The Summer Bucket List That Builds More Than Memories
Summer is filled with opportunities for fun, connection, and lasting memories—but it's also full of moments that challenge children to grow. From hearing "I'm bored" to navigating frustration, waiting, and disappointment, these everyday experiences can become valuable opportunities to build resilience, patience, flexibility, and perseverance. In this post, we'll explore how parents can use the ordinary moments of summer to help children develop skills that will benefit them long after the season ends.
The Quiet Language of Anxiety: What Your Child is Trying to Tell You
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while it’s a great time to reflect on our kids' well-being, it’s also a time to get real about what anxiety actually looks like. When you think of an anxious child, you may picture someone trembling or tearful. But in the thick of a busy morning, anxiety rarely looks that obvious. Often, it wears a mask looking more like a behavioral problem or a "difficult" personality trait than a plea for help.
Pajamas, Passwords, and Privacy: Raising Digitally Smart Kids
Technology has become both a powerful tool and an early test of independence and impulse control. Our kids use it everyday to complete schoolwork, homework, and socialize. Read this month’s blog post by Caring Cove clinician, Dr. Erica Lee, for some practical and research-informed recommendations for healthy screen use and thoughtful parental monitoring.
Recognizing Early Developmental Delays: What Parents Should Know
Recognizing the early signs of developmental delays can make a meaningful difference in a child’s growth and success. In honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, this blog highlights key milestones to watch for, common early concerns, and where parents can turn for support. Read this month’s blog post by Caring Cove clinician, Dr. Leah Watson, to learn how early identification can open the door to helpful resources and set your child up to thrive.
The Importance of Self-Compassion
This February, self-love is in the air! Parenting and caregiving can feel like a lot, and it’s easy to become your own toughest critic. In a world of constant comparisons and pressure to “get it right,” self-compassion offers a more sustainable way forward. Read this month’s blog post written by Caring Cove clinician, Dr. Katie Cornet, to explore what self-compassion really means, why it matters for both you and your children, and how it can help you respond to hard moments with kindness instead of self-blame.
The Power of PRIDE
PRIDE skills, Praise, Reflect, Imitate, Describe and Enthusiasm, are powerful interaction strategies commonly used in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). While simple in practice, PRIDE skills have a meaningful and lasting impact on children’s emotional, behavioral, and social development. Read this blog post written by Caring Cove clinician Ashley Pires, LCSW, to learn more about PRIDE skills and how they can make a positive impact on you and your child!
A Note for the Caregivers
The holidays are busy, loud, and often overwhelming and somehow, you’re still showing up. Before we dive into holiday tips and behavior strategies, this blog pauses to acknowledge the work you’re already doing, the growth you may not even notice yet, and a few gentle reminders to support both you and your child during this season of joyful chaos.
Raising Grateful Kids
Parents often share that their children seem to take things for granted and overlook how much is done for them. It’s a common concern, and one that is typically developmentally normal. From a behavioral standpoint, gratitude can be thought of as a skill that grows over time. Research shows that when children practice gratitude, they tend to feel more positive emotions, build stronger relationships, and show greater resilience. Like any skill, gratitude develops when children see it modeled, receive reinforcement for expressing it, and practice it regularly in daily life.
Nurturing Mental Health in the Perinatal Period
Pregnancy and the first year after birth, the perinatal period, bring enormous changes. Your body, your relationships, your routines, and even your sense of self may all feel different. While some describe this stage as magical and joyful, the reality can be more complicated. It’s also a time when worry, exhaustion, and unexpected emotions can take center stage.