On Friday, May 20th, I became a licensed foster care provider for the state of Vermont.  I have not received a placement as of yet, but have provided a weekend of respite for another foster family.  Their 4 year old foster child spent the night with my daughter and I while the foster parents were [...]

With the announcement of Osama Bin Laden’s death headlining our newspapers and news reports, are your children confused?  It is going to be difficult for many of us to shield and filter the information that our children get from the media.  When this happens, all we can do is talk with them about the information [...]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior.  Autistic disorder, sometimes called autism or classical ASD, is the most severe form of ASD, while other conditions along the spectrum include a milder form known as Asperger syndrome, the [...]

Race to Nowhere is a new documentary currently being shown all over the country.  I plan on making a screening and would encourage all parents to do the same.  I can not comment on the documentary, since I have not viewed it yet, but have visited the website, http://www.racetonowhere.com, and am very eager to do to [...]

The most important thing that parents can teach their children is how to get along without them.           Frank A. Clark All children behave as well as they are treated.  Jan Hunt Stop trying to perfect your child, but keep trying to perfect your relationship with him.  Dr. Henker Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than [...]

Encouragement is one of the most important, some believe the most important, aspect of child rearing.  Encouragement focuses on effort and/or improvement rather than achievement, giving positive feedback to children trying hard but who may not necessarily be successful.  Encouragement allows children to develop their self-motivation, be faithful to themselves, and focus on determining and [...]

Hello, I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to ask questions, make comments, and/or share stories on the forum.  The forum is a place to communicate: post a question, share ideas, get feedback, and ask for advice.  Remember there are no bad questions and you will not be judged for any ideas, thoughts, or questions [...]

Attention: The child’s mistaken belief is that he/she belongs only when he/she is receiving attention. These children seek attention actively and passively.(examples: Actively-Pestering you when you are on the phone. Passively-Not doing a task that they know needs to be done.) The most common parental responses include: scolding, lecturing, and nagging. All of these parental responses [...]

Attention: The child’s mistaken belief is that he/she belongs only when he/she is receiving attention. These children seek attention actively and passively.(examples: Actively-Pestering you when you are on the phone. Passively-Not doing a task that they know needs to be done.) The most common parental responses include: scolding, lecturing, and nagging. All of these parental [...]

Behavior is purposeful and goal oriented. When children do not achieve self worth and a sense of belonging by following the rules and expectations of their parent(s), they choose other behaviors to attain these goals. Dr. Rudolph Dreikurs describes four goals of misbehavior: 1. Attention2. Power3. Revenge4. Displays of Inadequacy Attention The child feels he or [...]

Behavior is purposeful and goal oriented. When children do not achieve self worth and a sense of belonging by following the rules and expectations of their parent(s), they choose other behaviors to attain these goals. Dr. Rudolph Dreikurs describes four goals of misbehavior: 1. Attention2. Power3. Revenge4. Displays of Inadequacy Attention The child feels he [...]

In the previous post I discussed the four goals of a child’s misbehavior: attention, power, revenge, and displays of inadequacy. Now that you know them, you will be better able to understand your child’s misbehavior and what he/she is hoping to achieve with it. A majority of the time you will be able to identify the [...]

In the previous post I discussed the four goals of a child’s misbehavior: attention, power, revenge, and displays of inadequacy. Now that you know them, you will be better able to understand your child’s misbehavior and what he/she is hoping to achieve with it. A majority of the time you will be able to identify [...]

My name is Amy and I would like to use this post to introduce myself and explain the intended purpose of this blog. I received my license as a Professional Counselor, in the state of Connecticut, in 2000. I worked as a therapist for a handful of years for a non-profit agency, where a majority of [...]

My name is Amy and I would like to use this post to introduce myself.   I received my license as a Professional Counselor, in the state of Connecticut, in 2000. I worked as a therapist for a handful of years for a non-profit agency, where a majority of my time was spent counseling children. My [...]