The Laudable Life
Growing Up Too Fast
Q: I’ve noticed my 14-year-old daughter is choosing clothing that, in my eyes, is meant to be worn by older women like crop tops, short shorts, tight-fitting shirts, and everything in between! When I express my concern, she accuses me of not wanting her to be proud of her body. Her friends dress like this, too. As Halloween…
Kindergarten and Covid Concerns
Q: School is starting soon, and I’m really worried for my 5-year-old daughter. I’m just not comfortable sending her, unvaccinated, to a new school. Let’s be real; we know kindergarteners are not going to keep their masks on. But she’s bored at home. I know she needs more than a weekly playdate pod. She missed her preschool friends…
Back to School Angst
Q: I currently have three adolescents at home who have been cooped up for months. They’ve been fighting more than usual because they’ve been on top of each other ALL THE TIME! Oddly, my eldest, who is leaving for college very soon, has been particularly difficult lately. This is out of character for her since…
COVID under 12-years-old
Q: School is ending. Half of our kids are now vaccinated! Woot woot!! We are so grateful to see what we hope is the forever end of Zoom school and kids being kids again. That said, we have children under 12 who aren’t vaccinated yet, and I’m torn. Everyone wants to get back to normal,…
Summer Vacation during COVID
Q: Normally, around this time of year, our family starts planning our summer vacation. Of course, the kids haven’t been vaccinated yet (and may not until the fall), and I’m worried it’s not safe. The whole thing has the family split on what to do. I say skip it this year, but my husband and…
Navigating Back to School Backlash
Q: Schools are beginning to reopen and I’m thrilled for my kids. A bunch of my friends on Facebook have very opposite feelings. I feel like I can’t speak freely. The topic feels unavoidable. Everyone is talking about it and I don’t want to ruffle feathers. A: These are interesting and challenging times indeed!…
Valentine’s Day COVID Edition
A: My partner and I are struggling to find time alone together. We have two teens who never leave the house. No overnights at their friend’s houses, no parties past curfew, no 9 weeks of summer camp in the Catskills. Meanwhile, we can’t go to the movies or restaurants. Valentines’ s Day? Yeah, right; lol. …
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
Q: Every year I like to challenge myself with a New Year’s resolution. This year I’ve decided to tackle some long-standing emotional issues that continue to bother me. I’ve been in therapy a few times before, more than I’d really like to count, dealing with unfortunate things that happened in my childhood. It’s been helpful,…
Middle Schooler’s Struggle with COVID
Q: My daughter is struggling. The new Zoom structure at LPMS is a huge adjustment. She’s moody, cranky, crying all the time. She was sensitive before but now she’s beside herself. She’s lethargic, has nightmares, worries excessively. She frets about my leaving the house, afraid I’m going to get Covid. She freaks out about tracking…
Struggles with Kindergarten Remote Learning
Q: Last spring my daughter was in kindergarten when COVID hit. Her teacher was accessible and did her best to provide meaningful online learning, but mostly it was a stressful, difficult, emotionally draining experience. There was lots of tantruming, “stomach aches,” melting off of chairs, and other forms of non-cooperation. I am dreading this September;…
It's not an easy time to be a kid. Perhaps it never is, but now it's especially true. Let us help you understand and support your child's needs.
Is your teen struggling with school, in their relationships with friends, with you? Do they seem irritable, withdrawn, unmotivated, sad? Our therapist know how to help.
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