22 Posts by: "Liza Long"
I was resigned to go into yet another space where the people in charge would blame my poor parenting for my child’s inability to thrive. But something else happened instead, the beginning of a partnership that helped my child to complete his elementary school education successfully.
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Research shows that trauma is shared across generations through a variety of ways, including gene expression, socialization, and psychological disposition. While the source of trauma may be distant, the effects can still be devastating to children.
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I’ve already had more than a few hard conversations about the novel coronavirus and how it is impacting my students’ lives. How can we reassure our students during this crisis? And what signs should we look for to make sure that they are safe?
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If you’re parenting a child with a serious mental health condition, the sudden social distancing made necessary by the COVID-19 virus will likely bring a whole new level of stress to you and your child.
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With intentional planning and deliberate outreach, an online class can provide a robust learning environment for your students — and your class can also help them to cope with the inevitable stress of sudden change in all areas of their lives.
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Avoiding the subject of suicide — and failing to create a safe space where your child can grieve — can actually create more harm. To end teen suicide, adults must step up, be brave, and have hard conversations.
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Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety, autism, or another learning disability need support in all aspects of their lives, especially in the classroom. As a parent, you are the most important advocate for your child, but you’re not alone. Your child’s teachers and school administrators can provide valuable, much-needed support.
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About 10% of children ages 4-17 suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These kids often struggle to control their hyperactivity and/or impulsivity at school, which significantly impacts their ability to learn effectively.
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Confession: I am starting to feel stressed out by the relentless calls for “mindfulness” in my life. Yet we all need something — whatever we want to call it — to keep ourselves focused, productive, and, yes, happy, in our roles as parents.
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As we waited for an ambulance to take Eric, still raging, to the hospital, I sunk down to the curb, looking at my fingers, still sticky from pancake syrup. I will never forget what happened next.
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For many lonely, exhausting years while my child was desperately ill, I struggled to feel grateful for anything as I drove from one specialist to another. I came across some positive psychology research almost by chance.
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Every child is unique, with special needs, abilities, and strengths. Learning how to focus on those strengths can be critical when parents talk to their children about mental health conditions.
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All children can experience anxiety about starting a new school year. Mental health conditions can exacerbate those common anxieties and fears, sometimes even making your child physically ill.
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When children are sick with physical illnesses like cancer, the entire community rallies around the family. Friends bring casseroles, offer to watch the child’s siblings…
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While I no longer plan summer daycare for my soon-to-be 13-year-old daughter, there’s no way I would have left my son Eric, who lives with bipolar disorder, home alone at the age of 13. He would not have been safe.
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One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn in parenting a child with mental illness is that it’s okay to doubt myself—and even more importantly, it’s also okay to trust myself too.
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Parents of kids with mental illnesses fight so many daily battles that trying to get a stubborn child to eat a healthy meal can seem like an impossible task. But healthy meals are worth the fight.
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My experience with my child has shown me that parents can plan for a successful adventure despite the challenges of mental illness. Here are a few things I have learned.
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I knew from an early age that my son was not defined by his behaviors, but building self-worth and confidence in a child who experiences mental health challenges is a difficult task.
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Parenting a child who has mental illness means that your life doesn’t look like everyone else’s—and it doesn’t have to. This year, while everyone else is heading to the gym again, resolve to care for yourself, just as much as you care for your children.
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Since my children were young, we’ve practiced the same Thanksgiving tradition. During the first week of November, we sit down together and make our “Thankful Turkeys.” Some years, this activity is harder than other years.
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While being bullied may cause an otherwise healthy child to develop mental health issues, bullying behavior may also be a sign that a child is struggling and needs help.
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