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Positive Parenting

2020…the year of cancellations. But as the pandemic continues, we have adapted. Fun activities are returning in safe and creative ways—drive-in concerts, anyone? As summer fades to fall, the question is beginning to swirl: Can we have Halloween? The simple answer is yes, so long as everyone follows some basic safety measures. The tips below apply to all ghouls and goblins, big and small! Ditch the Candy Bowl Quite possibly the most important thing you can do is forgo the “communal” candy bowl. Whether you usually hand out candy from the bowl or let kiddos dig in and grab their favorites, it’s just too tricky for trick-or-treating this year. A candy bowl cannot be contact-free. So what’s the alternative? Grab-and-Go Set up a table, decorate it if you wish, and place the wrapped candy out on the table individually, allowing kids to come up and pick their favorites without touching […]

Melanie Franklin, PhD, Psychology Fellow, contributed to this blog post. It’s well recognized that childhood eating habits have a lasting impact on health, longevity, and disease prevention. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that obesity affects approximately 42% of adults living in America, and obesity-related conditions (type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer) are some of the leading causes of preventable death. Obesity affects nearly 20% of children and adolescents (13.7 million), which greatly increases the chances that obesity will carry forward into adulthood. While encouraging healthy food choices is important for preventing obesity and its related conditions, parents should be mindful of how they discuss diet and weight with and around their children. Encouraging kids to diet can have a lasting impact into adulthood, including: a higher risk of disordered eating, unhealthy weight control behaviors, lower body satisfaction, and higher risk of overweight […]

As the country tries to re-open amidst this global pandemic, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is still encouraging people to stay home to help minimize the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Are you struggling to keep your pantry and fridge stocked? It’s easy to make the most of your grocery store orders, whether shopping at the store or ordering online, it just takes a bit of planning and meal preparation in some form. This may mean simply stocking up on food essentials on taking the time to plan family meals. Stock Your Shelves, But Do Not Hoard No matter what works best for your family, what is important is that you do what you can to have about two weeks’ worth of food at home (per U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommendation). Below are some tips for food shopping during this unusual time. Check what you already have. […]

With the current social unrest over police brutality related to the death of George Floyd and others, your children may ask questions about the protests that are happening nationwide. Here are some tips on how to respond to kids on what can be a divisive topic. State the facts I recommend that parents respond to tough questions from their kids with a simple statement of facts, followed by questions of their own. If a child asks, “What are these protests all about?” you might respond: “Many people are protesting the deaths of unarmed black women and men by police and others.” You might follow up by asking questions about what your child thinks about the protests, what they have heard (from friends, media, etc.) and what parts are confusing to them. Asking questions first will likely lead to a better conversation with your child. As you respond, try to help […]

There are exciting “extracurricular” projects that we should be completing with our kids to help stimulate their creativity and keep them engaged with the learning process. We put together a list of educational activities that will also help teach your young ones basic life skills.

For several decades, much of the focus on body image disorders has focused on females. In American society, the feminine ideal is to appear thin. Males, however, are encouraged to be muscular. Lately, we are witnessing a shift in how males perceive their bodies. Boys Feel the Pressure Too Many of today’s young males want a strong body; specifically, they want more muscles. With action figures such as Batman, Captain America, and Superman to magazine covers boasting “Double your muscle!” and “Bigger arms now!” it’s no wonder that teens view being chiseled and ripped as the ideal male body image. It’s one thing to play with an action figure or peruse a magazine, but it’s quite another to think obsessively about becoming muscle-bound and to diet and exercise compulsively to look this way. Sound like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)? Yes. Sound like an eating disorder? Yes. What Is Muscle Dysmorphic […]