ScottCounseling

Divorce is difficult. There are no easy answers. It’s difficult managing your own emotions and handling your own personal matters, let alone handling your child’s concerns. Below are some coping factors that you may want to consider while helping you child. It’s always important to take into account your child’s age, child development, level of maturity and emotional stability before you discuss the follow with your child.

• Is it possible for both parents meet with the child together?

Having the ability to meet together while discussing any issue, regarding your child, shows that you can still work together for the betterment of the child. The child sees that you are civil, respectful and sharing your concerns… Continue Reading

The causes of depression in children are numerous. Child psychologist agree that depression is a complex disease that can occur as a result of a variety of childhood situations.

For some, depression occurs due to a loss of a loved one, a change or move, or after being placed in a situation that causes severe fear or abuse. Like adults, depression can occur in children due to family history.
Common factors involved in causing depression in children may include:

Personal and ongoing disputes within a family

Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse

Major events that occur in everyone’s lives, such as moving, starting school, divorce parents, death of a pet

Serious illness: depressed feelings are a common reaction to many medical illnesses certain medications.

A history of depression in… Continue Reading

Home should be a place where children feel truly comfortable about talking freely about their likes and dislikes, their friends and their feelings. Parenting children in an atmosphere with open communication, will help both the parent and child feel more comfortable during life’s ups and downs. This secures both parent and child and creates a safer family environment

If you notice a change in your child’s behavior, have a heart-to-heart talk. Find a comfortable place where you won’t be interrupted and talk with your child in a concerned and nonthreatening way. Ask teachers and school administrators if there’s a problem at school and, if so, ask them for help.

Here are some strategies for promoting good communication with your children and an… Continue Reading

At least one in five children under the age of 18 is overweight. Children who grow up overweight have a tendency to develop a lower self-esteem, avoid improving social skills and often find it difficult to achieve at a higher academic standard. Below are some parenting tips that parents can may want to consider to help a child experiencing weight concerns:

1. Be Supportive

One of the most important things you can do to help overweight children is to let them know that they are okay whatever their weight. Children’s feelings about themselves often are based on their parents’ feelings about them. If you accept your children at any weight, they will be more likely to accept and feel good about themselves… Continue Reading

In the United States at least one child in five is overweight and the number of overweight children continues to grow. Over the last 2 decades, this number has increased by more than 50 percent, and the number of “extremely” overweight children has nearly doubled (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1995: 149: 1085-91). A doctor determines if children are overweight by measuring their height and weight. Although children have fewer weight-related health problems than adults, overweight children are at high risk of becoming overweight adolescents and adults. Overweight adults are at risk for… Continue Reading

Geography is the study of Planet Earth. When we study geography we look at where things are (places) and their natural surroundings (settings). Geography covers such things as climate, plants, animals, and natural resources (physical characteristics) that affect the Earth, as well as how people affect it. Geographers ask and answer such questions as “Where is something? Why is it there? How does it relate to other things?”

Here are some geography questions you can discuss with your child:

* Where are we? Teach your child your address. Look at maps together to see where you live and where the school is. How close or far are you from the school?

* What makes a place special? List some things about where you live. What is… Continue Reading

When your children ask, “Where did I come from?” and “Was I always here?” they are asking questions about history. These two questions contain the two main meanings of “history”:

1. the story of people and events and

2. the record of times past.

History helps us understand the past and how we got here.

Here are some things you can do at home.

* Share family history with your children. Share your memories, and help your relatives and friends share family stories, too. Encourage your children to tell their own stories.

* Read with your child about people and events that have made a difference in the world. Help your child pick others you both find interesting to learn more about.

* Watch television programs about topics related to… Continue Reading

To succeed in school, parents need to be involved in their children’s learning. It’s important to be involved early, and it’s important to stay involved. Learning the skills for success takes place at home as well as at school. Here are some of the things that parents can do at home and at school.

At Home

* Ask questions about things your children are learning and doing, and encourage them to give you lengthy answers.

* Keep books, magazines, and newspapers available. Use them yourself to show you value learning, too.

Have paper, pencils, crayons, and washable markers handy. This encourages children to practice writing.

Watch TV with your children, and talk with them about the things you like and don’t like about the shows. Be sure to… Continue Reading

When you learn science you build on what you already know. Children need to start learning early, at home, so that they have a firm base of knowledge to build on when they get to school. As parents, what’s important is that we share the knowledge we have with our children. Science is in everyday activities: cooking, washing dishes, growing plants. So, look around the house and out the windows and see that science is everywhere.

Here are some things you can do:

* Ask your children questions: How do you think the clock works? Why does a bird make a nest and what is the nest made of? How does electricity help us every day?

* Have children look at what’s happening around them and… Continue Reading

When it comes to homework, it’s common for some children go through many developmental stages before they arrive at the acceptance stage of doing homework. Parenting children who refuse to do homework can be difficult. Below are ten successful steps that parents can use to help end the homework battle.

1. Set a daily schedule for homework and put the schedule where you will see it often. The best schedule and length of time will depend on your child.
2. Pick a well lit, fairly quiet place for your child to study. Make sure that necessary supplies are on hand and, if it is possible, let your child decorate their space with their favorite handmade artwork.
3. Remove distractions such as the television… Continue Reading