Most people are familiar with the stages of child development but what about the developmental stages of marriage? Not as widely known, but familiarity with typical stages of marriage can be as helpful as understanding your child’s development. Michele Weiner Davis notes stages of marriage in her book The Divorce Remedy: The Proven 7-Step Program …Read More
Author Archives: Tonja & Cary Rector
Childhood Monsters “I knew there was something terrible down in the cellar. I just knew, because the cellar was dark and damp and it smelled.” Harry and the Terrible Whatzit (Clarion Books) by Dick Gackenbach is one of several children’s books we read with young children who come to our office because they are worried, …Read More
The holiday season is here. You can feel it in the air. The excitement is building and the planning has begun for concerts, shopping, baking, family gatherings, seasonal outings, decorating, office and school parties, travel and phew, is it January yet?! This time of year is filled with excitement and anticipation, especially for children. Adults …Read More
ENCOURAGEMENT (self-esteem) Of the numerous adults in a child’s life, parents are in the best position to offer their child encouragement and promote positive self-esteem – and it’s really not difficult. In our psychotherapy practices parents sometimes express concern that their child is critical of their own talents and abilities, easily frustrated, and frequently blaming …Read More
Sitting in our office for the first time are a 12-year-old boy and his parents. “Bobby is not working up to his potential in school. Getting him to do homework is an argument every night!” his father says. As his parents express their worries about his academic future, Bobby stares out the office window and …Read More
“Please, please help me stop the fighting, I can’t stand it!” Sibling rivalry is competition, jealousy and fighting among brothers and sisters. It is normal but can be a major headache for parents. In our practices, we often get questions from parents about how to manage the conflict between their children. When do I intervene? …Read More
Divorce is stressful for both parents and children. In large part the stress for parents is wondering how their child will cope with the divorce. The good news is parents can do several things to make the changes easier on kids, leading to better adjustment. Every family is unique, as are the circumstances surrounding separation …Read More
The Power of Touch The NY Times ran an article describing a field of scientific study dealing with developing the sense of touch in robotics, (Giving Robotics a Human Touch, John Markoff). This could have major implications in the medical field both in preforming direct medical procedures and in training surgeons to practice using haptic …Read More
High school seniors have a lot to think about, including college visits, applications, financial aid forms and, of course, graduation. For parents of high school seniors with learning disabilities or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, there are additional concerns. These teens often have supports in place at home and school to help them stay organized, …Read More
An inflexible, easily frustrated and explosive child makes life very difficult for both the child and those around him. It has a dramatic effect on family life and can make parenting an exhausting and sometimes painful experience. Ross Greene, author of The Explosive Child, offers a unique way of conceptualizing why some children are easily …Read More