Avoid Destructive Mislabeling in the Classroom: Distinguish the Differences of ADHD, Anxiety, and Giftedness | Psychology Today

Avoid Destructive Mislabeling in the Classroom: Distinguish the Differences of ADHD, Anxiety, and Giftedness | Psychology Today

I feel very strongly about not labelling people, particularly children. Labels are so often seen as a way out, a way to explain away the issues. At best this can give the person carte blanche to stop developing personally and at worst can give them real issues of self-esteem which haunt them for life.

A label does not provide all the answers for any one person and does, in my opinion, more harm than good.

This article highlights some of the ways in which labelling is unhelpful and how the label is often incorrect anyway!

Children Need to Learn to Define Grief

Children Need to Learn to Define Grief | Psychology Today

The children at my son's school are facing the loss of a fellow student this week. It has brought into sharp relief for me what a community a school is and how everyone, even those that did not know the student personally are affected.

Children and young people need to be taught how to deal with these extreme emotions. The ability to name and understand them does not simply materialise in the face of such tragedy. I have seen children finding outlets for their emotions, from fighting to finding students to dislike, hate even. They dislike them because perhaps they did not get on with deceased or did not show enough remorse. All the anger and upset they feel over the loss of their friend is redirected at other people. Being cross with somebody is much easier, safer and a known experience.

Grief and learning to mourn are emotions that we all encounter at some point of our lives and helping children understand them, have an outlet for them and know how to work their way through them will really help them in the future.

Breastfed babies make better-behaved children - the New Scientist reports

There seems to be little doubt that breastfeeding is best, yet it can be very hard for some mothers.  If you are finding breastfeeding hard, want to continue, do go and seek the help of a breastfeeding counsellor.  They are placed all around the country and can make the difference between being able to carry on and not.

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/05/breastfed-children-are-better.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news