Are you concerned about what can happen when your teen gets behind the wheel or is a passenger of a teen driver? You have good reason. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teens. A big part of the problem: Drinking and driving. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 10 high schoolers drinks and drives. They also report that high school students drive...
Do you think today’s kids are ungrateful? Entitled? Spoiled? Well, in reality, that’s a complaint that adults have had since time immemorial. Young people today are probably no more or less grateful than they were a generation ago, or the generation before that, and so on. But gratitude isn’t necessarily an inherent trait. As the classic song from South Pacific says, “You’ve got to be carefully taught.” It’s important that we foster feelings...
Kids are under pressure more than ever—and at an earlier age—to get into the right school, get good grades and take part in a whole host of extracurricular activities. While none of this is bad in and of itself, what may get lost in the mix is how important it is for kids to enjoy learning—and also to create lasting bonds! “We know from experience working with young children that reading...
By Jenna Kern-Rugile, Director of Communications, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center My daughter Maya is now 19, but the questions and puzzled looks still arise at times. When I recently took her to a new doctor, for example, he walked into the office and, in a somewhat surprised tone, asked, “Are you her mother?” Yes, I am her mother. True, she doesn’t look like me. She arrived at JFK and...
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center promises to work with children and their families from birth to age 24. Does that mean babies get therapy? Well, not in the traditional model of sitting on a couch and talking about their “issues,” of course. But the Guidance Center does, indeed, provide help for the very youngest clients at our Marks Family Right from the Start 0-3+ Center (RFTS) in Manhasset. All of...
October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! Although the month is almost at an end, adopting a dog—or cat or other pet, for that matter—is a great thing to do any time of year. You’re not only saving the life of that one pet, but you’re opening up room in the shelter so another pet who is homeless or at risk of being euthanized can be saved. Just some of the...
Halloween is just around the corner, and kids of all ages are gearing up for the festivities. Before your children go trick or treating, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to help ensure they have a safe holiday. Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.Consider adding...
It seems like new (and often-times conflicting) information comes out each day about what’s healthy to eat and what’s best to limit or avoid. In the last several years, one theme has been pretty constant: Study after study indicates that eating less red meat is better for your health. But just last week, the news was full of reports about studies in the Annals of Internal Medicine by an international group of researchers that...
Wondering how to establish and maintain healthy sleep habits for your baby or older child? Here are a few tips from Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant Corey Wilbur, M.S., founder of Let There Be Sleep! LLC. Stick to a regular daytime and bedtime sleep schedule as much as possible, even on the weekends. Studies indicate that a regular sleep schedule maintains the timing of the body’s internal clock and can help your...
During the early months of each year, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center conducts an informal study in an attempt to understand who is calling us for help and what needs they’re calling us about. In recent years, the trend has been that most of the children and teens we see are experiencing depression, often coupled with anxiety. Approximately 1 in 5 teens experience major depression, but about 60% do...