A little less than a year ago, I received a phone call from a friend who eagerly said that a foster child was on the way to their home. I was beyond excited for my friends & their family but also so excited for this child to be welcomed into a stable and healthy home. Before the phone call ended, I remember asking my friend, “How can I help?”. I was ready to help them by buying toys, clothes, and food -  but that was not what they needed.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This is the perfect time to discuss something that hits very close to home for me.

We traditionally celebrate Older Americans Month (OAM) each May. OAM is a time to acknowledge the contributions of past and current older persons in our country, in particular those who defended our country. Every President since Kennedy has issued a formal proclamation during or before the month of May asking that the entire nation pay tribute in some way to older persons in their communities. OAM is celebrated across the country through ceremonies, events, fairs, and other activities.

Growing up, I often heard if you want something done well, find the busiest person in the room and ask them. More often than not, that incredible person is a single parent. Single parents are some of the strongest people on this earth and deserve recognition for their hard work and support for their challenges.

Did you know that the eyes are the only organ in our body most exposed to our external surroundings? Due to this reason, people must understand the importance of taking care of their eyes and what they can do to ensure their vision is not jeopardized. Our sense of sight is vital out of all our senses because about 80% of the things we perceive from our surroundings are through our sight. Awareness of the dangers of the various conditions that can develop in the eyes is key to know about.

Often grandparenting means a weekend with grandchildren every now and then, an evening babysitting, a summer vacation, or chats on the phone and Facetime here and there. But when life circumstances change, grandparents often assume full- or part-time responsibility for their grandchildren.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted our world, ushering in an age of Work from Home, vaccination protocols, social distancing, and countless ways in our daily lives, but what if I told you that your dental health was also at risk during the pandemic!

During my first year of college, I had a professor in the middle of the adoption process with her partner. I will never forget the day she shared the news that their adoption agency had found them a child & would be meeting them within the next week. Her happiness was contagious, but I couldn’t help but think how hard the process to become parents as an LGBTQ+ couple must be.

Brain Awareness Week is the global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science. BAW was founded by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and the European Dana Alliance for the Brain, and is coordinated by the Dana Foundation. This is the 27th annual BAW which will be observed March 14-20 in 2022.

While conflict is bound to happen in all family structures, blended families encounter many unique challenges. Knowing what to expect can help address issues before they spiral out of control.

Winter is upon us and those longer hours of darkness coupled with the colder temperatures can make many people experience those “winter blues.” Add the complications of COVID like continued distancing from others and the mental fatigue experienced by the longevity of the pandemic, and I’m afraid we are going to see more people experiencing those blues this season.

Natural disasters, such as the recent tornadoes, wildfires, and floods along with other traumatic events like mass shootings and even the pandemic can be devastating for everyone. For children, just watching the news and listening to parents talk can make life’s events seem like they are out of control. This would be magnified for children who experienced direct loss and may need help understanding what happened to their world. Most children look to adults for guidance and understanding on how to react and deal with life’s events.

As a new year is upon us, sometimes we say that we hope the new year is better than the last.  As the saying goes, are you looking at your glass half-full or half-empty?  Our outlook may be grim, or it could be positive. If your tendency is to find the less optimistic view, then you might want to explore ways to add a little happiness or attain some strategies to find an optimistic future.

Every year the adults in my family have a Christmas gift exchange. Around October we draw names with wish lists to prepare for the exchange. A couple of years ago my brother wanted to change it up a little, and suggested we give experiences rather than actual items. We had so much fun that year! Painting and pottery classes, massages and spa treatments, target shooting, bowling and even horseback riding sessions were just a few of the fun experiences that were gifted. We agreed that doing things was much more fun that accumulating more stuff – and was much more meaningful.

The holiday season is fast approaching and given the loss, turmoil, and uncertainty that we have recently experienced, I thought it would be helpful to revisit this post from a few years ago.

In a previous article I emphasized how ongoing stress can cause negative physical and mental effects on the body and how practicing self-care or stress management techniques can reduce or maybe prevent those negative effects from happening. Many strategies were suggested, but how do we make the time to do them? There are many ways to stay on track and help you stay accountable.

“It’s your turn to take the kids to practice after school today,” she says to her husband.

“I can’t take the kids to practice today, I have a late meeting,” he says.

“That’s the second late meeting this week!” she shouts.

“Why are you raising your voice?” he asks as he points towards her.

“Why are you pointing at me?  You know it makes me crazy when you point at me!” she shouts.

“Crazy, you think my pointing is what makes you crazy? Ha!” he shouts in a smug tone.

Anxiety can be described as persistent and excessive fears about everyday situations. There can be many signs of anxiety. Some of the most common anxiety symptoms can include having trouble sleeping, feeling nervous or irritable, increased heart rate, and difficulty concentrating. If anyone is experiencing any of these symptoms, there are multiple treatment options for reducing anxiety.

“If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.”

This was an anonymous quote that I recently reshared on Facebook since it truly resonated with me. I had been experiencing months of heavy stress and was not making the time for self-care – and was starting to physically feel the negative effects.

As children return to schools and classrooms this fall after a year of a variety of learning environments, many parents and caregivers may find themselves concerned about bullying. Recent research indicated, not surprisingly, that rates of school bullying dropped during the pandemic – likely as a result of many students participating in remote learning environments.