Homework, Testing and Mental Health

on March 5, 2015 at 9:01 PM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist With testing in full swing here in Hillsborough County and parents questions regarding Common Core and Standardized Tests, I've been keeping an eye out for information regarding current demands on students. What I've found is that everyone has an opinion, including me. I have also found that there is some very in-depth information out there that provides details on how academics affect the emotional and mental wellbeing of our youth. The following article is shared courtesy of the National Association of School Psychologists. It contains some great insight and guidelines for homework and learning. Take a look...

Emotionally Connecting With Your Children

By Rice Psychology Group

on February 4, 2015 at 10:38 PM /

By Elaine Spencer, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist As a mother of two young children, I often feel that there are not enough hours in the day to take care of them and accomplish all of the seemingly endless tasks that need to be done. I end up asking myself...

How do you measure "Smart"?

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on January 7, 2015 at 5:35 PM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist I recently read the book “Mindset” by psychologist, Carol Dweck. What a wonderful discovery! Dr. Dweck’s message is that our mindset can help or hinder us to a significant degree; more than we may have even imagined. Her book is based on more than 20 years of research that demonstrates the difference between having a fixed or closed mindset and an open or growth mindset. She explains that a fixed mindset is one where you believe that qualities such as intelligence and personality are set as is and cannot be changed. Whereas, a growth mindset, is one...

Loosening the Ties: Letting Your Kids "Go" When It’s Time for College

By Rice Psychology Group

on November 19, 2014 at 2:09 PM /

By Megan Sutsko, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist There are significant moments in a child’s development that elicit both joy and anxiety for parents. These moments remind us of the unstoppable truth that, from the instant a child is brought into the world, they are moving away from their parents and towards independence; first steps, first day of school, graduations, learning to drive, moving out for college, and of course, getting married and one day having children of their own. In my work with teens, young adults, and families, it has become apparent that navigating the college departure with wisdom and bravery is crucial...

Candy, Costumes and Caution – Managing the impact of Sugar, Halloween and Safety

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 22, 2014 at 1:13 PM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Halloween. Ahhhh. A smile just takes over my face as I say the word. I remember walking around Great Neck, New York with my friend Amy and sometimes other kids as well, filling up my plastic pumpkin and then coming home to sort through my loot. Halloween is the time of year when I discovered that Clark Bars, Bit-O-Honey and what used to be called $100,000 Bars (now called 100 Grand Bar) were oh so delicious. And the costumes? Childhood memories of the elephant costume made out of a hooded gray sweat suit (stuffed trunk and all),...

How Parents Can Be the Ultimate Spoilsports

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 8, 2014 at 11:41 AM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist The Psychological wins and losses in competitive sports are pressure enough. But, are you as a parent supporting your child or transferring your desires onto them causing them to feel stress and disappointment? Are you the dad who is insulting the ref who made a bad call? Are you the mom who wants to tell your son’s coach a thing or two after the game about either over or underplaying your child? Maybe you are the horse show parent who coaches from outside the ring, interfering with what your child’s trainer is telling her to do. And, let’s hope...

Do Today’s Children Need a Media Diet?

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 25, 2014 at 12:21 PM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist How much is too much? According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, today's children spend more than 7.5 hours a day with media. That's more than many of them spend in school and it leads me to wonder...

Why Parents Can’t Be Dumb About Social Media

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 10, 2014 at 2:13 PM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Today many in the Tampa Bay area will be remembering Rebecca Sedwick through vigils, classroom and home discussions, and of course, news reports on teens and bullying. One year ago today, Rebecca committed suicide after reportedly being bullied both on and offline for more than a year. These stories seem to be far too common these days and I am often asked how parents can help prevent bullying, especially online. Walking the fine line of respecting your child’s online privacy while looking out for their well-being is a challenge that our parents didn’t exactly have. I always use...

How Your Guidance Counselor and Psychologist Can Work Together

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on August 12, 2014 at 7:13 PM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist When I was in high school, I struggled more than a bit with self-esteem and self-confidence. Getting homework done required an inordinate amount of effort and I rarely felt satisfied with the final product. My grades were fine but I generally had a nagging feeling that I didn’t really understand things as well as my classmates and I was convinced that I wasn’t smart. If you have read my chapter in Succeeding Against All Odds (free give away on my website homepage), you probably already know why. My school guidance counselor, Mrs. Rosner, was the first...

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

By Rice Psychology Group

on July 29, 2014 at 3:34 PM /

Sarah is the mother of a 5 year old boy, Dylan. She feels frustrated and lost as to how to handle her son’s behaviors. He throws tantrums when he does not get his way, screams, hits, and throws things. Sarah finds herself constantly telling Dylan to clean up his toys and he refuses to comply. She gets so frustrated that she yells and loses her temper. She eventually cleans up the toys herself....