Parenting Archives - Restoration Hope

Parenting Preteens and Social Media- Woof

Preteens and social media- Woof. This is a big topic. If you are feeling lost about how to approach this and what boundaries to set, know that you are not alone! This is the most common point of tension that I see between preteens and their parents and is genuinely very difficult to navigate. So […]

Over-Generalizations Within Cognitive Distortions

Over-Generalizations Over-generalizations are one type of cognitive distortion that can impact mental health and well-being. What are they? Over-generalizations are, in essence, making assumptions about something that we do not really have enough evidence or knowledge about. Often it is a sweeping statement about things that might not be fair to assume (Martin, R., 2019). […]

Divorce, Alienation, and Estrangement

Divorce can be a difficult, ugly, and complicated situation. Divorce can come with intense emotions and that means it can also come with a lot of conflict. With conflict can come alienation and in the mast several years, family courts have become far more aware of this family dynamic. Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is “defined […]

Parental Resources

It is not unusual for parents to experience challenging behaviors that their child has and not know how to communicate to meet that need or resolve the conflict without finding it turns into a power struggle. Often we know it is a power struggle because it’s coming across that either your child is ‘winning’ or […]

How Social Media is Training Our Youth

Regardless of which generation you’re from, most people are familiar with social media. It’s morphed over the years, but the idea is the same—be seen and connect with others. Social media can be great. I’ve been able to keep in touch with people from years ago. I love seeing old roommates, friends, coworkers, and family […]

What is Play Therapy (1 of 3): The Role of the Therapist

During consultations or intakes with a parent(s) for their children, I often get the following two questions: what is play therapy, and what will play therapy offer my child? These are great questions, and I hope this short blog series on play therapy provides the answers. Children are in a developmental stage where they are […]

Why Has There been an Increase in Teen Violence?

Violence has become all too real in our lives. Mass shootings at public places, schools, suicides—it’s all become terrifyingly common. We ask, “Why do these things keep happening?”. It doesn’t seem to make sense. While we cannot reconcile the horror of these events, the truth is that we can try to make sense of it. […]

Supporting Children and Teens with Mental Health Concerns

Supporting children and teens with mental health concerns can feel like a tremendously daunting task. Nothing is quite like the sense of powerlessness that comes with watching your child struggle and not having a road map for what supporting them should look like. There’s no question that children and teens today are facing new challenges […]

12 Topics to Discuss with Your Child About Social Media

The vast majority of kids and adolescents are on social media. In some ways social media creates an outlet for creativity, connection, and fun. At the same time, social media comes with some downsides, whether it’s in regard to physical safety or mental health. Rates of anxiety and depression have always been higher in the […]

the big W

And no, I don’t mean WIN. But you will win {hopefully} if you stick with me for a minute. We are taught in grade school to ask questions- more specifically the 5 W’s. Do you remember? If not, let me refresh your memory – Who, What, Where, When – and our topic for discussion today […]