Blog

It’s the final stretch before winter break. Hallways and classrooms are buzzing with the anticipation and excitement of the holiday season – and break from school! Behind all of the energy, however, your students may feel restless, overstimulated, and even anxious, especially if the holidays are stressful at home. Impulse control goes right out the window, and they may have a hard time focusing. (You probably feel the same way!) Your students may seem more irritable if their home rou …

​​The following ​is a Q&A with Boys Town Behavioral expert, Dr. Patricia Gisbert, on some of the most common questions parents have about using praise with their younger children. Q: What is Praise? A: More than anything else, children want and need the attention of ​their parents and they will do anything to get it. Praise is the positive attention and approval children crave from their parents. Unfortunately, we often tend to give children negative attention only when they are doing s …

From grief to puberty and everything in between, parents and teachers are bound to face tough conversations with their children. As school counselors, we’re often the ones helping to guide these moments, whether we’re supporting families, talking to teachers, or navigating difficult conversations ourselves.  Here are a few go-to strategies I use myself, as well as tips I frequently share with families and staff to help support making tough conversations easier. Tips for Parents …