Parenting

Whether your toddler has received an autism diagnosis, or you suspect your young one is on the spectrum, there’s a host of activities you can use at home to keep your child both active and engaged. Homeschooling your autistic toddler may seem complex, but you don’t have to feel overwhelmed…

A new Australian study indicates that adolescents can benefit from daily screen time, but only in limited doses: under 75 minutes for girls and under 105 minutes for boys. The researcher attributes the gender divide to a lower “active contribution” from girls during media use. Boys tend to play more…

Starting in the mid-20th century, father figures in pop culture, especially those portrayed on TV, have been characterized with negative attributes. Don’t be mistaken; there’s comedic gold to be mined from the blunders of characters like Bernie McCullough in “The Bernie Mac Show,” Hank Hill in “King of The Hill,”…

When we think about or discuss mental health topics such as depression, our minds tend to zero in on what the individual with the mental health condition is going through. But what about those closest to them—like their children? As a mental health condition that can leave sufferers feeling distant…

Just because the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be over, doesn’t mean  everything is back to normal. And if you’ve got children, you may be underestimating the ways in which virtual learning might’ve affected their social skills and sense of independence.  The development of socialization skills, along with…

People new to or considering homeschooling often wonder what it takes to become a homeschool teacher—what makes a mom or dad qualified to teach their children? I believe any parent willing to invest their time and energy into their children’s education can successfully homeschool, but are there traits or actions…

As schools prepare to reopen in September, the uncertainty of what to expect raises a myriad of questions and feelings for parents and students alike. What will the procedures be like in schools? Will children be asked to wear masks and social distance? Will full classroom learning continue, or will…

Every single day, you get emails about it. You open Facebook and see your friends talking about it. You pop onto twitter and it’s the number one trending hashtag. You’re on aisle D14 in Target and the woman looking at curtains next to you is talking about it. You, quite…

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (or HRC Foundation) and the University of Connecticut conducted a vast survey of over 12,000 LGBTQ+ teens across the US, revealing prevalent mental health challenges among this group. They feel depressed, worthless, and hopeless—additionally, they face rejection and feel unsafe as well as unsupported. Survey…

Click here to schedule online counseling at Thriveworks. Hi, my name is Crystal Smith. I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor with Thriveworks and I’ve been asked to spend a couple minutes today addressing the question, “How can I best co-parent with my ex during COVID-19?” I think this is a really…

Click here to schedule online counseling at Thriveworks. Hey there, I’m Joy. I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor at Thriveworks in Chesterfield, Virginia. I absolutely love working with families. Families have drama and excitement. Highs and lows in the context of family is where we really live, where our true self…

We are living in historic times. As a society, we are scared, overwhelmed, tired, confused, and impatient. And it’s only been a few weeks. We are all settling into the certainty of uncertainty. So many of us aren’t sleeping well, we’re not eating well, and we’ve lost many of the…