Parents, before you start doing your celebration dance with the kids going back to school, make sure you have your ducks in order, physically, mentally and emotionally, so both you and the kids are prepared before the first big day. And I know many of you may have already gone back to school, but it’s never too late to have these conversations ...read more
The Importance of a Strong Father-Daughter Relationship
Over the past few decades, there has been a parental paradigm shift, particularly with fathers and daughters. Fathers are no longer only “the bank” or the “strong silent type,” but now play an integral part in their daughter’s development into womanhood. With Father’s Day quickly approaching, I thought I would share a post from Redbook where I ...read more
Taking Care of Your Mental Health AND Your Relationship
Since May is Mental Health Awareness month, I thought it would be good to share an article from Bustle where I was recently interviewed about how to talk to your partner about your mental health. Sharing your experience with anxiety or depression with someone you’re in a relationship with can be daunting. This article offers a number of things ...read more
Is Chronic Conflict Ruining Your Marriage…and Your Kids?
Every relationship has conflict. Whether it’s about which way the toilet paper should roll, sexual issues, or if it’s about financial disagreements or politics, they are bound to happen. However, living in a state of constant conflict is another matter altogether. Living this way can be a very painful experience for everyone ...read more
How to Ask Your Parents About Dating Advice
If you're a young adult, or even a not-so-young adult, talking to your parents about dating can stir up a range of emotions from frustration, to embarrassment to deep love and respect. And with the holidays afoot, there are plenty of opportunities for these conversations. Your parents are naturally curious about your life, and dating life in ...read more
Coping With The Holiday Season When You’re Feeling Down
Holiday parties every weekend, traveling long distances, preparing for Thanksgiving. Christmas lists from the kids to Santa, Hanukkah presents for eight nights, extra time with extended family. Colder, winter weather (well, as cold as it can get in Southern California!) and endless sweet treats when we’re trying to follow a healthier eating ...read more
Anxiety in the Age of Social Media: What to Do for You & Your Family
Is social media ruining our relationships and causing anxiety and depression in our teens and tweens? My wife and I were lucky enough to raise our three children before the age of social media, but the studies I’m reading on the negative and dangerous effects that social media is having on the development of children’s and teenagers social ...read more
What To Do If Your Partner Works Too Much
“It may not be another woman, but it sometimes feels like it.” Are there late night texts, phone calls that are “just a quick minute” during meals, and long late hours at the office? I’ve had a number of female clients through the years express their sadness, frustration and even loneliness because they felt their husbands and partners work too ...read more
21 Things Your Child Should Be Able to Do…And Should Do By The Age of 12
Ok. Maybe the picture above isn’t the best choice but I’ve put it at the beginning because I want you, as a fellow parent, to remember that kids doing their chores can be fun! It doesn’t always have to be a struggle…and sometimes it’s going to get messy as they learn! As the parent of three children, trust me. I know! It was important to my wife ...read more
Why Children Need To Learn Self Discipline – 8 Tips To Help Them… And You!
As a parent of three children, a former schoolteacher, and a family therapist, there are certain truths that I’ve learned along the way. One of those involves the value of learning self-discipline. It’s an incredibly practical life lesson for our children to develop. Here’s why. Kids who learn self-discipline will be better equipped to deal with ...read more
Having A Baby – Part 4: 12 Tips To Enhance Your Relationship After Your Baby Is Born
You’re exhausted, you’re not having sex (that may be the last thing on a new mother’s mind) and emotions vacillate wildly. Is this the blissful time you were expecting? And what about you, new dad? How is your life changing now that you are a parent? What do you need? If you’re concerned that you’re not yourself or feeling that maybe you’re ...read more
13 Reasons to Watch 13 Reasons Why
A few days ago, I was contacted by a journalist who asked me to comment on the Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why. If you aren’t familiar with this production, it is an authentic depiction of what can and has happened when bullying, slut-shaming, body-shaming, betrayal, revenge, and other forms of verbal and physical abuse goes ...read more
The X-Plan: How to Help Your Tween or Teen Get Out of a Dangerous Situation
In general, I like to blog on a weekly basis. And about 98% of the time, I generate the blogs that you see here. But every now and then I come across an idea that can be so very helpful, whether it’s mine or someone else’s, that I naturally want to help spread the word – especially as it relates to the safety and health of our kids. This is ...read more
Boys Bullying and Teasing Girls: It’s Not Always Physical
In a previous blog, we talked about how 23.7% girls were bullied in a sample size of 12 million + students according to a study by the U.S. Department of Education. The rest of that article went on to talk about girl on girl bullying. But girls aren’t the only perpetrators of relational aggression – or “mean girl”-type social ...read more
How Helicopter Parenting Impacts a Child’s Confidence
Parenting is… hard. As the father of three, I get it. Issues with parenting can occur anytime and anywhere - morning, evening, middle of the night, at home, while driving, in your local mall. Parental anxiety, and the conflicts which emerge from it, can pose real problems for parents and children. In addition, our role as parents has many ...read more