Practical Parenting Solutions by Dr. Polly Dunn
When our kids were in elementary school it was obvious what we had to do to get them ready for the new school year. Registration. Check. Meet the teacher night. Check. School supply shopping. Check. Pictures on the first day. Check. You know the drill! If you’re like me, by the time your kids reached middle school you had the whole routine down to a science. Then they hit junior ... read more
When our kids get older, it becomes harder and harder to connect with them. But as parents, it’s especially important for us to continue to put in the extra effort it takes to cultivate relationships with our tweens and teens. Check out my top ten ideas for engaging your teen in activities you’ll both enjoy: Learn a new skill as a team. Decide together what you’d like to learn and go for ... read more
When my kids were younger, it seemed like they always wanted my attention. We could do just about anything together, and they would call it their ‘best day ever.’ Remember those days? Me too! But now that they’re teenagers, it’s me who has to make the effort to spend time with them. In the blink of an eye it’s gone from them begging for my attention to me begging for theirs. If you’re ... read more
These days it seems like every time we turn around there is another tragedy. Something that seems senseless. Something that we, even as adults, have a hard time comprehending or understanding ourselves. When these events occur, it’s important to take some time to talk to our children about what’s happening. Why? Because they are going to hear about it. And your best explanation of a ... read more
I have a close friend whose child was diagnosed with Autism when he was in preschool. Over the years I’ve learned a lot from this family, but one thing has made the biggest impression on me both as a mom and a child psychologist. It’s simply this: There is no way for any of us to truly understand what it is like to have a child with Autism unless you actually have one. With the incidence of ... read more
