By Tony Madril, MSW, BCD All too often, children are operating outside the realm of parental control; they are doing and saying what they please despite the best efforts of their parents. This is a common complaint shared by many families seeking the help of amental...
Kids & Families
12 Tips on Parenting Toddlers: What I Know Now
By Bette Freedson, LICSW, LCSW, CGP Toddlerhood comes on with a fury of needs and activities that keep parents' reflexes responding and their heads spinning. There is barely time to meet every need and deal expertly with every situation whether the mother is working...
Tips to Teach Your Child to Love Learning
The best way a parent can encourage their four year old to love learning is to model it.
Suicide Risks Among LGBTQ Youth
By Dave Reynolds, M.P.H. (Advocacy and Education Manager, The Trevor Project) and Phoenix Schneider, M.S.W. (Program Director, The Trevor Project) Q: Are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth more likely to attempt suicide than other youth,...
Teaching Kids Patience
By Bette J. Freedson, LCSW, LICSW Introduction General Tips for Parents on Teaching Patience to Children Teaching Patience to Little Ones Teaching Patience to Older Kids and Adolescents Special Considerations for Adolescents Introduction Patience is a virtue...
Teaching Kids Honesty
By Bette J. Freedson, LCSW, LICSW Introduction Tips for Parents Teaching Honesty by Example A No Shaming Policy Examples for All Ages Special Consideration for Adolescents Introduction Honesty is a virtue and it can be taught to children. Teaching the value of...
How INS Raids Affect Immigrant Children’s Mental Health
Anxiety and PTSD in Latino Children of Immigrants: The INS Raid Connection By Maria Elisa Cuadra, LCSW-R, ACSW, CASAC, CPP, CPS For many years, social workers have been acutely aware of the impact of poverty and marginalization on the emotional, psychological, and...
BETCHA: A Tool to Help Parents Reduce Stress
By Bette J. Freedson, LCSW, LICSW Six Quick Tips for Calming Parents and Coping With Kids The BETCHA process (Breath, Evaluate, Think, Choose, Heart Approach, and Act Appropriately) can help you gain confidence in your coping know-how. The more you practice, the more...
7 Tips for Maintaining Friendships as a Mom
By Bette J. Freedson, LCSW, LICSW "I'm going stir crazy just home alone all day talking to a two year old!" "All I do is schedule the kids and then drive them around from one activity to another." "Between work and my kids I have no energy left for myself." "My...
Understanding Teen Cliques
By Bette J. Freedson, LCSW, LICSW Introduction A Sense of Belonging Conclusion Introduction Adolescents intuitively gravitate to cliques. Cliques are developmentally in sync with the tasks of adolescence. When these groups of tightly connected kids and young adults...
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Recent Articles
Ask a Social Worker: My Boss is a Bully
I’m an IT professional who works mainly from home, especially during the pandemic. My boss has become very demanding. He sends emails early before work, saying he wants to make sure I login on time. He will email me throughout the weekend about assignments, even those...
Ask a Social Worker: How can I help my child overcome her fear of dogs?
My 14-year-old daughter is fearless and reckless. She charges down the soccer field like there is no tomorrow and plays basketball with her two older brothers, who are a head taller than she is. I admire that; I was shy at her age. But she is deathly afraid of dogs....
How to Date in a Post-Pandemic World
By Marisa Markowitz, LMSW, CASAC-T and Daniel Pollack, MSW, Esq. Updated May 2023 During the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, dating was a challenge. Safety restrictions created an environment where apps and virtual dates were the only ways to meet new people. But...