Focus on Healthy Relationships       Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone.  It was a special day to celebrate all those important people in our lives – our partners, children, and friends.  Life is continually challenging, as we near the one-year anniversary of the pandemic.  Parents are under a lot of stress.  Not only balancing work and home life, but also the stress we are all feeling living in this isolating environment. Maintaining healthy relationships is more important …

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Celebrating Black History Month with Kids              February is Black History Month, and we want to help provide fun family activities to celebrate and explain the importance of honoring black history to your children.   “African American history is American history, and when kids understand the fuller picture of history, it will also help them understand the fuller picture of …

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Family Connects Maryland: A Success Story               Tracy was a first-time mom who delivered at Sinai Hospital. While recovering with her new baby girl, Ava, Tracy was given the opportunity to sign up for one of The Family Tree’s home visiting programs, Family Connects Maryland. Three years later, after Tracy completed The Family Connects Maryland program, we had the pleasure of speaking with her about the …

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Explaining Current Events to Kids   It has been over a week since the violent breach at the Capital in Washington DC. Children and adults alike are processing this traumatic event in our nation’s history. Most adults are struggling to understand the events last week and deal with their own emotions. An added burden we …

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Refresh and Reset for the New Year The New Year is a great time to reflect and set goals for the new year.  The standard resolutions don’t seem to change much – lose weight, eat healthy, hit the gym.  This year is different.  As we trudge through this pandemic families are focused on how to …

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Managing Holiday Stress Psychology Today tells us that holiday stress is caused by the abrupt changes that happen during this joyous season. Schools close, routines change, bedtimes get later, more sweets are consumed, kids are begging for toys and are full of excitement and anticipation for the holiday to come.  In 2020, this pandemic has …

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Thanksgiving and COVID-19 In March when COVID-19 first shut everything down here in Maryland, we never would have guessed we would still be in the same situation today.  Sadly, the reality is that the pandemic is affecting our Holidays.  Numbers are on the rise, and restrictions are increasing.  The Family Tree knows how critical family …

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With Thanksgiving just around the corner, there is no better time to encourage gratitude in your home. Research suggests that grateful young adolescents (ages 11-13), are happier and more optimistic, have better social support, are more satisfied with their school, family, community, friends, and themselves, and give more emotional support to others. We’ve also found that grateful …

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