The discussion is getting hotter as Omicron, the newest strain of the Covid virus, invades our space. We are all getting tired of the news and the shouting and the insecurity of what and who we can and cannot trust. All the while, an equally dangerous, but a much more lasting plague has been seeping through our midst, taking in … Read More
Teaching Your Child to just say “Please”, “Thank You” and “Sorry” is a mistake. Here’s why
As far back as most of us can remember, it was considered a part of good breeding and manners to teach children to say “please”, “thank you” and “sorry”. The problem is that most of the time, children just learned to recognize when it was time to say these things or were reminded by their parents, and then they just … Read More
ADD and Lying
By now, anyone who is in any way involved with someone diagnosed with ADHD (parents, teachers, spouses and the person him/her self) has enough information available to them to understand how to deal with this diagnoses. There still remain, however, a few auxiliary behaviors which create a great deal of strife. One of them is lying. Of all the … Read More
When your Child says, “I HATE YOU!”
There are few statements from a child that can grip a parent’s heart more than this one- “I hate you!” Very seldom is there an immediate, helpful response. The reason is obvious. Parents want to think that they are doing well by their children. Besides instilling good traits, parents today usually also provide their children with after school activities … Read More
The Dreaded Word
It’s one hour before dismissal and Ms. R, the 5th grade science teacher, is fantasizing about a nice warm bath. All she wants right now is for her students to listen without interrupting. She needs to finish this segment so that she will be in sync with the principal’s schedule. Back in homes and offices throughout the city parents are … Read More
High Functioning Autism in the Classroom
Miriam is a wonderful grade school teacher. She loves her students (something not to be taken for granted) and enjoys teaching them how the world works. Now that there will be somewhat of an improvement in class size, she is looking forward to a good beginning to the school year. One thing keeps nagging at her, though. She found that … Read More
The Most Important Thing Parents Must Teach Their Children
Eight- year old Josh is having meltdowns every day now that his sister’s wedding is getting closer. He’s miserable, and his parents and sister don’t know what to do. The entire household seems to be falling apart. Josh has only been to one other wedding two years ago, his cousin’s, and that was enough. The thought of going through … Read More
It’s not Always ADD/ADHD
Ever since ADD/ADHD has become such a buzzword, it has stirred up a great deal of controversy and become a continuously researched condition. We now have a much better idea of what ADD is, how it relates to poor functioning of the prefrontal cortex and what behaviors it elicits. The problem is, most … Read More
Handle With Care
By now, we have all been warned about how careless use of the iPhone can endanger us. From driving accidents to causing a sort of mob amnesia when it comes to simple every day decency. Cell phones ringing at a funeral, for example, is no longer such a rarity. And more’s the pity. We should feel ashamed, but shame … Read More