There are two informative studies in the October issue of Pediatrics that reveal: the effects that some parenting styles can have on teen driving safety, as well as the increased risk associated with teens having a vehicle of which they are the primary driver.
Posts with an Intended Audience of ‘General’
Influencing Teen Driving Behavior
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 by Sean SlevinIntended Audience: General, Parents
Study Finds that Predictable, Required Time Off Reaps Big Benefits
Monday, October 19th, 2009 by Sean SlevinIntended Audience: General
I recently came across an article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that makes for an interesting follow-up to my post last month about the importance and difficulty of Sabbath rest. The article looks at a study published this October in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) that found that backing away from the intense, always working, 24/7 way of life yields measurable improvements in not just work quality and output but also in employee satisfaction.
Review: Report on ADHD
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 by Kristin SlevinIntended Audience: General, Parents
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is one of the most common psychological diagnoses for children. Some estimate that between 8-10% of school aged children are affected by ADHD. So if you are at all involved with children, chances are that you know a child with ADHD. Your child may have ADHD. How can you tell if your child has ADHD? What should you consider when picking a doctor to diagnose and treat your child? What about medications for ADHD? These questions are all addressed in a thorough and relatively reader friendly report available for download from Consumer Reports (CR) (links to the report are in the footnotes).
The Art of Stopping
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 by Sean SlevinIntended Audience: Christians, General
As I’ve grown in my own awareness in the past few days of my need for a vacation I have been reflecting once again on the faith involved in choosing to cease from one’s labors for a season. Regardless of one’s religious beliefs, the act of taking a break from one’s labors (and/or other kinds of ceasing) can be inherently scary–whether it be for 10 minutes or 10 days.
Why Parenting is Difficult: Loving the Hard to Like
Monday, August 10th, 2009 by Kristin SlevinIntended Audience: General, Parents
Have you ever stopped in horror and realized that at that moment of time you are feeling hate towards your child? Or maybe you have found that while you love your child you really don’t LIKE them. Or perhaps somewhere deep down inside you feel disappointed about some of the qualities of your child. (For example, you always dreamed of playing baseball with your son, but you had two girls instead, or your son doesn’t want to play baseball, or your son has physical/mental limitations and can’t play baseball.) These are things that many parents feel but have a hard time telling even a counselor (whom is bound by law to never tell another soul). This is one of the difficult things about parenting: you don’t get to choose your child.
Why Parenting is Difficult: Loving and Letting Go
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 by Kristin SlevinIntended Audience: General, Parents
Parenting is a deeply vulnerable endeavor. Here is this young person who is simultaneously deeply intertwined with the persons of the parents and yet is also separate and who needs to go through a process of separation with the parents. Separation of any kind is painful. The deeper the love and connection between two people, the more painful the separation is. There is probably no deeper connection than that of a parent and their child. No wonder parenting is difficult!
Why Parenting is Difficult: Introduction to the Series
Saturday, July 11th, 2009 by Kristin SlevinIntended Audience: General, Parents
Do you ever find yourself in situations with your child thinking, “Why is this so difficult?!?!” For something that is as old as creation (or nearly) you would think that by now we humans might have figured out a thing or two about parenting. And we have, sort of. It is just that there aren’t any tricks or magic formulas that can make parenting a breeze. There are things that can make parenting easier. This series will: explore some of the things that make parenting difficult; and offer directions that parents can pursue to help make parenting easier.
Internet-Based Insomnia Treatment
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 by Sean SlevinIntended Audience: General
I recently came across an Associated Press (AP) article about an internet-based treatment for insomnia that is apparently netting promising results in an initial study that has just been published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Doodling, Dishes and the Brain
Thursday, June 18th, 2009 by Sean SlevinIntended Audience: General
A while ago I came across a fascinating piece on National Public Radio (NPR) about how doodling actually helps the brain to pay better attention (as opposed to the common assumption that it signals that the individual has completely “checked out”). This certainly fits with my experience, not just with doodling, but in other settings like doing the dishes or driving.
Sleeping Pill Ad Critique: Rozerem
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 by Sean SlevinIntended Audience: General
Consumer Reports AdWatch has an informative critique of a Rozerem sleeping pill ad, along with some good suggestions for alternative ways of improving sleep (link to the video is in the footnote).
