Author: Chien Liu

Parenting a child with ADHD involvesa significant learning curve — andsome of the most natural, instinctiveparenting responses turn out to beamong the least effective, or evenactively counterproductive, for childrenwith ADHD. Understanding what notto do — and why — is as importantas understanding what to do. This article covers the most commonparenting and management mistakeswith ADHD…

One of the most challenging momentsin parenting a child with ADHD isthe moment of emotional explosion —the meltdown, the tantrum, the intenseanger or distress that erupts withwhat feels like no warning and resistsevery calming attempt. Understandingwhy children with ADHD struggle sosignificantly with calming down —and what the research shows actuallyhelps — is one of the…

ADHD and behavior problems frequentlygo together — and the combinationis one of the most exhausting andmost misunderstood parenting challenges.The child with ADHD who is alsodefiant, aggressive, or disruptiveis not simply a difficult childwho needs firmer discipline. Theyare a child whose neurological differencesproduce behavior that looks intentionalbut is significantly driven by impairedself-regulation — and who needsa…

The question of whether to medicatea child with ADHD is one of themost significant and most personaldecisions a parent can face. Manyparents — for a range of entirelylegitimate reasons — want to explorewhat can be done to support theirchild’s school functioning withoutmedication, or alongside medication,or before making a medication decision. The research on non-medication approachesto…

School is one of the most challengingenvironments for children with ADHD —and one of the places where the rightsupport makes the most significantdifference. The demands of the classroom —sustained attention, impulse control,sitting still, following multi-stepinstructions, managing transitions —are precisely the demands that ADHDmakes most difficult. Understandingwhat research shows about supportingchildren with ADHD in school isessential…

Seven-year-old defiance has a particularquality that parents often find surprising —because the seven-year-old is no longerthe impulsive toddler whose defiancefelt developmentally understandable,and not yet the adolescent whosepush for independence feels expected.The seven-year-old who argues, refuses,backtracks, and pushes limits withwhat feels like deliberate calculationcan leave parents uncertain aboutwhat is developmentally normal andwhat warrants concern. The research…

Separation anxiety in toddlers isone of the most universal — and mostdistressing — experiences of earlyparenthood. The toddler who clingsdesperately at daycare drop-off, whoscreams when the parent leaves theroom, who cannot be comforted byanyone but their primary caregiver —is showing a response that is deeplyrooted in normal developmental biologyand attachment neuroscience. Understanding what separation anxietyactually…

Anxiety is the most common mentalhealth condition in adolescence —and one of the most commonly missed,minimized, or misattributed to typicalteenage moodiness. The teenager whois chronically worried, who avoidssocial situations, who cannot sleep,who complains of physical symptomsbefore school, who seems paralyzedby decisions — may be experiencinggenuine anxiety that deserves understandingand effective support. This article covers what…

Social anxiety is one of the mostcommon anxiety conditions in childhood —and one of the most commonly mistakenfor shyness, introversion, or simplya quiet personality. The distinctionmatters: shyness is a temperamentaltrait that does not necessarily impairfunctioning. Social anxiety is acondition that significantly affectsa child’s ability to engage withthe social world — and that respondswell to early,…

Anxiety in children under five isboth more common and more commonlymissed than most parents realize.It is missed because very young childrencannot say “I feel anxious” — theysay their tummy hurts, they cling,they cry, they refuse, they meltdown. And it is missed because manyanxiety presentations in this agegroup look like typical toddler behavior —and distinguishing between…