Child Development Psychology

Spirited infants are the outliers—the exceptions to the “rules,” the extraordinary ones. They arrive in this world genetically wired to be alert and intense. Spirited babies put parents to the test and raising them takes special skills and patient perseverance. In this groundbreaking new book, beloved parenting expert Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, Ed.D., offers her findings in the fields of neuroscience, sleep, temperament, self-regulation, attachment, and parent-child interactions, and shares what she has learned from hands-on experiences with families.

Despite our best intentions, most of us are woefully unprepared to become parents. In Real Love in Parenting, you'll learn the answers to the questions below, and you'll discover that parenting can be deeply rewarding, instead of tedious and frustrating.

We have long attributed man's violent, aggressive, competitive nature to his animal ancestry. But what if we are just as given to cooperation, empathy, and morality by virtue of our genes? What if our behavior actually makes us apes? What kind of apes are we?

Combining cutting-edge research with broad anecdotal evidence from her work as a clinical psychologist to illustrate just how invaluable spirituality is to a child's mental and physical health, Miller translates these findings into practical advice for parents, giving them concrete ways to develop and encourage their children's - as well as their own - well-being. In this provocative, conversation-starting book, Dr. Miller presents us with a pioneering new way to think about parenting our modern youth.

Imagine waking up one day to discover that you have forgotten everything about your life. Your only link with the past, your only hope for the future, is your identical twin. Now imagine, years later, discovering that your twin had not told you the whole truth about your childhood, your family, and the forces that had shaped you. Why the secrets? Why the silences? You have no choice but to begin again. This has been Alex's reality: a world where memories are just the stories people tell you, where fact and fiction are impossible to distinguish.

Most people are familiar with PTSD. But many have not heard of complex PTSD and developmental trauma disorder. As adults, many of us experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. We feel chronically stressed. We have trouble trusting others, or we may even experience feelings of paranoia in our relationships with others. We struggle to define what it is that is bothering us, and we struggle to find ways effective ways to treat it.

It could happen at the grocery store. At a restaurant. At school. At home. Meltdowns are stressful for both child and adult, but Dr. Baker can help! Dr. Jed Baker offers parents and teachers strategies for preventing and managing meltdowns. His 20+ years of experience working with children on the autism spectrum, combined with his personal experiences raising his own children, have yielded time-tested strategies and results!

Being afraid of the dark is a very common fear among children. Even adults jump at shadows. Ever watched a horror movie and tried to get a glass of water in dim light? From bugs to darkness to strange phenomena, children are afraid of the unknown. They have no reference point to explain these new stimuli, and they turn to the most basic instinct of human nature: fight or flight.

Best-selling author Michele Borba offers a nine-step program to help parents cultivate empathy in children, from birth to young adulthood - and explains why developing a healthy sense of empathy is a key predictor of which kids will thrive and succeed in the future.

The comprehensive guide explains what BPD is and what a patient's treatment options are, including an overview of the revolutionary new treatment called dialectic behavior therapy. Author Blaise A. Aguirre, M.D., one of the foremost experts in the field, describes recent advances in treatments and brings into focus what we know, and don't know, about this condition.

Here is a landmark book that reveals the way boys think and that shows parents, educators, and coaches how to reach out and help boys overcome their most common yet difficult challenges - by the best-selling author who changed our conception of adolescent girls. What you'll find in Masterminds and Wingmen is critically important for every parent - or anyone who cares about boys - to know. Collaborating with a large team of middle- and high-school-age editors, Rosalind Wiseman has created an unprecedented guide to the life your boy is actually experiencing - his on-the-ground reality.

Every parent has pondered "nature vs. nurture" questions. How much of my child's personality and behavior is inborn? How much is learned? This important book, written by behavioral scientists who are also mothers, has answers. This book offers the best parenting practices to foster resilience by encouraging children's social-emotional development and adaptive stress-regulation strategies. The authors translate scientific research into concrete, actionable tips and recommendations to help promote the emotional wellbeing of both child and parent.

Raising Multiracial Children gives caregivers the tools for exploring race with their children, offering practical guidance on how to initiate conversations; consciously foster racial identity development; discuss issues like microaggressions, intersectionality, and privilege; and intentionally cultivate a sense of belonging.

Acute trauma and addictive disorders are often a result of psychological injuries experienced as a child, while typically producing long-term and harmful generational consequences on loved ones and other family members. Claudia Black presents a portrait of a broken family system, exploring how addiction and trauma develop in families, their damaging repetition, and offers a roadmap for healing.

As a psychologist and child psychoanalyst, Dr. Masur has helped many children recognize and express their feelings after loss. In How Children Grieve, Masur shares her expertise with caregivers of all kinds, giving them the tools they need to help a child or teenager to mourn, to move forward, and to make meaning of terrible loss.

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy is one of the cruelest forms of child abuse imaginable. It is very difficult to prove and even harder to prosecute. This story chronicles a woman's journey as she discovers that her two grandchildren are victims of this abuse that most people have never even heard of. Her faith in God kept her going as she turned their tragedies and trials into triumph. Follow her journey of faith as she fights to rescue, protect, and bring healing to her grandchildren's broken spirits and shattered little souls.

Male sexual abuse occurs far more commonly than previously suspected, yet too few victims ever seek support. Countless remain silent. They cope through avoidance, isolation, substance abuse, hyper-masculinity, etc. Men Too: Unspoken Truths About Male Sexual Abuse is for male survivors and their supporters. It is an educational, heart-wrenching look at 13 male sexual abuse victims experience, written from the perspective of a retired police officer and registered psychologist. Men Too highlights the complex and unique barriers boys and men face during and after abuse.

Calvin A. Colarusso, MD, noted child psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and expert on human development describes the characteristics of bullies and victims, underlying causes of bullying, offers case examples, and recommends practical steps parents should take when their child is bullied.

Parenting just got tougher. As your child's brain rewires, hormones kick in, and independence beckons, a perfect storm for family conflict emerges. But help is at hand. Divided into two sections—aged 8 to 10 and aged 10 to 12—this practical parenting book is grounded in evidence-based psychology, exploring the science at work during this period of your child's development. Taking 75 everyday scenarios, the book tackles real-world issues head-on, from sibling clashes and sulks to more serious concerns as your child edges towards their teenage years.

Have you ever felt like sleeping is a better option compared to waking up and facing the day? These signs might actually indicate a serious underlying problem. We need to know how our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interact especially in the case of conditions such as depression, anger, anxiety, phobia, and panic. This book is designed to help children, teenagers, and young adults understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.