The Dance: Separation Anxiety in Parents

By Becky | September 14, 2017
A person in a dark outfit leans back against the kitchen counter, silhouetted against a window. The dimly lit scene, with scattered kitchen items, evokes a contemplative mood tinged with separation anxiety.

While providing tips and strategies for parents in how to help children cope with separation anxiety, I was struck with many parents’ reactions to the subject. Children are not the only ones who suffer angst when being separated from loved ones. Just when a parent gets comfortable with the changes in the child’s life, another…

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I'm a Capable Tween, Right? Middle School Angst

By Becky | September 7, 2017
Tween with long brown hair gazes thoughtfully to the side, her face partially hidden by a cozy white sweater. A calm and contemplative expression graces her face while soft natural lighting enhances her reflective demeanor.

Middle school tweens, they are not youngsters anymore but not yet teenagers. Behaviors often vacillate between the two! Moving to middle school from the security of elementary school can be exciting or daunting. The resulting anxiety can be minimal or overwhelming. Although separation anxiety usually occurs in younger children, the angst associated with being apart from…

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Getting Kids Ready for Middle & High School

By Becky | August 13, 2014
A person in a denim jacket and backpack walks on a school sidewalk, clutching several books. They wear earphones and a white shirt with colorful buttons, absorbed in their own world.

A middle school or high school student may act like an old hand at the “back to school” drill. And maybe he is if he’s returning to the same school. But for many of our children, it’s going to be a whole new experience. Fun and scary all in one. For tweens, moving to middle…

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