Inside Edition: Dr. Maker Comments on Pranks on Kids
https://www.insideedition.com/media/videos/did-cole-and-sav-take-april-fools-prank-too-far-51923 Young kids need stability, predictability, and safety in order to thrive. Trust and secure attachment are critical foundations of healthy child development, and should be a primary focus of parenting. This video invites us to reflect on the impact of certain pranks on young children’s emotional well being, and how distressing pranks may be… Read more »
USA Today Interviews Dr. Maker on School Shooting Drills
“Teachers at an Indiana elementary school were left bruised, bleeding and frightened after being shot “execution style” with plastic pellets during an active-shooter training exercise in January”, according to the Indiana State Teachers Association. According to USA Today, “lockdown drills have been around for decades, but as fear of school shootings has intensified, they have… Read more »
Divorce and Anxiety in Children and Teens
Divorce can be a significant life stressor for children and teens that can trigger anxiety in multiple ways. Children are resilient and the research indicates that most children of divorce fare well. Nevertheless, even healthy, typical divorces can lend themselves to heightened anxiety because of the a major life transition. Moving homes, changing schools, shuttling… Read more »
Teen Suicide: Awareness, Risks, and Prevention
We express our deepest sympathies to the families who recently lost their teenagers to suicides in San Diego. There have been 3 suicides and 1 attempt in the last one month in high schools within a 5 mile radius. The community is shocked and grieving with the families, and parents, clinicians, and educators are working hard to map… Read more »
The Perils of Perfectionism In Kids and Teens
Perfectionism in Kids and Teens: Dr. Naecker provides expert research and tips on healthy achievement. In today’s busy world, children and teens are chronically juggling the demands of academics, sports, friendships, social media, family, and extra-curricular activities. The expectation and need to excel in multiple domains can be enormously taxing for children and adolescents, lending… Read more »
The Impact of Screen Time on Children & Parenting
Parents often worry about the amount of time their child is spending on electronics and how it is affecting their social skills, motivation, attention, emotional regulation, and neurological functioning. Given the easy access to multiple modes of media (TV, ipads, computers, phones, etc.), electronics have become the “go to” in quiet moments. Screen time has… Read more »
May Is Mental Health Month… With One More School Shooting
Source of graph: Wikipedia, 2018 Preventing Violence and Helping Children Cope with Trauma It is with great sorrow that we share our condolences with the families and community of Santa Fe High School. No one can doubt that school shootings are now an epidemic in the U.S., with an average of one school shooting every week… Read more »
Helping Kids Cope With The Trauma of School Gun Violence
Photograph Source: Wikimedia Commons The recent school gun shootings in Florida and Maryland continue to remind us of the critical need to take action to process the trauma with our children and to protect our children in schools. Children’s exposure to gun violence is a primary national health care crisis, and the American Academy of… Read more »
How to Prepare Your Child for Divorce: Tips for Parents
January has been tagged as ‘Divorce Month‘ in the United States and the United Kingdom as, every January, there is an unusually high volume of calls to family attorneys inquiring into divorce proceedings after the holidays. The divorce statistics remain high, with approximately 40% of marriages ending in divorce in both the U.S. and the… Read more »
Tips For Keeping The Holidays Peaceful For The Kids
Keeping the holidays peaceful and joyful for the kids is critical given the multiple stressors parents experience at this time. Travel plans, family get-togethers, finances and budgets, children being home from school, meal planning, and differences in cultural, spiritual, and religious celebratory practices can trigger significant conflicts. Hence, as the holidays approach, it is important… Read more »