All Search Results
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Responding to the Sandy Hook shooting: How to cope with tragedy
In some ways, it seems impossible to write anything about the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School and yet I want to reach out. What can anyone say about such a loss? I cannot imagine the feelings of the families whose children and loved ones have died. Or the feelings of the children, teachers and families who were traumatized even though they escaped physical harm.
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Putting the "thanks" into Thanksgiving
What are you thankful for this holiday season? This should be a question that all parents ask their kids, not only around the holidays, but year-round too. Studies show that adults who have an attitude of gratitude have more energy, more optimism, more social connections, and are all-around happier than those who do not. And researchers are finding that this same theory holds true for children and adolescents too. Kids who show signs of gratefulness typically have higher GPAs and are less materialistic.
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Winning the kid lottery: how adoption changed my life... continued
Our family continued to adjust and grow together. Brandon sometimes recognized gaps in his early years and we did our best to fill those in. One time when he was seven or eight, he asked me if we could read some fairy tales and said, “I never go to hear those when I was little.” So we read fairy tales.
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Redefining "spina bifida" through the lens of a camera, one photo at a time
Written by Amanda Kern
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Getting her tonsils and adenoids removed
My daughter, Hannah, is a typical 10-year-old girl. She loves spending time with her friends and family, doing gymnastics, reading, being silly and taking self-photos. She’s a girl who’s always on the go, except when she is not feeling well. Hannah’s tonsils have always been enlarged, and when Hannah is sick, she almost always has strep throat. Hopefully, fighting bouts of strep throat will be history, now that she’s had her tonsils removed.
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What I want my daughter to know about racism
It was my eleventh birthday, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I had been anticipating this birthday party for what seemed like forever, and the day had finally come. I picked out the streamers and balloons- green and purple, my favorite color combination at the time. There were hot dogs and hamburgers, cake and ice cream. I still remember how sore my arms were after playing countless rounds of “Red Rover, Red Rover” in the front yard.
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Decoding the FDA’s new gluten-free labeling law
This blog post was written by Dr. Karoly Horvath, pediatric gastroenterologist at the Center for Digestive Health & Nutrition at Arnold Palmer Hospital.
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Living through the uncertainties of spina bifida
Written by Amanda Kern
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Preventing Child Abuse in Organizations and Youth Programs
There are some advantages to having an adult child (The primary disadvantage is that I really feel old now that he’s an adult!). One of the advantages is that I no longer have to worry about him suffering child abuse while in the care of others. We were fortunate that the adults in his life at school, after-care, summer camps, art classes, sports and religious school were talented and caring.
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Life without a safety net: what happens when kids age out of foster care?
Like many parents, I could hardly believe it when my son turned 18. “How could he be this old already?” I thought and then “Why is he so different than I was when I turned 18?” My son Brandon, who is now 20, is still living at home, and we are gently pushing him to learn about living on his own. He is part of the generation of kids who are experiencing an extended adolescence. He’s been a little less mature than his peers and this decision makes sense for us and for him. We have some clear steps outlined and he’s following them. And I’m sometimes tying myself to a chair so I don’t “help” too much.
