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Shot through the Heart

Here’s a reality if you are the parent of a teen.  Sometimes it is going to hurt your heart. In fact, this past week I found myself humming the tune of an old 80’s favorite, “Shot through the Heart” by Bon Jovi.  Why?  Because that is exactly how an incident made me feel. Teen attitudes can get in the way of joy.  Adding to this, teens can be pretty unimpressed by our efforts to make life enjoyable or fun.  And oftentimes they tend to see the glass as half-empty instead of half-full. So here I thought I had discovered a … Continue reading →

Keep Conversation Natural, Not Forced

Have you ever tried to force a teenager to talk?  It’s usually not very productive, leaving both you and your teen to feel frustrated. It can also do the opposite of what you intend.  Instead of drawing you closer, it builds walls. So what’s the answer?  It is allowing conversations to happen in the natural course of events.  What happens naturally is so much sweeter than what you attempt to force. In case you are wondering what I mean by the natural course of events, let me first preface this by saying if there is something in particular going on … Continue reading →

Hurricane Sandy Relief Continues to Pour In

Hurricane Sandy happened almost a month ago, but the devastation it left in its path will take a long time to clean up. There are still about 120,000 people without power in New York and New Jersey, but that also includes homes there were too damaged to have power anyhow. If anything good came from this, it is the generosity of Americans. Some physically went to damaged areas while others gave what they could to help the victims. I already wrote about celebrities that gave to Hurricane Sandy relief, but it is worthy to note that Lady Gaga donated $1 … Continue reading →

Are You Ready for the Holiday Hysteria?

“Turducken,” “Festivus,” and now, “OctoNovemCember”. Let the holiday cra-zy begin. Oh, wait, it already has. In fact, seeing Target’s new Christmas commercial last night is nothing compared to seeing Santa stockings hanging next to Halloween candy in Wal-Mart on the day after the 4th of July. Okay, maybe it was July 9th. Regardless, mega-popular couponing website, RetailMeNot.com has come up with a new term for the holiday-inspired retail frenzy which seems to start earlier and earlier each year. The new trademarked catchphrase: “OctoNovemCember.” Get it? To help those who aren’t quite there yet, the company has created a matching mascot … Continue reading →

What is Intermittent Explosive Disorder?

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Researchers at Harvard Medical School have determined that Intermittent Explosive Disorder is more common than originally thought. It is a severe and persistent disorder that goes beyond the usual teenage angst and anger. Concerned parents might consider speaking with a psychologist about whether or not their teen has this disorder. I have to admit, I had never heard of Intermittent Explosive Disorder, or IED, before reading an article from Time. It is a real disorder that affects around 8% of teens, (which comes to about 6 million teenagers). This disorder is quite different from the usual “attitude” that teenagers typically … Continue reading →

Learning to Listen

I can’t tell you the number of times I have heard my teenage daughter express in exasperation, “You never listen to me.” I am always flabbergasted and get defensive. How could she possibly say that I don’t listen? I am always here, always available. It wasn’t until I happened to start reading a book the same night we had the aforementioned exchange when I realized how right she was. I really don’t listen to her. The book is called “The Seven Desires of Every Heart” by Mark and Debra Laaser. The first chapter provides a summary of what the rest … Continue reading →

Exclusion Can Cause Depression in Kids With Special Needs

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A study explored the causes of depression in children who have special needs. Researchers investigated the negative impact of bullying, ostracism, and the diagnosis of a chronic medical condition to discover the emotional impact of each on kids who had special needs. They found that being excluded by their peers, or being bullied, caused more depression than the special need itself. It’s hard to be different from the rest of the kids at school. There are many types of special needs that are easy for children to notice. For example, young kids will quickly realize when another student is in … Continue reading →

Using A Loan To Get Rid of Old Debt

If you have been debating whether or not to take out a loan to get rid of some of your debt, you may be on your way to finding a good solution to the problems of high interest and that nagging feeling that it will take forever to pay off that debt. One of the reasons that things like old credit card debt take so long to pay off is that the debt often keeps growing long after you have cut up the card and stopped using it. For example, I have a few old credit card balances that I … Continue reading →

Parents of Kids With Autism Don’t Always Trust Pediatricians

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Parents have to place a tremendous amount of trust in whomever they select as their child’s pediatrician. Researchers found that parents of kids with autism often don’t trust their pediatricians, and, that some pediatricians doubt their own knowledge about treating autism. A new study validates what previous studies have found. It also backs up what many parents of children who have autism feel about their pediatricians. There is a certain amount of distrust happening. The research involved interviews with 20 parents who had children between the ages of three to five. The children had an autism spectrum disorder. It also … Continue reading →

My Day Planner Saves Me

If you are a single mother you better also be a master of organization. Since there is only you to take care of everything you need to make sure your calendar runs like a well oiled machine. Kids always need to go somewhere and when they are too young to drive there’s just you to get them there and back. Juggling work responsibilities, sports practices, doctors visits, school meetings and sleepovers can make your head spin. If you don’t write it down you will forget. Do you have a calendar that you use, or like many of us, are there … Continue reading →