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Raising children is a difficult and often thankless job. If you ask any parent, however, you’ll hear them say that it’s worth it. Your child is more than just your flesh and blood – he is your life and your number-one priority. When something seems wrong, no one has to ask you to step in and find a solution. Chances are that you’ve already been thinking about what to do.

It’s not easy being a parent, but some children are more difficult than others. As a parent, however, you know the difference between your child acting out and your child acting differently. Behavioral changes are going to happen throughout your child’s life, but some changes are not normal. If you notice your child exhibiting serious behavioral issues or sudden changes, run, don’t walk to your pediatrician’s office. From there, the next step might be to visit a child psychologist. No parent wants to hear that their child has a behavioral disorder but knowing is better than not knowing because it means that you can take steps to help your child.

Finding help for your child is just one step in the process. Once you start getting his behavioral issues under control, you need to start thinking ahead. This means considering your child’s future, particularly in terms of his education. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common behavioral issues in school-age children and talk about whether an alternative school might help your child.

This video examines

Friends come and go over the years. If you think back over the course of your life, you can probably name different friends from different time periods. You may even have certain friends that you rarely see but, when you do, it seems like no time has passed at all. Unfortunately, few of us are lucky enough to still be friends with the people we knew in college, let alone grade school.

Though it is normal for friendships to change over time, the people you spend your time with impact your life in more ways than you realize. Having a good friend by yourself can make the stresses of life seem a little more bearable. Friendships can even cancel out some of the difficulties of life.

In fact, a new study revealed that the friendships children make during the early years of school can actually offset the negative consequences of bad parenting. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of friendships for grade school students and how to cultivate them.

This TEDTalk discusses the importance of childhood friendships.

Why Are Friendships Important for Children?

When it comes to early childhood development, many parents focus on things like a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stimulating activities. Early childhood friendships are easily overlooked as something that has an influence on a child’s development, but they are more important than you may realize.

The times are always changing and what was considered normal a few decades ago may no longer be the case. While change is often a good thing, sometimes it isn’t – that is the case with the rising prevalence of obesity among children. Childhood obesity rates are ever-climbing, and it has become something of an epidemic in the United States.

While obesity may seem like nothing more than an aesthetic issue, body weight has a significant impact on health and wellness – especially for children. Children who are overweight or obese are much more likely to become obese adults and that puts them at right for a whole host of dangerous health problems that could negatively impact their lifespan and their quality of life. As a parent, it is your job to provide for your children and to keep them happy and healthy. If your child is overweight or obese, don’t play it off as a minor issue – step up and do something about it!

In this article, we’ll discuss the problem of childhood obesity and what public schools are doing to prevent it. We’ll also discuss some at-home tips you can implement to help your child achieve and maintain healthy body weight.

This video examines the issue of childhood obesity.

Identifying the Problem: Obesity in Children and Adolescents

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, over 78 million adults and

While you can’t enclose your child in a plastic bubble to protect him, there are simple steps you can take to keep him safe at school. Keep reading to learn more about food allergies in children and to receive tips for keeping your child safe when he is at school.

This video explains parents' concerns about sending their allergy-prone children to school.

How Common Are Food Allergies in Children?

According to the Food Allergy Research & Education Corporation, there are more than 170 foods that have been reported to cause allergic reactions. The eight primary food allergens are milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. Current estimates suggest that roughly 15 million Americans suffer from food allergies, including nearly 6 million children under the age of 18.

A food allergy is more than just a sensitivity to a certain type of food – it is a medical condition triggered by exposure to an allergen that induces a harmful immune response in the body. Allergies can range in severity, but some of the

Has your child started to withdraw from friends and family? Does he spend a lot of time on his own, seemingly uninterested in activities he once enjoyed? Have you noticed changes in his behavior, sleep, or eating habits? If you answered “Yes” to any of these, your child could be depressed. Many people think of depression and other mental health issues as adult problems, but the truth is that they can affect young adults and children as well.

Mental health problems are nothing to scoff at and they certainly shouldn’t be ignored. Childhood mental illness can affect the rest of your child’s life, depending on whether he gets treatment at a young age or not. Every child experiences mental illness differently so it is your job as a parent to know your child well enough to identify the signs and to take the initiative in seeking treatment. Keep reading to learn more about mental illness in children and to receive tips for supporting your child.

Mental Health Issues in Public Schools

According to the CDC, as many as one in five kids in the United States will exhibit signs of mental illness in any given year. This means that in a typical classroom of 25 students, as many as five of them will be struggling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, or other forms of mental illness. Unfortunately, about 80% of children who suffer from mental illness don’t get the treatment or support that they need which ultimately leads