Parenting teens part 2: Some ideas about what works when you are parenting teens.
Teens and preteens are challenging, changing, fascinating and tremendously fun to parent. Their views on the world are often very different from their parents and they often see situations differently...
What to do if your child says they don’t want to go to school. Part 1
This is a multi-part series, in this first article I’ll talk about putting the problem into context and getting some more perspective on it. Next post I’ll talk about how to put together a clear plan...
Helping young people to deal effectively with difficult social situations
At times we will all be confronted with difficult social situations where someone is saying something we find challenging. This may be saying unkind or inappropriate things about a friend or acquaintance...
Anxiety, part 1
Let’s talk about anxiety. Today’s article will discuss the typical experience of anxiety, fear or worry that everyone encounters. If you are concerned that anxiety is more than every day, I have some...
Friendship: How can I help my child to develop and maintain good friendships?
Friendship can be defined as pleasure in the company of others, it is a reciprocal relationship in that support is expected to flow both ways. Friendships give children a context to learn social skills,...
Resilience
Resilience is a concept which has been studied extensively recently both internationally and in New Zealand. It offers a way to view an adverse situation with hope and positivity. Resilience is the concept...
Why do children do what they do?
Our current understandings about why people behave the way they do come from a rich history of behavioural science. The thinking traces back to scientists such as Pavlov with his famous salivating dogs...
Let’s talk about being a good enough parent.
Thoughts from a psychologist about parenting