Search Results for: topic tag emotional mental

Mental Health Week in Review: October 9-16

We certainly got people talking in response to the article Does Your Partner Look Like Your Opposite Sex Parent? While researchers at the University of Pecs in Hungary were busy finding statistically significant links between the similarities in appearance between your father and your partner if you are a female, and alternatively, your mother and your female partner if you are a male, readers at Families were conducting their own anecdotal experiments! Thanks to all contributors, both public and private. It seems that, in general, we are mortified to think that we have chosen someone who might possibly look like … Continue reading →

Childcare, babies and mental health

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Ever wondered whether childcare for babies and infants is beneficial for a child? Or is spending time with Mom more important for a baby’s emotional development? A new study from Australia sheds some light on this intriguing issue. Debates concerning whether an infant is better off being at home in parental care versus professional long-term daycare are highly emotive and fraught with inconsistencies due to the nature of the topic. Working parents, particularly single mothers who have little choice as to whether to return to work or not, usually suffer the most in regard to this issue. While some women … Continue reading →

Things Not To Say (Or Do) To Your Single Parent Partner

If you are dating or have ever dated a single parent it can be a little tricky in the area of courtesy and respect. There are, of course, certain things that should remain unsaid even though your brain is thinking it. If you care about this person, zip your lip, lest you lose your Love. There may come a time that you can bring the topic up, but it has to be done ever so gently and ever so carefully, cautiously and whatever else makes us “walk on eggs”. Here are just a few things not to say or do … Continue reading →

SYTYCD – Las Vegas “Don’t Give Up”

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The summer’s phenomenal dance show made it back to Las Vegas last night and covered a week’s worth of grueling auditions to trim 200 dancers to 20. The experience was mentally, physically and emotionally daunting for the contestants. To those who’ve always thought it would be easy to get that far in the dance world, take note – even those who made the cut were worn out and looking forward to the month long break before the contest starts. Luckily for viewers, the month long break started a month ago, so we will be seeing the Top 20 perform next … Continue reading →

Affairs and STDs

You often hear people talk about the psychological issues they suffer after finding out a spouse has had an affair (namely lack of trust), and there’s the other kind of fallout that manifests (counseling and divorce), but what about the health issues? How many affairs result in the contraction of an STD? Perhaps it’s a weird thing to wonder about. (Then again, I’m prone to that. “How Do Monkeys Keep Their Nails Clipped?” is proof.) But there you have it, I’m wondering about it. I blame Wayne. Not because he cheated and gave me an STD, but because of his … Continue reading →

Weaning: The Introduction

I have written so much on breastfeeding for families.com that I think they could start their own little breastfeeding library between my blogs and the blogs of others who have also written on breastfeeding. However, I have focused a lot on how to get started and deal with problems. Indeed, this seems to be a much bigger issue for most women. However, someone recently pointed out to me that weaning a baby would be a welcome addition to the baby blogs. Sometimes weaning is from the breast to a bottle so that mom can go back to work. Other times … Continue reading →

Disorder of the Day (1)

Illnesses such as depression, ADHD, and anxiety and behavioral disorders are being diagnosed in increasing numbers throughout First-World countries. While there is little doubt that people are being more up-front about mental illness, is this trend a true reflection of what is really happening in the lives of everyday people? A concerning aspect in this upswing in the use of medication to “solve” these conditions, is the accompanying upswing in the profits of the pharmaceutical industry. While most people have always traditionally wanted a “magic bullet” to solve their health problems, in the area of mental health, the pharmaceutical industry … Continue reading →

The Five Steps to Group Development.

This is the follow-on article from How to Grow a Families Leader: The Eight Characteristics of Leadership. Using the example of Families.com as our group, how can we each develop the stated eight characteristics in ourselves? While Lisa Pietsch may be seen as the leader of Families.com (she’s the community manager), group dynamics would suggest that we each have a role to play in ensuring our group’s survival through a systematic understanding of group stages. Bruce Tuckman (educational psychologist) is honored with establishing the five stages of group development. How do these five stages fit Families.com? We have undergone two … Continue reading →

Junior Fiction for Solving Problems: A Home Visit From a Virtual Child Therapist.

Have you ever bought a self-help book for yourself? There are thousands of excellent books around, all dealing with different topics: self esteem, relationships, death, communication, the list goes on. While we may be quick to purchase self-help books for ourselves, many parents overlook the therapeutic value of junior fiction for children. Children learn through play and reading is a favorite play activity of children. As children engage with the books characters, the reader enters a dramatic mind space of problem solving and integration. With the help of the struggles and achievements of the characters, the children also learn the … Continue reading →

How to Develop Your Child’s Full Potential

I am slowly learning that parenting is a lifelong learning process. I do not fully understand everything that my children need at their current unique stage. Therefore I try to continually educate myself through different means such as observing other parents, reading parenting books and taking parenting classes now and then. I am really grateful to currently be taking a parenting class based on Chip Ingram’s course titled “Effective Parenting in a Defective World.” Mr. Ingram uses basic information with personal life experience that make this course easy to follow and desirable to follow up with or practice on my … Continue reading →