on air in more detail in this blog!         First and foremost, we discussed a blog post that I had previously written about my Top 50 Play Based Activities Children Can Do Independently, that I am linking here!    The truth is, parents need bre ..read more

Do you have a sensory seeking child at home? How do you know if you do? If you have a child that is constantly moving and always seems to have a ton of energy at all hours of the day? Does your child appear like they can’t seem to slow their brain or body down? Do they yell and or love loud sounds and vibration? If so, you may have a sensory seeking child. Do you have a child that seems to be dysregulated and or overstimulated a lot? Do they never appear calm? Do they constantly crave sensory input? Do they repeatedly want to touch you or other people, even other things? These can also be sign ..read more

Do you have a sensory seeking child at home? How do you know if you do? If you have a child that is constantly moving and always seems to have a ton of energy at all hours of the day and can’t seem to slow their brain or body down, you may have a sensory seeking child. Do you have a child that seems to be dysregulated and overstimulated a lot? Do they never appear calm? Do they constantly crave sensory input? Do they repeatedly want to touch you or other people, even other things? These can also be a signs of a sensory seeking child. Typically sensory seeking children love to be touched and ev ..read more

I was so excited to be invited back to FOX 5 San Diego again this morning to kick off the New Year! I was interviewed LIVE by Shally Zomorodi about How and Why It’s Important to Create and Cultivate Family Goals.         Since the segment was only five minutes long and there was a lot we didn’t get to talk about on the air, so I am going into more detail in this blog!     Why It’s Important to Set Goals     It’s important to set goals for you and your children. Setting (and achieving goals) helps teach responsibility, accountability, discipline, and goo ..read more

This morning I was on LIVE on the air at FOX 5 San Diego talking with Shally Zomorodi about how to manage expectations and minimize stress during the holiday season. Below is a little recap of what we discussed and some additional tips of things we didn’t get to during the segment.   The biggest challenge I see this time of year is excessive stress. Parents have so much on their plates during the month of December due to managing extra commitments like buying teacher gifts and attending holiday parties, dealing with in-laws, traveling, financial hardship because of the extra spending ..read more

As a licensed therapist that specializes in children’s behavior, I get asked all of the time about how to make transitions more of a smoother process for parents and children. Transitions can be challenging, especially when a child is actively participating in a preferred activity and they are asked to switch to a less preferred activity. But don’t worry, I have some parenting hacks, tips, and tricks for you to try with your children in hopes it makes parenting a little bit easier for you. All of these concepts are tried and true tactics that will work on most children, a lot of the time, but ..read more

This holiday season, let’s normalize giving hosts alternative gifts instead of alcohol for holiday celebrations. Sure, giving alcohol to a host at a holiday gathering may be traditional, but who even started that initiative and who says we have to abide by it in 2023? Well, I did my research, and although giving wine is centuries old and dates back to the ancient Middle Ages and Renaissance era, when wine was a rare and valuable commodity. But now we live in modern times, and we live in a time where we are encouraged for being individualistic and unique, so why not change with the times, and s ..read more

The holiday season is quickly approaching, which means that your kids will be home with you for weeks while they are on school break. That being said, they will be spending a lot more time with you, and are going to be more susceptible to unwanted behaviors. From my professional expertise and personal experience, make sure these five parenting modifications are in place for a smooth time together. And these tips work year-round, so I recommend implementing them all year long!     Watch What Your Kids Eat     Nutrition affects mood and behavior. Make sure you limit sugar, pr ..read more