Why School Punishments for Minor Infractions Don’t Always Work on Kids

on March 6, 2020 at 12:09 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. Our son is a good kid and does well in school, but my husband and I have noticed that he’s made a couple of questionable decisions in recent months. Nothing serious, but enough to get our attention. We spoke to him about them when they happened, and he was always receptive. Last month, though, he was given detention after talking back to one of his teachers. He was angry and told us, “This is so stupid! All I did was make a joke about something she said! She knew I...

JOMO – The Joy of Missing Out: How We Can Liberate Ourselves from Overstimulation Through Restraint and Moderation

By Rice Psychology Group

on January 10, 2019 at 5:49 PM /

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...

Sideline Parenting: The Effects on Your Children and Their Performance in Sports

By Rice Psychology Group

on July 26, 2018 at 9:45 AM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. The president of the American Youth Soccer Organization recently spoke about a teenager who had always played soccer, then one year refused to try out. He chose snowboarding instead. He was asked why. “My dad doesn’t know anything about snowboarding,” he said. “And, you know, it’s cold on the slopes, so he doesn’t come and watch me. So, I get to snowboard without someone yelling at me all the time.” Psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison is quoted as saying, “We play because we have an exuberance of spirit and energy, but we...

A Smartphone Holiday: What You Should Keep in Mind Before Making a Purchase for Your Child

By Rice Psychology Group

on November 29, 2017 at 5:10 PM /

Written by Matthew Rigberg, LHMC Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s piece. Susan is the mother of a 12-year old boy and 14-year old girl. She finds herself in a difficult spot. Both of her children have given her a list of gifts that they’d like, and a smartphone is at the top of each. Susan understands the utility of a smartphone; it allows her and her children to remain in contact throughout the day, it’s great for emergencies and will allow her kids to communicate and interact with their friends. She and her husband have worked hard...

Mindful Eating: Maintaining Your Goals When a Fad Diet Isn’t Working for You

By Rice Psychology Group

on August 9, 2017 at 7:45 PM /

Written by Matthew Rigberg, LHMC Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s piece. Mike’s younger brother’s wedding is in February and he’s decided that now is the best time to start shedding a few pounds to look great at the ceremony. The problem is that Mike has tried multiple diets in the past and none have worked. He thinks it mostly stems from the fact that it’s hard for him to maintain them. Mike finds it easy at first but consistently notices that he slips back to his old eating habits. Mike believes that the problem lies in his...

Dad Hacks: What Fathers Everywhere Can do to Make Life a Little Easier with the Kids

By Rice Psychology Group

on June 14, 2017 at 12:00 PM /

Have you noticed that there seems to be a day to recognize everything? I believe that the more recently invented "holidays" serve to devalue actual days of significance, such as Mother's Day, Labor Day and Father's Day. I've spent some time conversing with fellow fathers to glean a few trade secrets that can help to make being a dad a bit easier. I'd like to introduce a special feature called “Dad Hacks”. Being a parent can be tough when so much is going on in life. If you need a bit of help strategizing or some advice about tackling life’s hurdles,...

The Victim, the Rescuer and the Persecutor: Understanding the Basics of Drama

By Rice Psychology Group

on December 7, 2016 at 8:30 PM /

Jack and Jill have been married for 25 years. They’ve done a wonderful job in raising their four children who’ve already made their way in the world. Jack has generally been the breadwinner of the family and Jill is thinking about returning to college to finish her degree...

The Learning Curve: Fatherhood in Today’s Age – Part 2

By Rice Psychology Group

on August 31, 2016 at 10:38 PM /

In the first part of my fatherhood blog, I shared some of the experiences I had when I was presented with the gift of fatherhood. It wasn’t always easy, but by identifying my personal strengths and engaging my challenges, I was able to prioritize my role in my family’s system. If parenthood is in your horizon, it’s important to consider the transformation of the modern-age father. I’ll help you understand it with the following pieces of valuable information....

The Learning Curve: Fatherhood in Today’s Age – Part 1

By Rice Psychology Group

on August 24, 2016 at 9:12 PM /

“Oh, parenthood is amazing,” they told me. “I can now see how empty my life was before she was born,” was a fairly common refrain. And I looked at them sideways trying to figure out how their experience was so different than mine...