As a play therapist, I get to witness firsthand the incredible benefits of play. Not only is play a form of connection between the child and caregiver, it is also an avenue to understanding personal boundaries and limitations within the surrounding environment. Play teaches kids social cues and emotional awareness, as well as more balanced ways to outlet both high and low energy. Play is how children communicate their emotions and integrate self-soothing skills to cope with b

Most of us, to some degree, have put ourselves in the position where we are completing a deadline at the last minute. If you are a parent, it may feel challenging to know how to handle your child’s procrastination. It could be a paper or presentation, an important phone call, attending a social event, or doing chores around the house. What happens in those final moments of rapid preparation for your child? Do they thrive under pressure, or do they engage in negative self-talk

Imagination is a bright and wonderful aspect of childhood. It feels like a quality that comes so naturally to children. Watching a child so completely immersed in an imaginative world and storyline often, for me, is accompanied by a sense of awe. To me, what would be an experience littered with self-consciousness and hesitation, for a child just seems to spill out with no second thoughts. There is a magic to imagination and to the freedom with which children use it. It is a c

My experience working with children has taught me the everlasting importance of connection. It is so important in fact, that in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, connection (or the need to belong) comes secondary only to our needs for survival. Although there are other types of connection (connection to self/other/nature), today I’ll be highlighting connection to others. More specifically, how to maintain connection with our child through their wide array of emotions, incl

Taking myself back to my 9-year-old self where the excitement of being invited over to a friend’s house for a sleepover was through the roof. It was during these sleepovers where I could eat junk food that my parents never allowed in the house, probably skip brushing my teeth, and of course stay up way past my bedtime with my friend. It was these fun things that over and over again led me to accept any and all invitations for sleepovers. However, it was a completely different

I am sitting in my office staring at a list of “71 Kindergarten Readiness Skills”. As I scan the sheet, even I am intimated by the amount of information required to start kindergarten! Matching, alphabet identification, sorting, shapes and patterns fill the list. Yet, for all the readiness I see very little about social interaction and NOTHING about emotions. I look across to a deflated and scared mom whose child is struggling to reach the goals. As children progress and deve

Summer is upon us, and with it comes the all too frequent “Moooooom, I’m booooooored!” The transition from school, structure, and constant social interaction to the wide open space of summer vacation can be a rough one for kids and parents alike. Boredom is the summer fun-sucker; it feels like the best days of the year are wasting away and nothing, NOTHING, can fill them with the joy you have all been expecting. But when you have 3 whole months to fill, boredom is unavoidable

Ten months ago my dog, Kona, was given a terminal diagnosis. Based on the location of her tumor, the size of her tumor and the functioning levels of her organs, the doctors and technicians gave her one-month to live. I was devastated. The surgery would have cost $5,000-$7,000 based on the location of the tumor and they weren’t even certain if she would make it out alive; even if she did, she might only have another 12 months-18 months to live. As a graduate student, I sim

Normalize the Feelings There are a lot of changes occurring along with the back-to-school transition, and it is normal for your child to need some time to adjust. We can support them to process these feelings and learn to handle them with confidence. For your part, assure them that there is nothing wrong with being nervous! It is all part of the process. Together, we can provide the best possible support! Give them Information The anticipation of the many unknowns can ampli