Tag: son

When you reward bad behavior, you literally wire your child’s brain to repeat the bad behavior. No parent intends to do that, but it happens so easily. When you know how, you will reward only good behavior, and give your child a good start.

Imagine that your child grabs a cookie from someone. You tell them it’s not nice, but you let them keep the cookie. "Just this once."

A young brain learns from the cookie more than your words. Cookies trigger dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical. Dopamine paves a neural pathway that turns on more of the good feeling in similar future circumstances. That wires a brain to expect grabbing to get rewards. Each reward strengthens the pathway.

When your child is first diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, your world can be turned upside down. You and your spouse will both learn new ways to cope with emotions, balancing appointments, and more. Siblings of autistic children have an adjusting period as well. There are many questions, feelings, and concerns they will have. Explaining autism to siblings in a positive way is extremely important.

At one time or another all parents struggle with discipline—establishing and enforcing limits, and getting their kids to speak to them respectfully and do what they're supposed to do. But remember, discipline isn’t only about correction. Discipline is also about teaching kids to control themselves and care about others so they can grow up to be productive members of society. Here are some approaches you can use to help your kids do just that:

A lot of attention is paid to men’s fitness and their physical health, but consider this: 6 million men are diagnosed with depression each year in America, and they account for 79% of suicides in the United States. These are shocking statistics; and they reveal the devastating consequences society’s views of masculinity have on men and their mental health.

Boys grow up to be men with the understanding and expectation that they need to be tough, independent, and above all else, masculine.

It's 2:00 a.m. and you see light coming from under your son’s bedroom door. You go in to check and find he is still up playing his favorite video game. Has he been playing all night? Is he an addict? You are filled with panic as you just know this can’t be good.

Understanding the Problem

People do get addicted to gaming and it’s a realistic concern. It’s as serious a problem as any other addiction. While it may not have the specific harmful bodily effects of say, being addicted to a substance, additive behaviors like gaming and gambling still ruin lives.

Have you noticed all the journalistic space dedicated to the "dilemma" of getting little Junior to eat his veggies? I can’t quite relate to a crisis of this magnitude, especially pertaining to a 40-pound child. My five boys have always been expected to eat what’s set before them. But in today’s touchy-feely, politically correct culture, sometimes common sense gets thrown right out the window. Parents find themselves confused about very simple matters. So, what to do about your picky eater? Let’s be discerning in an age of preschooler-pleasing parents. Here are seven tips to get your child on the right path to a healthy future.

A few weeks ago, my father, aka Big Daddy, "graduated from the school of life with honors," as I refer to it. He was quietly a remarkable man who raised four successful kids, surviving the death of his oldest son 36 years ago, and continuing to live with honor, dignity and integrity. After living with cancer for 13 years and having a few health scares over that time, my family and I were somewhat prepared for his mortality, and when his body was too tired from his long and graceful fight, we knew it was time for him to go.