The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting raises many issues, but one still requiring closer examination is how small children respond to trauma and what can be done to effectively intervene when trauma occurs. Several years ago, a state-of-the-art and little known resource was assembled by the National Institute of Mental Health titled Health Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters. A copy of this parents' education guide on trauma is available at NIMH. 

Don't be in denial about stalking. The U.S. Department of Justice considers you a victim if you are on the receiving end of at least one of these behaviors twice during a 12-month period and it resulted in fear for your safety or that of a family member: 1) unwanted phone calls; 2) unsolicited or unwanted letters or emails; 3) being followed or spied on; 4) the stalker waits at places for you; 6) receiving unwanted items, presents, or flowers; and/or 7) information being posted or rumors being…

Contrary to what you might have heard, parents-not friends-are the number one influencer of teens' behavior choices. Monitoring teen behavior (e.g., "Where are you going, and with whom? Here's what time you need to be back.") reduces behavioral risk among teens. Over 75% of teen pregnancies are unplanned, and the highest rate of new HIV infections occurs among young people aged 20 to 24. Research shows that when parents set rules for their kids and monitor them, sexual intercourse occurs later…

Identify theft typically means stolen financial information, hassles battling credit agencies, or legal nightmares. But there is a different and scarier type of identify theft - digital kidnapping. Almost anything posted online can be exploited, and children's photos are not immune. Both medical and and parenting organizations are cautioning parents to think twice about posting children's photos online. "Digital kidnapping" describes the phenomenon of stealing or copying photos of children…

Whether you witness a catastrophic event or discover that you must give an unprepared speech in the next 30 seconds, crises happens. And regardless of magnitude, the "recipe" for responding to any of them is the same. The first step is the most important - avoiding panic and emotional confusion by staying in the moment and focusing only on what is directly in front of you. This is easier said than done, because most crises instill immediate fear - fear of what's coming next. If you detach…

Influenza can lead to hospitalization, even death. Each year, on average 35,000 people die from flu in the U.S. The majority are over 65. Being healthy as an ox won't make you resistant to it. So the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting vaccinated. Concerned about the vaccine's risk, safety, makeup and side effects? Flu virus strains change, but did you know the most infective strain hit in 1918-19? It killed 40 million people rivaling the Black Death of Europe in…

Holiday drinking and driving don't mix. On average, a drunk driver will drive 80 times under the influence before his or her first arrest. One person in the U.S. is killed in a drunk-driving incident approximately every 35 minutes - about 40 people a day. Ninety percent of all drunk drivers had someone sober nearby who could have intervened to help prevent their getting behind the wheel. Fifty to seventy-five percent of people who have their license suspended due to drunk driving continue to…

Will you be using the holiday season to help a child learn about charity or volunteerism? The goal, of course, is helping a child grow into an adult who values the importance of helping others who are less fortunate. Your community is sure to have many opportunities, but even a simple craft gift made by a child can brighten the day of someone in need. Tip: Try discussing with the youngster the positive feelings of doing something beneficial for others. This small exercise in self-awareness will…

Start early to teach children leadership skills. It enhances their self-esteem and imparts a stronger sense of responsibility, giving them a proactive, solution-focused view of their world. Show them how to choose a goal, pursue it, stay on task, and mark progress. Help them understand positive and constructive feedback. Teach celebrating success - and also how to share credit with those who helped them achieve it. Contrast small goals with larger ones that have a life-changing impact. Teach…