by Dr. Gina Madrigrano | Jan 4, 2013 | Parenting
A colleague of mine recommended these little interactive self-help workbooks to help children cope with anxiety, negativity, anger, problems with sleep, and OCD. The author uses lively metaphors and illustrations to make the concepts and strategies easy to understand. The author is Dawn Huebner, Ph.D.. She is a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of children and their parents.
I highly recommend these titles and they are available at Chapters/Indigo and at Amazon.
What to do when you Worry too much (for anxiety)
What to do when you Grumble too much (for negativity)
What to do when your Temper flares (for anger)
What to do when your Brain gets stuck (for OCD)
What to do when you Dread your bed (for sleep problems)
I have used them in my own practice and find them quite useful and helpful to both the parents and their children.
by Dr. Gina Madrigrano | Jan 4, 2013 | Parenting
Join guest Dr. Karyn Purvis, author of The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family and Director of the Institure od Child Development at Texas Christian University to discuss how to establish the bonds of connection with your adopted child.
The content of this podcast is also quite relevant for non-adoptive families, foster families of children taken from their homes by children services. This podcast educates us about attachment problems due to early childhood neglect, abandonment or mistreatment. It also gives hope and a new view on the soon to be old diagnosis Reactive Attachment Disorder, which appears more like a permanent problem that can’t be fixed! Complex Developmental Trauma might become the new diagnosis.
The author speaks of investment parenting, homeschooling, and other strategies adapted to the difficulties of this type of child…. Basically how to reorganize priorities with regard to raising children who have suffered at such a young age.
Listen to this pocast :
by Dr. Gina Madrigrano | Jan 4, 2013 | Parenting
This was sent to me by a friend…. I am passing it along.
from The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace
by Jack Kornfield (Bantam, 2002):
Grasping too tightly
the things of this world,
attachments arise.
Holding only to how we want it to be,
Anger is born.
Not understanding the inevitability of change,
confusion clouds the mind.
“Meet this transient world
with neither grasping nor fear,
trust the unfolding of life,
and you will attain true serenity.”
Bhagavad Gita
by Dr. Gina Madrigrano | Jan 4, 2013 | Parenting
Many kids with ADHD- Inattentive or combined type or nonverbal learning disabilities, for example, have deficits with executive functioning skills. This concept is “used by psychologists and neuroscientists to describe a loosely defined collection of brain processes that are responsible for planning, cognitive flexibility, abstract thinking, rule acquisition, initiating appropriate actions and inhibiting inappropriate actions, and selecting relevant sensory information (see Wikipedia for more https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_functions).”
A great book for developing executive functioning skills is: Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare. This book looks at the following: building response inhibition; enhancing working memory; improving emotional control; strengthening sustained attention; task initiation; promoting, planning, and prioritizing; fostering organization; time management; flexibility; increase goal-directed persistence, and cultivating metacognition.
You can find this book at Amazon or Chapters Indigo. Well worth it, for adults and kids alike!
by Dr. Gina Madrigrano | Jan 4, 2013 | Parenting
Pour water (distilled or filtered) into the spray bottle.
Add a few drops of a chosen essential oil to the water. The number of drops will depend on the size of the spray bottle. The smaller the amount of water the smaller is the number of drops you will add. Just put a few drops and mist, see what you like and add according to your preference.
Use essential oil, NOT artificial scents, as they are hormone disruptors among other things.
The type of essential oil you will chose will depend on what you will use the mist for.
You can research reputable websites that describe the properties of various essential oils.
I often recommend
lavender essential oil to promote relaxation, it is soothing and calming. Mist your sheets and pillows before bed and it has a soothing and calming effect. I also mist my sheet and pillow prior to making the bed as it freshens up the sheets as it is also an antiseptic. You can also mist your face (close your eyes) and it too will have a relaxing effect. But be cautious as it may be irritating if you have sensitive skin or if you have an allergy.
Have fun!!!
by Dr. Gina Madrigrano | Jan 4, 2013 | Parenting
Has your life become overwhelming? Have too much on your plate? Are your children overscheduled? Do your kids have too many toys?
Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids
By Kim John Payne, Lisa M. Ross
A must read. Go back to basics. Simplify your family life. Bring balance and rhythm to your children’s lives and make those teenage years a bit easier.
Written by a clinician and long time Waldorf educator. You will love this book and it might remove some of the stresses of parenting. Who knows, it might remove some of the pressures you place upon yourself.
