Creative Development

Growing a child's unique gifts

by Maureen Healy

School Bullying and Suicide

Over the last few weeks, I have had a flurry of calls from "stressed out" parents because their kids said to them: "I am going to commit suicide if you make me go back to that school. I want to end it all. My 'friends' at school laughed at me when I was being teased and it was horrible. Read More

The Highly Sensitive Boy

Does your boy cry often? Has he ever been bullied? Does he enjoy his time alone and quiet space? Is he deeply affected by violence? Or keenly perceptive to how you are feeling or thinking? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be raising a highly sensitive boy. Highly sensitive boys come with deep talents but can be "trying" if you seek to raise them in the regular way. Read More

Getting Kids to Sleep

Just the other day, I was interviewed by Dr. Mark Banschick about how to get young children to sleep even when it feels impossible! Our discussion was a good one so I wanted to share it here on my PT blog and offer it to anyone struggling with this challenge. Here it is:

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The Highly Sensitive Child and Self-Esteem

Earlier today, I read Deborah Ward's "High Sensitivity, Low Self-Esteem" blog post and found myself nodding in agreement. I also wanted to elaborate on one of her points. Read More

Is Self-Confidence Pre-Determined?

On Monday I browsed the PT Blogs and found one featured by Ray Williams titled "Self-Confidence: Nature or Nurture" and my feathers got ruffled. He claimed that self-confidence is genetic and that we each (mothers, fathers, scientists, children) are solely "stuck" with our biology of confidence. Read More

Emotions: The 2 Types

"There are two classes of emotions. One class needs to be expressed, talked about. ... The other class of emotions includes anger, strong attachment, and strong desire; there is no natural end to these."His Holiness the Dalai Lama

You know how to speak with your kid - you talk all the time about school homework, soccer games, and their favorite spaghetti dinner. But how come when your son or daughter comes home from school looking sad, you become speechless? Your eyes open up big and you take a few deep breaths wondering: What in the world do I do now? Read More

Sensory Processing Disorder

Does your child have SPD? Read More

Facebook for Kids

Earlier today, a client called me to ask "Is my eleven year-old daughter ready for Facebook?" It was a really good question and one this mom had been wrestling with all day. Since she is not a FB person herself she wanted to know the deeper issues: Is my daughter safe online? How can I protect her from negative influences? Are all FB 'friends' good ones? How do I monitor her activity? Read More

The Highly Sensitive Child

Ever wonder if your child is too sensitive? Read More

Parenting with Backbone

There is no magic formula to make you a "positive but firm" parent but only practice. The more you set healthy rules, positive expectations and clear boundaries - your child grows up feeling stronger on the inside and more capable to succeed. Read More

Kid's Meditation: One Path to Power

With the advent of the recent tragedy in Japan, and now military involvement in Libya - children often feel powerless and sad hearing about other kids in such situations. This is a healthy response. One way to nurture kid's positive emotional health and sense of power in this situation is to teach them how to use their mind. Read More

Little White Holiday Lies

"Look Dad, there's Santa Claus!" stated Ruth at age five

"Sweetheart, Santa Claus isn't real" shared David her father as he was driving Read More

School Bullying

“Bullying was satisfying. It gave me more confidence. And I kind of felt powerful.” - Daniel Harrison, Age 15 (Former Bully) Read More

Forgiveness

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. - Gandhi Read More

The Buddhist Answer to Bullies

Bullying is a universal experience. Each of us can likely remember the first time someone "pushed you around" verbally, emotionally or physically. I won't forget David Smith*. In eighth grade he called me "black lips" out the window of the bus. I was so hurt. It was my first experience of someone in public pushing me around and seeking to take my power. Read More

Spirituality & Children

Ever wonder what goes on in a child's mind? Or what they believe to be true about God, angels or the divine? Chatting with children often takes you down that mysterious rabbit hole full of sights, sounds and more than a simple understanding of spirituality. Read More

Raising "Media Healthy" Children

Just yesterday, a mother called me about her daughter Delia. Delia, age 8, was voted off of her classroom lunch table. Apparently all of her "friends" had been watching reality television shows and like all kids do - begin imitating what they watched and believed to be true. Unfortunately, it brought Delia to tears and shook her confidence to the core. Read More

Parenting through Loss

"For some moments in life there are no words" David SeltzerWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Read More

Inspiration

How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do?Morgan Freeman (portraying Nelson Mandela in Invictus) Read More

The Heart of Gratitude

Getting to the heart of gratitude is worthy work. So many of us can think thankful thoughts and say simple appreciative sayings but how many of us genuinely feel a deep well of gratitude daily? It is this authentic appreciation for all the good that comes our way that helps us live longer, feel better and create positive connections in the world around us (per the latest scientific studies). Read More

Positive Parents

Earlier today over a fried green tomato sandwich (yes, I live in the South), my close colleague brought up a topic. She's been observing other parents in the neighborhood "talking trash" in front of their children. I had to think about it. As a practicing Tibetan Buddhist one of the sacred vows is not to gossip. I take that vow seriously. Read More

Raising Happy Kids

Childhood is an incredibly sensitive time when the seeds of happiness are planted. It is such seeds that help a child form a positive self-concept, worldview and connection to all of humanity. Internal qualities to develop that contribute to happiness are kindness, compassion, self-confidence, self-trust, equanimity, courage, generosity, gratitude and optimism. Read More

Money Messages

There is a secret psychology of money. Most people don't know about it. - T. Harv Eker, author of Secrets of the Millionaire MInd Read More

Games for Growth

I think it's wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly - Steven Wright, Comedian Read More

Raising a Confident Child

The roots of self-confidence are born or broken in childhood. Early experiences shape our sense of self. It is often just little words that wound kids or empower their dreams. So having a heightened awareness as to the enormous power of your words and communication to kids is essential for fostering confidence in children.

Cultivating Confidence Read More

Sound Parenting

Sound is key to a child's emotional development. Not just playing commercialized programs like Baby Mozart but actually intentionally using sound to propel a child's growth is very, very powerful. After all it is the sound of praise, encouragement, unconditional love and laughter that empowers a child's best life.

Day One Read More

Intentions (Kid-Style!)

Sending kids back to school includes a flurry of activities such as acquiring school supplies, clothes, and gear to arm your child for a new wave of learning. It is also a time of constant change with summer ending quickly and school beginning soon. Read More

Choices

It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. - J.K. Rowling Read More

Awakening Awareness

Automatic parenting strikes again. Within 5 hours I observed 3 incidences of parents running on "automatic" mode without any seeming awareness as to how crucial their words, actions and behavior are to their child. I am not looking for perfection but I do wish to see more and more parents operating from a positive parenting style. Read More