Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic.
Chloe considers herself a technologically-savvy person. She's old enough to remember always having a computer around, though she sometimes finds herself amazed by how quickly technology has advanced. Her use of social media grew as it became not just a place to share thoughts, but also a tool to coordinate events, share pictures, and create a full-fledged digital persona. For the most part, it made her feel like she was connected and informed in a fun and engaging way. Though recently, she's been thinking about the amount of time...
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New Year, New You: Physical Activity Can Make a Big Mental Difference
Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic:
At the beginning of the year, I told myself I’d be hitting the gym a lot more often. The goal was to stay active and keep those extra pounds at bay. The first few weeks were great! I was jogging at least three times a week and lifting weights as often as I could. Sure, I was a little tired when I’d get home, but I was feeling better both physically and mentally.
Unfortunately, as the year went on, I started cutting back on the exercise and soon I was...
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Lawnmower Parents: What They Are and Why You Shouldn’t Be One
Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic.
A few nights ago, I mentioned to my pregnant wife that I would do everything in my power to ensure that our baby never struggled with anything in life. She immediately agreed. But then we began speaking about becoming too overprotective of our soon-to-be daughter. A growing part of me says we wouldn’t be doing her any favors if we kept her completely away from any sort of inconvenience or struggle that she encounters in life. My oldest sister and her husband constantly hover over their kids to the...
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‘Tis The Season to Manage Your Impulse Shopping!
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Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic.
Last week, I took a look at our credit card bill and was completely floored! I knew it would be high, but this was far beyond previous years. When I spoke to Chris about it, he apologized but tried reasoning with me about the charges he made for holiday decorations and gifts. He also attributed much of it to “amazing deals.” I think he just got a little credit card happy. The results of Chris’s extravagance means that we will have to manage our funds much more carefully going forward...
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A Few Dos and Don’ts to Consider if Your Child is Feeling Lonely
Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic.
When I was a kid, I wasn’t very popular in elementary school, middle school or high school. I had a few friends, but I remember feeling jealous of the more popular kids because I was rarely invited to parties. And because I felt so awkward and out of place, I always avoided school events like pep rallies, football games and dances. Things changed in college and now I’m married with a teen son. I’m noticing, however, that he’s very much like I was back then. What can I do to...
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To Spank or Not to Spank: What’s the Best Way to Discipline Your Child?
Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic.
I met with my friend Mary recently and she mentioned that she and her husband had just had a disagreement. They were discussing their views on discipline and she said she’d never lay a finger on her baby girl, but her husband thought light spanking would be okay if she misbehaved. Mary believes corporal punishment could affect a child and brought up many good points. Is there a better way to discipline kids?
Almost all children act up when they’re young, and many have probably been spanked as a result. But...
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Thanksgiving: The Food, The Bad and the Ugly
Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and knowing that there will be plentiful amounts of food isn’t helping my anxiety. I tend to overeat when I get anxious, so you can see the problem I’m having. I try my best to keep a level head during this season, but it seems to get harder each year. I’m considering skipping Thanksgiving with my family this year, but at the same time, I want to try and figure out how to not let my anxiety get the better of me so...
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An Introduction to Understanding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) can be difficult to understand by family, friends, loved ones, and even those who have it, because symptoms rarely make much sense and “rituals” can be hard to explain. People with OCD struggle to express their obsessions and need for these habits, causing further misunderstanding about the condition.
What is OCD?
OCD is often stereotyped as extreme cleanliness and orderliness. While fears related to contamination are common, this stereotype drastically reduces the grand scope of obsessional fears as well as the true distress that they can result in. Obsessions can include anything you can think of. For example, you...
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The Grey Area: Shedding Light on Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences
Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic.
Karen has been a fan of paintings and portraits since before we began dating. I enjoy them, but art isn’t my cup of tea. Because I love Karen, I try to get excited when we go to museums and she tries to get me to understand what makes a specific piece so great. One day, at a museum, she finally stopped me in my tracks and told me I was confused about the concept of visual learning. She then confused me even further by telling me I was mistaken...
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To Play or Not to Play: How Different Video Games Can Affect Our Kids
[bctt tweet="Work toward opening up a discussion with your kids about their video games." username="ricepsychology"]Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic.
At Diana’s party last weekend, the topics of conversation over dinner varied wildly, and you could say that a few were about some pretty touchy subjects. For example, we talked about how teachers have so much less time to be creative in their classrooms because of all the testing, how many families we know who have been touched by drug addiction and whether we should be tracking our kids by their cell phones. Surprisingly enough,...
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