Emotional abuse often goes unnoticed because it leaves no visible scars. In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month, today I’m sharing my experience with emotional abuse. I’ve also included warning signs of emotional abuse in children. I could hear her screaming downstairs through my closed bedroom door. She was in another one of her rages and…
Getting kids to talk can be tricky sometimes. In this edition of Freebie Friday I’m going to share an activity I learned from a wonderful friend/colleague/mentor, Dina McManus, LCSW-R, on getting kids to talk. This activity also teaches kids how to express their thoughts appropriately and also that their opinions matter. This exercise can be…
Hi everyone! Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday where every Friday I share a free product or printable. Don’t forget to stop by every Friday to check out what new freebie I’m sharing. You can also subscribe to Kiddie Matters to stay in the loop when freebies are added! This weeks Kindness Bingo freebie…
Stress management isn’t a skill we often teach children. The assumption is that kids live care-free lives and have no experience with stress. However, there are many things that can lead to stress in children. Stress is simply a function of the demands placed on us and our ability to meet them. Children face demands…
When I practiced as a school social worker, I noticed that a common reason why many of my students were performing poorly was because they were disorganized and would often do things like forget to turn in assignments, wait until the last minute to start working on projects, etc. This was especially true for my…
There are so many reasons why kids have meltdowns and temper tantrums. The reasons range from the mundane-he or she is just plain old tired, to the absurd-“he won’t stop looking at me!” When you are a parent, you quickly come to the realization that it’s not a question of whether or not your child…
In order for children to be successful in life there are some essential social skills they need to know. Many kids learn social skills such as sharing and resolving conflicts from watching others around them. However, some kids need to be taught these skills. I’ve found that the best way to teach these skills is…
All three of my children are headstrong and can be extremely stubborn at times. When they refuse to do as told, it can be frustrating and anger provoking. Many times I’ve resorted to yelling and promising all sorts of punishments if they don’t listen. You can imagine how well those strategies usually work for me….
Children are under all sorts of pressures these days. At school they have to worry about standardized tests, bullying and peer pressure. When they get home, some children are faced with even more stressors. Wouldn’t it be nice to help your child or student release some tension and get back to having fun? Sometimes the…
Is your child learning the life skills they need to become independent adults? Once you complete these life skills checklists you might be surprised!! We’ve all heard stories about kids going off to college never once doing a load of laundry or preparing a meal for themselves. I remember my freshman year of college living off take…