Are New Year’s Resolutions Realistic?

Are New Year’s Resolutions Realistic?  The “New Year, New You” temptation is alluring, and we all tend to try to reinvent ourselves as the calendar page flips from December to January. Sadly, studies show that almost half of our resolutions are abandoned by the end of the first month of the year. Researchers blame three major overreaches for this […]

Pre-Holiday Ramp-Up

Pre-Holiday Ramp-Up As the holiday season approaches, kids get excited in anticipation of warm family gatherings, days off of school, and presents to open. Adults, on the other hand, have to manage the stress of hosting, shopping, cooking, and the many expenditures of time and money that come along with these celebrations. It’s a challenge […]

Lose the Winter Blues

Lose the Winter Blues  The holidays are a magical time of year, but they are also incredibly stressful. The demands placed on our time and finances are significant, and can take a toll on our physical and mental health. The good news is there are ways to mitigate these stressors. Here are some tips to […]

Winter Break Brain Freeze

Winter Break Brain Freeze  Much has been written about learning loss over summer vacation that necessitates weeks (if not months) of review to regain lost ground at the start of the school year in the fall. Similarly, we observe a backward slide during winter break, adding an extra challenge upon the return to classrooms in […]

Practicing Gratitude

Practicing Gratitute  The chilly fall weather heralds the approach of the Thanksgiving holiday, reminding us that gratitude doesn’t have to be only a seasonal practice. Studies reveal that demonstrating appreciation as a way of self-improvement can translate into lots of health benefits including a stronger immune system, better sleep, improved emotional coping mechanisms, and decreased […]

School Safety

October is Ohio School Safety Month Our state designated October as “Ohio School Safety Month”. Our schools need some attention to this topic. As of last month, the US has seen 58 school shootings so far this year. Of these, 14 were on college campuses and 44 were on the grounds of K-12 schools. These […]

Suicide Prevention Awareness

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Suicide is the second leading cause of death for high-school aged youth, after accidents. The CDC reports that nearly 50,000 people died by suicide in 2022; That’s one death by suicide every 11 minutes. While it’s fair to say that teen suicide is a current health crisis, fortunately it […]

New COVID Vaccines

New COVID Vaccines (Fall 2024) The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recently approved an updated COVID vaccine for administration this fall and the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is recommending it for everyone six months of age and older. The new Moderna, Pfizer, and Novovax formulations include the JN.1 lineage with a concentration […]

Cell Phones in Schools

The debate over whether or not students should be allowed to use their cell phones throughout the school day is intense. School administrators, psychologists, and teachers argue that phones are a distraction, and their constant use is contributing to this generations academic and mental health decline. But with the rising incidence of deadly school shootings […]

Separation Anxiety in Children

As the school year gets underway, we start the weekday routine of saying goodbye as parents leave for work and children leave for school. For some, however, this parting of ways and the time leading up to it can be paralyzingly scary. Sometimes there’s an event to blame, perhaps a change in the family dynamic, […]