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 …
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 …
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. Â In 2020, this pandemic has …
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 …
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 …
This month’s very special volunteer spotlight will highlight one of our really special helpers, Ms. Cheryl Moore. Ms. Moore has volunteered with us at The Family Tree for about 6 years and has played a number of roles. She is a founding member of the Maryland Parent Leadership Team and worked two or three days …
Each year, there are plenty of concerns about Halloween safety. From traffic to strangers, but this year there are even more concerns. Some of the traditional Halloween activities can increase the risk of spreading COVID-19, but there are safety precautions to take and other activities to try and make this Halloween for fun children and …
If you are worried about your children spending too much time on screens, you are not alone. Before the stay at home order and the COVID-19 Pandemic, 71% of parents admitted to being worried about screen time and damage to their children’s eyes. Now that schools are remote or hybrid, many parents are relaxing their …
Last week our blog focused on ways to reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Some strategies we recommended were practicing safe sleep, using pacifiers, breast feeding and tummy time! The first discussion of tummy time started in 1992 when the “Back to Sleep” campaign was launched to encourage parents to place their …
October is SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) awareness month. SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, children are at highest risk until their first year, but it is most common in babies one month to four months. There are many myths about what causes SIDS. This is not something babies can “catch,” it is not …
