Psyched About School

Yesterday we posted information on how to prevent stress during the holiday season.  When you have an anxious child, holidays usually add to the worries they already have.  I really like these ideas from the Child Mind Institute for supporting a child with anxiety.  As parents, it is not always possible to avoid anxiety-provoking things or situations.  In fact, this article encourages parents to do just the opposite.  At those times, it is important to teach kids how to manage their feelings and to model positive coping skills. The author also suggests that parents respect the feelings of the child without reinforcing them.  To hear more suggestions, visit http://www.childmind.org/en/posts/articles/2010-11-24-how-parent-anxious-kids

Although a break from school and the upcoming holiday season can bring much excitement, it can also trigger significant stress in families. According to the American Psychological Association's website, more than eight out of 10 Americans report feelings of stress during this season.  In that same 2008 poll, households with children were even more likely to experience stress.  Parents can feel pressure to purchase gifts, decorate houses, travel to visit family, and keep with holiday traditions.  This pressure can lead to financial and emotional strain.  As we all know, children are extremely perceptive at reading our emotions which in turn can impact their feelings and behaviors.  This list of recommendations from Duke Children's Network provides a realistic list of recommendations for helping make the holiday season enjoyable and stressfree. http://www.dukechildrens.org/about_us/newsroom/holiday_stress

Today marks the three-year anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary.  It is still difficult to fathom such violence in any setting, much less an elementary school full of children excited about the upcoming holiday break.  I recently read a story about the 26 Days of Kindness Campaign which was started in 2013.  The campaign asks you to do something simple but nice for others for 26 consecutive days.  Each day honors a victim of the attack on Sandy Hook, which took the lives of 20 students and six educators.  During a time when it seems we hear of a new act of violence every day, it was nice to read this story of hope.  To learn more about this year's campaign, read this article written by the Hartford Courant. http://www.courant.com/community/newtown/hc-sandy-hook-26-days-of-kindness-1125-20151124-story.html

We recently published a blog posting on the partnership between Duke University and Apple for a research project to develop a screening tool for autism using your smartphone. http://schoolpsychws.blogspot.com/2015/11/duke-university-and-apple-collaborating.html Apple isn't the only tech giant supporting research efforts on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Google Glass is partnering with Stanford University on a project to help individuals with ASD better recognize the emotions associated with facial expressions.  Researchers are using the face-tracking technology of Google Glass in a game called "Capture the Smile," in the hopes of developing effective at-home interventions for individuals with ASD.  While Stanford and Google's research is still in progress, it's exciting to see the technology industry partnering with researchers on these projects.  The article below also contains a link directly to Stanford's research project, if you would like to learn m...

I will admit that I love Pinterest!  I pin ideas for work, home, crafting, cooking, etc.  You name it and if I like it, it will end up on my wall.  Over the past few weeks, I keep seeing pins about this "miraculous" strategy for dealing with difficult behavior problems in class.  This intervention, The 2X10 Strategy, is getting rave reviews from teachers all over Pinterest and beyond.  The concept is pretty simple.  The teacher spends two minutes talking with a difficult student for ten days in a row.  That's it!  Why does this strategy work? The idea is that as the student and teacher develop a relationship, the student begins to feel that someone truly cares about them while the teacher starts to see the positive attributes in the child.  Have you tried this intervention?  We would love to know what you think?  To learn more about this strategy and why it works, visit: http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/2014/10/the-2x10-strate...

As our students are appearing with more anxiety in the classrooms it may be important to understand the facts and characteristics about disorders that could be affecting them. Most of us use the term "OCD" in a general and at times almost in a casual way to describe students, our family members, or even ourselves! Research suggests that 2-3% of adults and 1.9% of children have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Onset varies between males and females, with females showing onset in young adulthood and males showing onset between ages 6-15. Please follow the link to find further information about symptoms and patterns, the impact, treatment, and support for our students with OCD. http://www.nasponline.org/publications/periodicals/communique/issues/volume-36-issue-2/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-information-for-parents-and-educators

As parents and teachers many of us struggle with aiding and denying the belief in Santa. Has Santa turned into a belief that just focuses on more materialism in our culture? Well, some research as shown ' that teaching children to be less selfish depends partly on the gradual development of cognitive recognition of the needs of others, and children begin to comprehend sharing through similar experiences within the family unit. Many children grasp the symbolic lessons regarding charitable giving and consideration of others from the Santa rituals.' (Breen, 2004).  Research also supports the effects of imaginative thoughts on students cognitive development as well.  If someone is still on the fence about supporting the belief of Santa please find the link below and let us know your thoughts! http://www.nasponline.org/publications/periodicals/communique/issues/volume-36-issue-4/the-benefits-of-belief-children-and-santa-claus

The rapid growth of technology in our society has led to a new type of bullying...cyber bullying.  A surprisingly high number of students report being a victim of this type of bullying.  It can be difficult to determine when it is happening to your child because it can take place through email or texts, in chats rooms, and on numerous social media sites.  Children are often more tech-savvy than their parents which can make it even more challenging to keep track of when this type of behavior is occurring.  Just like with other forms of bullying, cyber bullying can cause significant stress and emotional problems for the child.  This presentation from Mayorlaw gives current statistics regarding the prevalence of cyber bullying and the impact it could have on your child. http://mayorlaw.com/cyberbullying/ Here are some other blogs we have posted on the topic of bullying. http://schoolpsychws.blogspot.com/2015/10/national-bullying-prevention-month.html http:/...

As psychologists, we understand a great deal about emotions.  We often work with students to teach them ways to cope with their feelings.  But what if we started applying the concept of Mindset to our emotions in order to view them in a more positive way?  This article from PsychCentral tells us all the "Good Stuff about Your Bad Stuff."  The author even uses research to back the idea that changing our mindset about our emotions just might help us cope with them in a more effective way. http://blogs.psychcentral.com/stress-better/2015/10/thoughtbuster-the-good-stuff-about-your-bad-stuff-according-to-science/

How to Dance in Ohio is a documentary that is currently being shown on HBO on Demand.  It follows three teenage girls with high-functioning autism as they prepare for a spring formal dance.  For any adolescent, social events such as a spring formal can be stressful. For these girls, however, the anxiety associated with this important milestone could have been overwhelming.  This film gives great insight into their daily lives, their social challenges, and the challenges their families face.  As they work with their psychologist and families before the event, the preparations reveal the strength of the girls as they learn the skills needed for the occasion.  This documentary celebrates their differences and helps viewers understand what makes them special.  If you have HBO, we highly recommend watching it!  If you do, please share your thoughts on their experience.  To find out more about this film, visit  http://www.howtodanceinohio.com/ ...