In our previous blog, we talked about helping teens with food allergies and anxiety. In this fourth, and final blog in the series, we will be discussing how stress goes hand in hand with being a food allergy parent. You worry about food, checking ingredient lists, accidental exposures, healthy eating, and cross contamination. You worry […]
Last time, we talked about young children with food allergy related anxiety. In this third article in our series, we look at teens with food allergies who start to experience heightened anxiety. Adolescence is full of changes and adjustments that create additional stress for teens. Peer dynamics shift, thinking becomes more complicated, and teens crave […]
In the first part of our series, we discussed what anxiety related to food allergies may look like. This time, we look at the unique ways elementary school children show anxiety and how to help. Signs of anxiety in young children Repeated reports of headaches, stomachaches and other physical pains Clinginess including unwillingness to separate […]
Today Brave Minds invited Lauren L. Drago, MSEd, LMHC, LPC, the founder of Lauren Drago Therapy in Old Saybrook, CT, to provide us with some tips for connecting with teens. _____________________________ Having a teen can be tough. If I had a quarter for every time I heard, “Help! My child feels like she’s been replaced by an […]
mom… Mom.. MOMMMMMM!! I need a bandaid. I need one more kiss. I’m not tired. DON’T GO!!! This is how it would go with 9 year old Hardy*, ever since school ended. His parents were initially compassionate. Then annoyed. Eventually, they were sleep deprived and had lost much of their patience. So goes the story […]
Living with food allergies is like entering an alternate reality. You continue to live right next to everyone else, yet your whole experience has changed. Most of those around you cannot completely understand the fears that occupy you daily. Fears that one wrong morsel could create a life-threatening reaction. It doesn’t end there. Navigating this alternative […]
We can all agree that chores are good for kids. A consistent, yet manageable list of chores for children increases their sense of responsibility, improves their work ethic, and helps them contribute to the household. Furthermore, completing chores is an opportunity for your child to feel accomplished and appreciated (even if they don’t […]
Welcome to the club. You’re human. It’s hard to like anyone 100% of the time, even people we love. “But doesn’t that make me a ‘bad’ parent?“ No. It makes you a honest parent. A human parent. Have you ever wondered to yourself, while struggling with your child, “What’s wrong with my child?!?” Or as […]
Embrace my kid’s shortcomings and failures? This may seem counter-intuitive but the truth is that failure precedes success many times over. How many times did your child fail off her bike before she could ride it. Many! Has your child ever refused to try something new because they were sure they would fail? It is […]
We love our families, but let’s face it: sometimes speaking with our loved ones is extremely challenging. Whether resolving conflict, discussing a difficult topic, or reconnecting with one another, we sometimes feel lost and defeated. We all have different ways of communicating which can make these conversations difficult, especially when emotions are high. Indeed, learning […]