The Many Forms of Bullying

Yesterday we  focused on understanding the bully. Today, we are talking about the three types of bullying - Physical, verbal and relational. Physical Bullying, due to its visible nature, often attracts the most attention. It can include slapping, hitting, psychical violence and destruction of property belonging to the victim. It is most often perpetrated by male bullies, though …

Bully Prevention Month: What is a Bully

Since October is Bully Prevention Month, I thought I would dedicate the majority of the rest of the month to the topic, covering everything from bullying, to prevention. To start, it only seems fitting to define what a bully is and is not. Bullies come in all shapes and sizes. The National Association of School …

Quiet Kids Q&A

In honor of the release of Quiet Kids: Help Your Introverted Child Succeed in an Extroverted World, I wanted to bring you a little Q&A about introversion. As part of the research for this book, I interviewed hundreds of parents and educators of introverts and took their questions and answered them through the book. This …

Understanding Introverted Children: The Release of Quiet Kids

I am so happy to announce the official release of my book, Quiet Kids. This book, in addition to being the book I wish I had read as a child, speaks to introversion in children, pulling on the latest research in the area and providing parents and educators strategies to help support introverted children. As …

It’s Break Time!

Hi everyone! As you likely could tell, I took my break a tad early this past week. Such is life when deadlines are approaching! I will be back on Sept 29 with a calendar of fun posts celebrating the release of Quiet Kids. Speaking of, I have a new cover that I wanted to share, …

The Benefits of Social Media for Introverted Children

Happy Thursday everyone! Today is parent advice day around the blog and I thought I would talk a bit about a recent TV segment I was in. The interview was originally going to be about helping introverted children as they go back to school. At least, that is what I thought. Instead, the host wanted …

Back to school already?

This month marks a significant milestone in my parenting life. It ranks right up there in the top five, where things like potty training and out of a carseat live. And it has caught me by surprise. For the first time in...carry the one...nine years, I'm not dying for my sons to go back to school. Ever …

Not the summers of my youth

Summer break has arrived at the House of Chaos, though you wouldn't know it by the weather. Chicago is having an extended spring. A very wet, cold, miserable, going straight from winter to blazing summer kind of spring. It has been less than pleasant. Last week I wore jeans, a long sleeved T-shirt, a sweater …

That One Time at Band Camp….

For some people, thinking about summer fun triggers images of sitting quietly, absorbing warmth, watching the world go by, resting, and contemplating. For others, splashing by the water's edge, swimming, and skipping stones. For me, summer is a chance to go outside and explore the world. Swimming and barbecues are secondary pleasures. Many of my …

There are times when I am grateful I have sons. This is one of those times.

Over the last decade or so of raising dear god what is that smell boys, one thing I've heard over and over is that boys are hard when they're young and get easier as they get older. I've also been told girls are the opposite. I'm holding the world to that semi-promise, as I think …