Archives for November 2013

A Stress-Free Holiday…the best gift you can give yourself!

It's Christmas Day. Your teenage son is refusing to emerge from his darkened bedroom because the love of his life (relationship duration: three weeks) has broken up with him. Your favorite cousin has fallen (leapt?) off the wagon right in your living room and upended the rum into the eggnog bowl. It’s no longer "laced" with liquor - it's positively trussed. And while we're on trussing: Your turkey- that lovely, fresh 22- pounder you had to pay a proverbial arm and leg for— seems to be cooking at … [Read more...]

Workshop: Smart But Scattered: Helping Students Cope with Executive Function Challenges

Freehold Regional High School District Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) Presents Smart But Scattered: Helping Students Cope with Executive Function Challenges a Workshop by Alison Block, P.h.D. Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Doors Open 6:30/Presentation: 7:00 pm Colts Neck High School 59 Five Points Road Colts Neck, New Jersey 07722 Do any of these describe your child? • Disorganized desk and a messy backpack • Often loses things • Forgets to finish or turn in … [Read more...]

Is Your Child’s Profile Happier than Her Real Life? Social Media Use and Anxiety in Children

If you are on Facebook you already know what a recent study found - it makes you sad. Researchers revealed that the more young people used Facebook, the more they became dissatisfied with their lives. How ironic that the social network we use for fun and connection can lead to sadness and disconnect! From TV to smart phones to social media, the lives of U.S. children and families are dominated 24/7 by media exposure. It’s only now that we are beginning to research and understand its … [Read more...]

Book Review: The Gift of Adversity by Norman E. Rosenthal, M.D.

You might ask yourself “why would I want to read a book about adversity?” Perhaps, for me, it was because I grew up with a lot of it. My father died when I was seven, and my first stepfather passed away during my sophomore year in college. So the subtitle of Norman Rosenthal’s book, The Unexpected Benefits of Life’s Difficulties, Setbacks, and Imperfections intrigued me enough to crack the cover. Adversity in life is unavoidable, so I wondered what Dr. Rosenthal could teach me that life’s … [Read more...]