Parents often wonder when they should begin talking to children about internet safety, body safety, and puberty. Our answer is simple: You don't need to tell young children everything. But you don't have to wait until they're older to start. The conversations we have when children are 5, 6, 7, or 8 create the foundation for the much more complicated conversations we'll need to have when they're 11, 13, or 16. For younger children, the goal isn't to teach them about every dang

There was a time when preparing a child for middle school meant talking about puberty, friendships, peer pressure, and maybe reminding them not to talk to strangers. The world our kids are growing up in is different. As children move through the preteen years, many begin communicating more independently through games, group chats, messaging apps, shared videos, and other online spaces. Even children who don't have social media accounts of their own are likely to encounter onl

As the school supplies fill the shelves and calendars begin to fill with orientation dates, many parents notice a shift in their student. Sleep becomes more difficult. Stomachaches appear. Conversations about school become shorter—or more emotional. Some teens withdraw. Others become irritable. A few begin asking if they really have to go back. For families who have experienced school refusal, these signs can feel terrifying. As a therapist specializing in adolescents, I want