It's perfectly normal: Preteens and teens group together and often hang on tight. As they push for increasing independence from their parents, they turn to their peers for guidance, acceptance, and security. Safety, for those ...  Read more... »

"I hate that school! I hate that teacher!" Nick has come home from school in a fierce temper. He drops his backpack on the kitchen floor and kicks it across the ...  Read more... »

"Dr. H. Can I see you for a minute?" A student has approached me after class. "Sure." I'm always pleased when a student shows some interest. "Well. I was wondering. Can you write me a recommendation?" Now ...  Read more... »

By comparison, little kids are easy. They go where we go and generally do what we tell them to do. If we are excited about a new adventure and approach a move with a positive ...  Read more... »

The conventional wisdom about moving mid-year, or moving at all, when kids are in high school is "don't." But it isn't that simple. Job opportunities don't always happen conveniently in the summer. Elderly parents who ...  Read more... »

It’s been decided. Yours will be among the 1 in 5 American families to move this year. It’s easy to get caught up in the ton of details. It’s inviting to skip right over whatever ...  Read more... »

For some children, it's obvious by the time they're in kindergarten that they'll probably never play tennis on the center court at Wimbledon or take the field at Yankee Stadium. Child development professionals describe these ...  Read more... »

In September, you left for college with a car full of your belongings and a head full of excited anticipation, hopes, and dreams. Having spent much of your high school senior year choosing colleges, applying ...  Read more... »

There are times when even the most docile children appear to have the aggressive tendencies of a professional wrestler. While a certain amount of pushing and shoving is to be expected from all children, especially ...  Read more... »

“You know what I never want to hear again? That I have great potential. It just feels like so much pressure.” Elly, the student sitting across from me in my office, is visibly upset. I've ...  Read more... »

Exposure to interpersonal violence is taking a toll on adolescent America. A study has found that roughly 16 percent of boys and 19 percent of girls may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive ...  Read more... »

Each fall when our kids were young, my husband and I would make an elaborate grid with each kid’s name (there are four of them) going down the left side and the days of the ...  Read more... »

This article is an editorial based upon the author's experience. I’ve been reading with great interest the current debate about the usefulness of homework. As with most debates, the issues have become polarized and both sides ...  Read more... »

Students: Thinking about doing an internship this year? Cool! Internships are a great way to see your chosen field up close and personal. They often introduce people to both plusses and minuses in the work ...  Read more... »

Selective mutism is a rare type of anxiety disorder whose main distinguishing characteristic is the persistent failure to speak in specific social situations (e.g., at school, or with playmates) where speaking is expected, despite ...  Read more... »