Children, Teens, & Adolescents

One chilly afternoon this spring while playing a board game, my 4-year-old crossed his legs, then quickly uncrossed them and shot me a very serious look. “Crossing your legs is for girls,” he explained. I was horrified. Ever since he could sit upright, my son has crossed his legs—an endearing…

So your child told you they’re questioning their gender, or they’re having a strong reaction to being called a boy or girl. Maybe they asked you to use different pronouns or they refuse to wear gendered clothes. What do you do? First and most importantly: Don’t panic. It’s understandable that…

She texted you three times today: once to ask if you’d seen her Tupperware, once to forward an article about gut health, and once to tell you that your cousin’s daughter made the varsity basketball team. Now you’re sitting in your car, irrationally furious, wondering why a text about someone…

Every parent wants their child to be happy and healthy. That’s a given. What’s less clear-cut? How to help them get there, especially when it comes to supporting your child’s mental health. Most parents aren’t given the tools to spot warning signs or know where to find support when their…

Adults aren’t the only ones who can experience depression: Depression in teens is an increasingly common and serious mental health issue. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 20 percent of teens suffered at least one major depressive episode in 2021, and that number seems to be increasing…

As parents, we want to help our children to the best of our abilities. If we could take away their worries altogether, we would in a heartbeat. But childhood anxiety is common, affecting 7% of children and adolescents at any given time, with up to one in three people experiencing…

“Only-child syndrome” is a popular but controversial term used to describe a set of traits or characteristics thought to be common in children who grow up without siblings. These traits, often painted in a negative light, can include selfishness, loneliness, introversion, difficulty sharing, and an overdeveloped sense of independence. However,…

It can be tough to know what’s going on in your child’s world. Little kids may not have the language to name their feelings, while older kids and teens may be resistant to opening up. As both a counselor and a mom, I recommend checking in with your children regularly….

Your 8-year-old suddenly refuses to go to birthday parties. Your teenager has started coming home from school and immediately disappearing into their room. Your preschooler, who used to hop out of the car at daycare, now clings to your leg every morning. If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not…

You might notice shifts in your child’s eating habits or a sudden fixation on specific body parts. Maybe they’re often scrolling fitness influencers’ profiles, lamenting “perfect” bodies, or pushing to try some new diet that’s alarmingly low in calories for their active growth stage. Sometimes it’s just a gut feeling:…

Childhood trauma can cast a long shadow over a person’s life, affecting how you connect with others well into adulthood. It can make it difficult to navigate conflict, develop an effective communication style, build trust, and overcome fears of vulnerability. If early traumatic experiences are affecting your adult relationships, it’s…

How we’re treated as children, the dynamics of our family, and how we interact with our parents can have a long-lasting impact. When parents expect too much from a child, by giving them adult responsibilities and making their love conditional on fulfilling expectations, their child may develop golden child syndrome….