Author: Chien Liu

Authoritative and authoritarian parentingare the two most commonly confusedparenting styles — and the confusionis understandable, given that bothwords share the same root. But researchconsistently finds that these twoparenting styles produce significantlydifferent outcomes for children —and understanding the specific differencesbetween them is practically importantfor any parent who wants to parenteffectively. This article covers what the researchshows…

Authoritative parenting is consistentlyidentified by research as the mosteffective parenting style — producingthe best outcomes across academic achievement,emotional regulation, social competence,and long-term wellbeing. But understandingwhat authoritative parenting lookslike in practice — in the specific,daily interactions of family life —is significantly more useful thanunderstanding it as an abstract concept. This article covers what authoritativeparenting looks like…

The death of a loved one by suicideis one of the most complex and mostpainful losses a family can experience —and one of the most challenging toexplain to children. Research on suicidebereavement in childhood consistentlyfinds that children who lose someoneto suicide face a distinctive grief —one that combines the pain of losswith the complexity of…

Returning to school after a significantloss is one of the most challengingtransitions a bereaved child faces —and one that is frequently handledwithout adequate preparation or support.Research on bereaved children andschool return consistently finds thatthe quality of the return-to-schoolexperience significantly affects boththe child’s school functioning andtheir grief trajectory. A well-supportedschool return can provide structure,normality, and peer…

The death of a childhood friend isone of the most shocking and mostfrequently minimized losses a childcan experience. Research on peer bereavementconsistently finds that the deathof a friend — particularly when suddenor traumatic — produces genuine, significantgrief that is often not recognizedor supported by adults who focus theirattention on the family of the deceased.Understanding what…

The death of a sibling is one of themost profound and most complicatedlosses a child can experience — andone that is frequently overshadowedby the grief of the parents. Researchon sibling bereavement consistentlyfinds that children who lose a siblingface a unique grief — one that occurswithin a family system where everyoneis grieving, where parental attentionis inevitably…

Grief and anxiety frequently occurtogether in children — and the combinationis one of the most challenging presentationsparents and professionals encounter.Research consistently finds that bereavementsignificantly elevates anxiety in children —and that anxiety, in turn, can significantlycomplicate and prolong grief. Understandingthe specific ways grief and anxietyinteract — and what genuinely helps —is practically important for everyparent supporting…

A child who has witnessed a death —whether the sudden death of a lovedone, an accident, or any other traumaticdeath experience — faces a grief thatis qualitatively different from grieffollowing an expected or unseen death.Research on childhood traumatic grieffinds that witnessing a death addsa significant traumatic dimension tothe grief experience — producing intrusivememories, hyperarousal, and…

Anger is one of the most common —and most misunderstood — grief responsesin children. When a child becomesangry, aggressive, or defiant aftera significant loss, the connectionto grief is frequently missed — byparents who respond to the behaviorrather than the underlying grief,and by children who do not understandwhy they feel so angry. Research ongrief and anger…

Talking to children about death isone of the conversations parents mostwant to avoid — and one that researchconsistently finds children most need.Research on childhood bereavementand death understanding finds thatchildren think about death more thanadults realize, ask questions aboutit more often than adults expect,and are significantly better servedby honest, age-appropriate conversationthan by protective avoidance. This article…