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Pro-Social Children

It ought to be easier to raise pro-social children — kids who are helpful and kind and empathic — since the impulse toward pro-social behavior is something we’re born with. Yet so many youngsters seem to miss the mark. Two aspects of how we raise our children may be getting in the way.

Learn Ways to Help Your Children Transition to Adulthood

In this issue of Clinical Science Insights, Jacob Goldsmith, Ph.D., explores Jeffrey Arnett’s theory of emerging adulthood, highlights potential problems that emerging adults and their families may encounter, and suggests some general guidelines for what parents can do to help and lay the foundation for a healthy parent-adult-child relationship.

For students, the transition back to school can be both exciting and stressful. Here are a few tips to help your kids and teens feel prepared for that transition, as well as some thoughts about what is “typical” back to school stress and what might be a sign to seek support from others:

The transition to college is a balancing act for students and their families. Too little engagement can leave a student feeling lost or disconnected, and can leave parents feeling like they’re in the dark. Too much engagement (e.g., so called helicopter parenting) can actually interfere with students’ growth and development.

As we help our sons and daughters get ready to return to school, let’s reflect on our own readiness to promote our kids’ best emotional development during the school year. Consider these dimensions:

Dim That Light

Settling youngsters down to sleep at night isn't always easy. Recent research suggests that the amount of exposure children have to bright light in the hour leading up to bedtime — whether emanating from light bulbs or electronic devices — can have a big impact on sleep-related behavior.

A Podcast Series from The Family Institute

Nikki Lively interviews Dr. Kara Driscoll, reproductive psychiatrist and founder of The Allegro Center, LLC in Chicago. Dr. Driscoll explores common myths and fears surrounding the use of psychotropic medications while pregnant and breastfeeding and the role of hormones in women's moods in the postpartum period.

A Podcast Series from The Family Institute

Nikki Lively interviews Kristina Cowan, journalist and author of the book, When Postpartum Packs a Punch: Fighting Back and Finding Joy. Ms. Cowan shares insights from her experience with postpartum depression and anxiety.

Becoming a Family: Nurturing your Connection in the Transition to Parenthood

Becoming a parent is one of the most profound transitions in life an individual will experience, and for a couple becoming parents together is an extraordinary and life-long journey that bonds them together. So why is it, then, that it is so common for parenthood to decrease relationship satisfaction?

A Podcast Series from The Family Institute

In this episode of Let's Talk, Nikki Lively interviews LaShonta Edwards. Ms. Edwards is the Founder and Executive Director of A Mother's Sanctuary in Houston, TX as well as a doula, educator and advocate for maternal mental health. In this interview, Ms.