One of the troubling dilemmas a parent might deal with is the question of whether talking to their child about what will happen at the doctor’s office in the days before will just build more anxiety, or if it will help prepare them to be less afraid. While it can be detrimental to dwell on […]
Parents are arguably the most important person on a child’s side in helping them to avoid addiction to alcohol and harmful drugs. Teenagers who have regular, serious conversations about drug prevention with their parents are around 50% less likely to use drugs than those who don’t, according to the National Survey on Drug Use […]
Are family meals worth it? For as long as I can remember, my family had dinner together. Whether mom made dinner or we had take-out, we ate together. I just assumed it would always be like that. Then after getting married my husband and I found out it’s a lot harder than it seemed. At […]
Children are amazing at mimicking their parent’s and older sibling’s behaviors. This can be a great thing, if they are seeing positivity and productivity displayed around them. However, when they see negativity, inappropriate behaviors or unrealistic ideals, they will still have tendencies to mimic those behaviors. It is imperative that parents take on the role […]
Up to 300,000 Americans under 18 are lured into the commercial sex trade and 20.9 million victims of human trafficking globally every year, according to statistics published by the International Labour Organization, and the number is expected to increase in the years to come, even surpassing the illegal sale of arms. Human trafficking is slavery. […]
This is the fourth blog in a series titled, “The Core Concepts of Development.” Click here for part 1, click here for part 2, and click here for part 3. Children are motivated to learn about themselves, others, and the world in which they live (Wittmer & Petersen 2010). Have you ever watched a newborn […]
This is the second blog in a series titled, “The Core Concepts of Development.” Click here for part 1. All families and cultures have different backgrounds, experiences, dreams for their children, habits, and customs that guide their thinking about raising children (Coll & Magnuson, 2000). I was raised in a military family. Punctuality was important […]
This is the first blog in a series titled, “The Core Concepts of Development.” Both nature (genetic influences) and nurture (influences of environment, experience, and education) affect children’s development. When my first child, David, was born, I was determined to be the perfect parent. David was a very calm and obedient child. As I would […]
When couples become parents, marital satisfaction often declines (1)(2). Research has found several factors that influence this transition’s outcome. For one, a baby brings more household responsibilities and a new area of childcare responsibilities. “It is not the unequal division of labor, but rather the perceived fairness of the division that is most strongly associated with relationship […]
This is part two to the post explaining what children really need (see part 1 here). Below are the next three rights Carlson says children deserve. Each child has the right to a home built on marriage. Research has come to the conclusion that “children are most likely to be healthy, happy, well-behaved, and responsible; […]
