After practicing yoga for over 18 years, I truly know the benefit of asanas (yoga poses) and meditation. I didn’t realize how natural it was to bring my yoga practice with me everywhere. For example, I hate going to the dentist, primarily because I personally do not like teeth. But I find myself relaxing my …
That’s life!
I hear this phrase often from parents of teens in my office and even outside of work with friends with teen-aged children. It’s what is said when the teen is complaining about how hard it is to manage their responsibilities. It's sometimes hard to hear because I personally feel as though the teen's emotions are …
Leading as a Parent
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com As a parent, there is high level of leadership in a family as we have little ones paying attention to everything we are doing. As they get older, teens notice more of what we do as parents and will point out things they see that may be contrary to what …
Jada’s Story
I have the opportunity to work with some pretty strong children who have been challenged with some tough situations early on in their lives. This is a story about a resilient girl who started life a little rough. She found out that I write about families and children on my blog and wanted me to tell her story.
Jada* first came into my office when she was 5 years old. She initially came because she was having difficulty with her feelings related to her relationship with her mother. Over time feelings were processed and she was doing well. She stopped counseling and resumed living a typically “normal” life. Most recently she returned to counseling at a different stage of her life where she again had difficulty with the lack of having a relationship with her mother. With her permission, the story is spoken in her words but paraphrased and written…
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Keeping My Balance
My blog began as a way for me to connect to parents. As I've been working with youth and their families for decades, I wanted to write about some of the experiences and give some insight into how children see the world and how we as adults could better connect with them. I rarely write …
In Uncertain Times
Managing stress during a pandemic At this point of the year, in the “meantime” of this pandemic, we all have had to make some changes in our home life, and work life. Students have had to adjust to an online format of education, and many employers have required continued work at home. Some unfortunately lost …
Tell me what you want me to do
Unspoken expectations “Adults have these expectations for kids, and they think we know what they are,” Said a teen in my office who gave me permission to use his words. He was frustrated as are many other kids at the fact that parents and other authority figures have thoughts about what they want, how and …
“Can we eat dinner together?”
Excerpt from the book Through a Child's Eyes, written by Nikole R Jiggetts, LCSW (read more about the book below.) "I want to spend time with you." How many families still have dinner together? Or do you eat in one place and the children eat in their rooms? I’ve heard parents say they feed their …
Tuck me in at night, I still need you
An except from the book Through a Child's Eyes: A guide for parents Tucking a child into bed at night is a way to give a child security and love and to wish them a goodnight. The literal term tuck in would imply you physically secure them for bed, ensuring the sheets are tucked and …
I’m Calling You. Can’t You Hear Me?
Sometimes, I feel it is difficult to work with teens because they’re still a child but want some independence. They are at a point where they are developing individuality but still need and want their mom or dad. They have their own thoughts and opinions but are not sure how to respectfully voice them to …
