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  • Putting Acceptance to the Test

    Back in February, Susie Raskin wrote a great blog called “ and she talked about creating a balance between wanting the best for our children, encouraging them to achieve and allowing them to find their own path. When I read her post, I thought I should write about what it’s like to parent a young adult and put my good intentions about acceptance to the test as he makes his own choices. The truth is, though, I have been in the midst of NOT accepting my son’s choices and trying to rationalize my thinking.  And now here I am, more than six months later, still wrestling with the dilemma.

    Teaching your children to think for themselves is a good thing, right?

    When Brandon first came to live with us, he would often try really hard to please us. We were concerned about it because we didn’t want him to feel like he had to be good enough to be our child. This can be a hazard for children who are adopted, especially if they are adopted after infancy when they can remember being in temporary care with relatives or a foster family. In those early days, he would try to be “really good” and he usually succeeded. However, there were times when he would get stressed or upset and melt down into a tantrum or fit of rage. After we came out the other side of those episodes, we intentionally reassured him and made sure we talked about us being a forever family, saying we were going to stick together no matter what.

  • For the Ohio kidnapping victims, is healing possible?

    One of the more dramatic stories in the news recently has been about the three young women who were kidnapped about 10 years ago in Ohio and recently freed. Fortunately, while the trauma they have experienced has no doubt been horrendous, they are physically intact, and initial indications are that they will be able to heal and recover. Of course, I do not know these women, but I can guess one thing from the fact that they survived so long without contact with the outside world and their loved ones. They must have had some resilience within themselves that allowed them to remain hopeful and provide support to one another through those long years.

  • Setting an example for young athletes: Rob Valentino’s story

    Last month, many were shocked to hear of the death of a 16-year old high school student from New York who sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while playing on his school’s football team. While it may serve as an extreme example of what can happen, this tragic story highlights the importance of education, awareness and treatment in preventing TBI deaths, particularly among young athletes.

  • How much of our parenting is influenced by our friends?

    I read a study this week that discussed how parents’ social networks (online and in real life) affect their decisions about vaccinating their kids. The paper concluded that a parent’s people connections were the most influential factors affecting their vaccination decisions- above educational level, relationship with their healthcare provider, online and print reading sources and economic status. I found it to be really interesting, but as I thought more about it, I found myself saying this: “Well… duh.”

  • Should I worry about my child’s stuttering?

    We both remember the days when our daughters were so excited and had so much to say all at once that their mouths couldn’t keep up with the thoughts soaring through their little minds. We recall how they would get stuck on words or phrases such as, “and then, and then, and then.”

  • The FDA wants to ban trans fats.

    On November 7, 2013 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it would like to ban trans fats in food.

  • Indoor tanning: Is it worth the “glow”?

    Most teen girls love a good tan. And even though some may know the dangers of indoor tanning, they continue to indulge in this risky behavior. But can you blame them? Society and the media have associated this sought-after golden hue with good health and beauty for years. Popular beauty and fashion magazines are usually graced with images of flawless women with that desirable “sun-kissed glow”. As these young girls navigate the road to try and fit in with their peers and build their self-esteem, we have a responsibility to teach them about the risks associated with their decision to visit the local tanning salon.

    Why might my daughter “tan”?

    For many teens, a tan makes them look good and feel good. Many girls agree with the statements, “I look better when I have a tan” and “I feel healthy when I have a nice tan”. Yet tanning of any kind, especially indoor tanning, is not healthy at all.

  • Transforming lives through the Healthy Me initiative: Calvin’s story

    If you’ve watched any national health-related news the past several years, then it should come as no surprise that the increased rate of obesity in the United States is great cause for concern. Obesity in children and adolescents in particular poses risks for the country in terms of both national health and the economy.

  • Is your teen depressed?

    In the years that I’ve been working with Teen Xpress as a counselor, I’ve seen many different issues with the students: child abuse, trauma, family struggles, stress management, anger problems, to name a few. However, this year, there is one issue that has trumped all the others by far: depression.

  • The Little Kaseman: A warrior who is fighting the battle of a lifetime against childhood cancer

    May is National Pediatric Brain Tumor Awareness Month. Did you know that there are approximately 28,000 children in the U.S. living with the diagnosis of a brain tumor today?