As parents, we all try to do our best to do a good job. But with thousands of books on the topic of parenting as well as countless articles in popular magazines and periodicals, sometimes it is difficult to know how to be a good parent. Should we be more strict? More lenient? Use time-outs? …Read More
OCD Symptoms Can Be Caused By Strep
Nov 3, 2011
I was working from home the other day, writing reports, and had the TV on as background noise. The program that was on was “The Doctors.” There I learned that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms can sometimes be caused by a complication from a strep infection called Pediatric autoimmune psychiatric disorder (PANDAS). OCD manifests as …Read More
The Road to Expertise – Nature or Nurture?
Oct 16, 2011
“America’s Got Talent!” proclaims the title of the popular TV show. A more provocative question is, “Does anyone have talent?” A dichotomy regarding expertise exists, especially in America. For one, we hear things like “Practice makes perfect” that extol the virtues of working hard as the road to greatness. On the other hand, we hear how some …Read More
A Response to the “Tiger Mother” and a Thanks to Disney
Oct 2, 2011
First, before I jump into this topic, I want to apologize for the long delay since my last blog. I recently had a third child, so it’s difficult to keep up! My aim is to post weekly, so I promise to get back on track. I listened the audiobook version of Amy Chua’s Battle Hymn of …Read More
“The Explosive Child” – Book Recommendation
Oct 2, 2010
Some children are easier to parent than others. Some children have very challenging behaviors and require much more of our parenting skills. Some people call this “parenting plus” or “expert parenting”. Parents with a child like this often feel like they have tried everything, rewards, time-outs, taking away privileges, and nothing is working. This can …Read More
Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Jon Kabat-Zinn and Myla Kabat-Zinn (book recommendation)
Jul 28, 2010
In this book, Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the key figures in bringing mindfulness to the western world, and his wife Myla, tackle the task of parenting. No parent escapes the very trying realities of being a parent and the Kabat-Zinn’s acknowledge this truth. But whereas so many books and experts focus on the difficulties, Everyday …Read More
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us (Book & Media Rec)
Jun 12, 2010
I recently finished the unabridged audiobook of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink (read by the author). Although much of the information I had run across from other sources, Mr. Pink does an outstanding job of explaining how much of what businesses, educators, and parents have been using to …Read More
An Insider’s Perspective
Feb 2, 2010
There are numerous books, websites, and other media outlets that are devoted to educating people about various types of mental disorders. Recently, I found a very unique website that provides a new take on mental illness issues in teen populations (www.copecaredeal.org). Cope, Care, Deal organization provides numerous resources on various aspects of mental health. One …Read More
"Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell (book recommendation)
Jan 2, 2009
I recently finished Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book, Outliers. I highly recommend it as an enjoyable and informative read. In this book, Gladwell engagingly analyzes what it takes to become “successful,” which is a loaded term in and of itself. Many people often conflate success with happiness. Although these terms are related, we all know people who are …Read More