Emotion Regulation is not easy. It is one of the hardest things we do in our lives. But, it is a lot easier when we learn how to do it in childhood. I was a child who couldn’t manage anxiety. I found ways to avoid anxious situations and over time, my life became small. When […]
“I’m worried about getting sick. I wonder if I might die,” says a perfectly healthy eight-year-old on her first week of summer break. “I can’t stop thinking about that text I sent,” a teenage boy says just a few hours later. “It was the wrong thing to say. I shouldn’t have asked her out. I […]
Underneath all anxiety – no matter what type of anxiety it is – is an undercurrent of fear. The undercurrent of fear is what dislodges us from rational thinking, makes our minds race and our hearts beat fast. It’s this undercurrent that keeps us constantly worrying, our minds constantly going and it’s only in focusing […]
I watched yet another kid climb into the window above the couch in my office. Within minutes, he jumped down, slam dunked a basketball at least 20 times, finally sat down on the floor and said, “Ok, now I’m ready.” He and I both knew what he meant. It was time to start the session. If I […]
Every holiday, kids ask for the same things: the new American Girl doll, a high-powered video game or the latest electronic device. However, this year the Sorgenfresser Worry Eater has hit the market and is expected to be big. Huge, actually. So big that Amazon has predicted it to be a top 20 Christmas gift. […]
Going to sleepaway camp is a huge milestone for kids. It is a chance to get away, make new friends, try out new activities and figure out how to manage one their own. There are a variety of sleepaway camps that do a wonderful job of creating safe, comforting and fun environments but even so, […]
Many anxious kids are already getting nervous. It isn’t because of standardized testing or that they’re stuck in school while the weather is beautiful outside. It’s because summer is coming and with summer comes anxiety. How could kids POSSIBLY be anxious in summer? There isn’t homework or tests or long hours sitting in a desk. […]
I was giving a presentation last week and a man raised his hand and said, “My child cannot accept failure. Every time he does something he’s not immediately good at, he gives up.” My response: “Is school easy for him?” His response: “Yes. He’s in seventh grade and has never gotten a B on a […]
The holidays remind us just how lucky we are. Despite the hustle and bustle we are reminded of being thankful, giving to others and we want our kids to be reminded as well. Thanksgiving especially, is a time when we want kids to be grateful for what they have and to understand that there are […]
I have been at book signings all week and have found that the parents walking up to my table are just as worried as their child. Am I doing something wrong? I’m not putting pressure on my child but she still thinks she has to have an A. When he gets worried, I get worried. […]
