Every child has big emotions sometimes. But there is a difference between ordinary emotional intensity and big emotions that are happening too frequently, too intensely,
In the middle of a meltdown or emotional explosion, the least useful things to do are: lecture, reason, punish, or try to solve the problem
Patience and consistency are essential when a child has big emotional reactions. But patience alone is not always enough. There are signs that the situation
Behavior is how children and teenagers communicate what they cannot always say in words. When a child’s behavior changes in ways that are noticeable and
When a child’s behavior has changed in concerning ways, the response that feels most natural — addressing the behavior directly, applying consequences, demanding explanations —
Many parents who recognize that their child needs professional support carry uncertainty about what therapy for a young person actually involves — what happens in
Depression in children and teenagers does not always look the way depression looks in adults. Recognizing it in a young person requires knowing what to
Supporting a teenager who is struggling is one of the most genuinely difficult things a parent can be asked to do — in part because
Schools are where young people spend the majority of their waking hours. For many children and teenagers, school is also where they are seen by
A suicidal crisis — an episode in which a child has expressed serious suicidal intent, made an attempt, or required emergency intervention — does something
