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Discuss with your child that you feel he or she is at a developmental stage in life capable of making “this” decision. Take time to discuss the decision that is being considered, what they feel the outcome will be and what options are available if the decision is correct, or incorrect. Helping your child list options on paper, discussing pros and cons and select options that are safe and have some chance to succeed is important.

Many parents worry too much about helping their child make a decisions that will always lead to success. Decisions making that leads to failure can be appropriate and meaningful as long as the child is not placing him or… Continue Reading

Self-esteem is just that… SELF esteem! Self refers to the person who owns or possesses his or her own esteem. Is it possible to build someone else’s esteem? Parents, educators and child psychology and behavioral specialist have all pondered that question. Here are some self-esteem factors for parents to consider.

Signs That Your Child Has Poor Self-Esteem

• Your child gives up easily

Peer pressure is a tough issue for every child to manage. Everyone wants to have and keep friends. Parents need to help their child realize that peer pressure is a normal part of life and child behavior. Parents also need to help their child cope with peer pressure. The following brief steps are written to help you, the parent, begin to assist your child with this important issue.
Help your child to become more assertive with his or her friends by:

Teaching your child to use a calm but firm voice. Say, “No, I don’t care to be with you guys when you do that stuff.”

Role-play with your child: The parent plays the part of the negative influence… Continue Reading

Do you continually make comments that send your child on a guilt trip? Parents who strive to make their children feel guilty often succeed. The end result of making comments to make a child feel guilty often leads the child in the direction of low self-esteem, aggressive behavior, inappropriate social skills and other undesirable behaviors.

Some common comments may include:

“I feel embarrassed when you dress that way.”

“I feel bad when you talk to your mom more than me.”

“Other kids can help their parents…why not you?
Instead of making guilt-enhancing comments make to get your child to accomplish a task that you want done, ask or tell your child to complete the task. It’s better to be firm and authoritative then manipulative.
Pick… Continue Reading

As your child is growing and developing physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually, it’s important for parents to recognize what stage of development their child is at. Parents who recognize the differences in the developmental growth stages are often more successful in parenting. Read through the developmental differences listed below. Keep in mind that children grow at different rates with different degrees of success and failure. As always, it’s important for parents to check with their pediatrician while their child is progressing through the developmental stages described in this article.

Physical Development

Steady and slow growth development occurs in children in this age group.
Some body pains, especially in the legs and knees are common. Check with your medical doctor if growth pains persist.

High school… Continue Reading

According to the American Psychological Association, over 19 million American suffer from some sort of anxiety disorder. One out of every 75 people in the U.S. suffers from panic disorder. Women, more often than men, have been diagnosed with this condition more than men. So, what about kids? How does anxiety affect them? Is stress the same as anxiety? What can parents do if they feel that their child is overly anxious or stresses? This ScottCounseling article will provide you with answer to these questions. Parents will also receive some helpful tips and solutions so that you may teach your child how to cope with anxious or stressful situations.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling… Continue Reading

Young adults often show signs of using or abusing chemicals. Parents who are aware of the signs are at an advantage in assisting their child to get help before more serious problems occur. Below is a list of common behavioral signs that your child may exhibit when using drugs or alcohol.

Change in Friends: Your child switched friends and is now hanging around others who are slightly or very different than his or her old friends.

Drop in Grades: Your child grades are no longer at or above his or her ability level.

Mood Swings: You child is displaying emotional swings that are high one day and low the next day. You child uses words or swears and this was… Continue Reading

Chemical Health Assessment & Treatment Process
Children who abuse or misuse drugs or chemicals need to have a chemical assessment for proper identification of the existing problems. Contact your child’s school counselor to help you locate the closest chemical assessment agency where you live. This article will provide you other factors, terminology and conditions to consider before you seek professional help for your child.
Physical Signs and Symptoms of Chemical Use

Droopy eyelids
Tremors
Dry mouth
Small or large pupils
Pale or flush skin color
Odor of alcohol, marijuana, vomit, chemical, urine
Facial

itching
Raspy voice
Warm body
Headaches
Poorly kept appearance
Perspiring
Drug paraphernalia, pills, small pill bottles, syringes, paint residue
Grinding teeth
Behavioral Sign of Chemical Use

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www.scottcounseling.com… Continue Reading

Stressed out? Breath and relax. Child development, author and stress expert, Rebecca Kajander, reports that “at least 25% of the issues that bring children to the doctor’s office are related to stress.” Children who are “stressed out” often report symptoms that include headaches, stomachaches and sleep problems. Learning how to relax and applying the relaxation techniques listed in this article may help you and your child breath easier.

How To Breath

• Imagine you have a balloon in your belly.
• Put your hand on top of your belly.
• Breath in slowly through

Over 50% of high school students report knowing of another student who was in an abusive relationship. Date rape, alcohol related criminal sexual conduct and unwanted sexual advances are on the list of student concerns. What’s more difficult to detect and survey students about is the emotional abuse that occurs in teen dating. ScottCounseling recognizes author, Brandee Tecson, who shares some important facts about abusive teen dating and relationship.

Abuse and Teen Dating
More than half of America’s teens know friends who have experienced some sort of dating abuse, while nearly three in four say that physical dating violence is a serious concern for their age group, according to a study released Thursday.

The study, conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited… Continue Reading