Is There a Med For That?

Vicki and Dunc talk about conflict between parents and kids, and between parents themselves.  They discuss how conflict is not only not a bad thing, it's a good thing, even if it is in disguise.  

"Individuation" is psych-speak for the process of a child's growing up -- moving from dependence on a parent to independence.  It is the root cause of a huge number of issues in parenting. These include teenage anxiety (your child lives in your basement until the age of 30), and teenage defiance (your child runs away at the age of 15).  Learn more here!

Duncan talks the basics of psychiatric medication for kids.  Victoria, our resident parent, asks good questions of the doc.  Here's what you should know before you walk into a psychiatrist's office.  

Vic and Dunc are both parents, and do their best to take their own advice.  To no one's surprise, this is much easier said than done.  In this episode, they share some of their own personal challenges in raising kids.  

In Part 1, Dunc and Vicki talk about bipolar disorder in adults, because it is essential to understanding what "bipolar" means in kids.  Here's Part 2 of the series which is meant to be an introduction to the diagnosis.  More episodes on the topic to follow!  

Want a to come to terms with one of the most controversial diagnoses in child psychiatry?   Here you go.  This is Part 1 of a 2-part series on child bipolar disorder.  In order to understand what bipolar disorder is in kids, you have to understand what bipolar disorder is in adults.   Just trust us, this makes Part 2 make sense.   

Teenagers are wired to fight.  Well, more accurately they are wired to "individuate," to separate themselves from their parents so they can become their own individuals.  Nobody likes to be told what to do, and the individuation process makes it doubly true for kids.  This episode is an intro as to how to approach this problem and diffuse civil war at home while still doing your job as a parent.  

Duncan and Victoria talk about kids who intentionally cut themselves, a behavior that seems to be happening more and more these days.  They review the many different reasons kids cut themselves and explain why there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to the problem.  

Vicki and Duncan talk more about the Guidelines, natural consequences, and how to approach it when your child tells you where (and why) you can shove your family's social code.  

Vicki and Duncan talk about apology: what it is, what it is not, and how and why apologizing is an essential skill in a healthy family.