Stuttering does not have to derail your child’s learning or social development. If you notice that your child is suffering from a stutter, there are ways that you can help.

Stuttering is a disorder that involves obstacles to the flow of speech. It can involve repetition of sounds, prolonged sounds or even periods of silence between words. Another word used to describe it is stammering.

There are many different causes for stuttering. The first is genetics. Those who have relatives who stutter are more likely to suffer from the impairment themselves. Second, research shows that people who stutter process speech differently in their brain from people who do not have a stammer. Developmental delays of other kinds can influence stuttering. Problems with language may be secondary to other problems that the child is facing.

Many children stutter. It can be a part of the process of learning language for some children. Just because your child shows this abnormality early on doesn’t mean that it will stay with them into adulthood. However, scientists believe that children who stutter after age three and persist for more than six months may not grow out of it.

There is still much that can be done, however. Early intervention can help to eliminate or reduce the prominence of stuttering in children.

Tips to Help Children Who Stutter

One of the ways stuttering children are negatively affected is in the area of self-confidence. They may see themselves as unattractive or unpopular because they do not speak like their friends. Methods to assist a child are geared towards showing them acceptance.

* Speech therapy – In school, therapy of this kind can teach children to speak more slowly to reduce the incidence of their stutter. Even if the stutter doesn’t disappear, knowing that they are actively doing something to improve their speech can build confidence.

* Speak slowly to your child – The pressure to answer quickly can bring on a stuttering episode. Show calmness in your speech to encourage your child to slow down and think first.

* Listen to them speak – If you ask multiple questions of your child, it can lead to anxiety and confusion when it comes to giving the answers. Ask an open-ended question and wait for their response. Try to minimize interruptions so they can process thoughts clearly.

* Set aside time with your child – When things are hectic and rushed, it is harder for stuttering children to communicate. Give them time to be themselves by setting aside some time to talk and listen to their issues. Don’t draw attention to their stutter by trying to hurry them up or asking them to speak slowly. Even good-natured advice like this can cause anxiety.

If your child show signs of stuttering, early intervention is the key to building self-confidence as you work towards a solution.

Life and work can become stressful. Everyone needs a way to unwind and take their mind off of things.

Stress is our reaction to stimuli around us. Some stress can spur us on to perform at a higher level.

Other types of situations can cause us to take up bad habits to compensate. When there is no outlet for stressful feelings on the job or at home, the result can be poor health and ruined relationships.

The Benefits of Hobbies

Many people discount hobbies as a waste of time, but maybe they have never tried them. A hobby can be categorized as any activity that brings a reward beyond monetary, enriches your life, provides mental stimulation and, most of all, relieves stress. It gives you time away from ordinary activities that you must do and frees you up to do something that you want to do.

A hobby occupies the mind in new ways. Television is not considered a hobby because there is no occupation of the mind. You are entertained through visual stimulus, but that doesn’t create new pathways in the brain. The mind could still be brooding over a problem at work even though the eyes are trained on the screen.

Identifying a Hobby

Choosing a hobby may not be as easy as you think. It takes some research and planning to find just the one that suits your needs. Here are some suggestions:

* Choose something that interests you – Family and friends may make suggestions based on what they like, but your tastes may be different. Try their suggestions, but don’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t work out. Take an inventory of your likes and dislikes to get you started.

* Discover your passions – If you have a desire to create, look into the arts. You may not be great at drawing, but your imagination may lead you to creative writing or building things. A long-time passion can be turned into a hobby with the right plan.

* Find time to engage in it – Set aside time for your hobby. This can be daily or weekly if the situations in your life call for it. Don’t neglect other responsibilities to participate. You want to have a time that is not used for anything else to freely indulge your hobby.

* Consider your finances – A hobby shouldn’t cause you to overspend, but should be relaxing. You might like sports, but something such as learning how to fly may cost more than you can afford right now. Opt for a challenging sport that can be done for a fraction of the cost. Remember, you don’t want your hobby to create a new set of worries in your life.

Hobbies can enhance your life. Choose well so that you can reap joy from it for many years.

Hopefully you have a job that you enjoy, but even if you do, stress can become a factor in your life. We can control our reaction to situations but not the reactions of others. In the workplace, it is this response that can help to add stress to our normally productive lives.

Stress-Busting Tips

* Begin your work day at home – Each day is different. Thinking about yesterday’s disaster at work can add unneeded stress to your workday today. Decide to begin each new work day by blocking out what has happened the day before and looking forward to a new experience with an upbeat attitude.

* Know your job description and what is expected of you – Many times it is hard to say no when someone asks you to take on extra work. If it is outside of your job description, don’t feel bad if you have to refuse the assignment. While everyone wants to grow at their job, right now may not be the best time for you to try to tackle more, especially if you already have a full load. This can take the pressure off of you to say yes when you know that you are not required to do so.

* Organize your desk – If you are in a hurry, it is nice to be able to place your hand on exactly what you need. A messy desk can place added pressure on you that is not necessary.

* Avoid office politics – It can be all too easy to get caught up in someone else’s issues at work. If a co-worker comes to you for advice, offer to listen to them but leave it at that. Going to the boss on their behalf can lead to a tarnished relationship for you with management.

* Get exercise – You can take a short walk at lunchtime. Increasing your oxygen levels improves cardiovascular fitness and boosts clarity, immunity and problem-solving skills.

* Add humor to your day – Instead of getting into the bad mood or sour attitude of others, stay upbeat. Tell yourself a joke. If you work on a computer, subscribe to a joke-a-day website so that you get daily injections of humor to lighten the mood and alleviate pressure.

* Listen to music – It can calm not only your mind, but also your soul. Listen at work and at home to reduce stress levels by the time you see your family.

Even the best jobs can be stressful at times. Keep your stress level to a minimum with these handy tips.

It is a common misconception that you have to be an adult to experience stress, but stress is our reaction to situations in life, and it can happen at any age.

Stress at school is not just academic, however. Children have to maintain their studies while participating in school activities, sports, nurturing friendships and working. It can be a tough load if they don’t know how to handle it. Many adults don’t even have to juggle that much on a daily basis.

Tips to Manage Stress

* Stay organized – From the beginning of the school year, make sure that your children are staying on top of their homework and other assignments. Keep a separate notebook for each class so nothing gets lost or misplaced.

* Study a little each day – One way that many children study is cramming. They will have all their knowledge in their heads for the exam, but it will evaporate afterwards. That means it will be harder to study for the next test if it builds on the information they have already learned. Instead, advise your children to read over their notes each night so that the information is still fresh in their minds.

* Get a good night’s sleep – Sleep is a hard task for many students. With all of their activities, sleep time is usually cut short. Over time, lack of sleep can increase stress levels by decreasing concentration and memory retention. Try to set a specific bedtime each night so that they get at least eight to ten hours of sleep.

* Talk to your children – When children get stressed, it helps to get them talking. Voicing your concerns allows others to offer suggestions for solving them. Armed with solutions, your children can better cope with whatever comes their way throughout the day.

* Enlist the help of others – If your children are having trouble in a particular subject, find a tutor. Getting help at the beginning can avoid homework and exam stress.

* Begin early – If there is a project due in three weeks, waiting until the last week could pose a time crunch, especially if other assignments are also due around the same time. If they begin now while they have time, they can address any obstacles they might face and finish early. This can reduce the amount of worry they have to deal with.

* Limit after-school activities – Colleges want to see well-rounded applicants, but too many activities can be counterproductive. Children should choose a couple that they like and concentrate on increasing participation instead of increasing the number of activities.

School can be just as stressful as work in the adult world. Here are some tips to avoid it in your children.

Children are not immune to feeling the effects of stress. but often overlook the signs because we don’t expect to see it. If you suspect that something is wrong with your child, here are some of the symptoms.

Think of all that children have to deal with: classwork, school activities, friends, self-image and growing up. Going through the changes that occur with each age level can bring about enough anxiety to lead to stress in children.

Symptoms of Stress

Here are some ways to recognize stress in children:

* Change in appetite – Children love to eat. If your children are showing less than their usual interest in meals or they skip meals due to a stomachache, it could be stress related.

* Irritability – When children have a hard time figuring things out, it can lead to frustration. This may show itself in the simplest of tasks at home. After only one try, they may throw their toy or project aside and storm off.

* Sleeplessness – Your children may wake up early in the morning or come to the breakfast table with dark circles under their eyes. This is more than likely because stress is leading to insomnia. Another symptom of sleeplessness can be an increased incidence of nightmares.

* Withdrawal – Stress can lead to a withdrawal from friends or pleasurable activities. Children rarely stay inside if they have a good reason to be outside.

* Whining – Children may do some of that but as they assert their independence, less and less is exhibited. Children who seem needier than normal could have a stress issue.

* Mood swings – Children experience these, too. A generally happy child may become angry or manic for no reason. If the change continues to occur, they may be overwhelmed in some area of their lives.

* Dropping grades – This is almost a sure sign that something has changed, especially if your children are used to achieving high marks. Talking to a teacher may shed some light on the cause. Also, check their book bags for hidden test papers with low grades that they may have been keeping from you.

Children are people pleasers. They do not want to disappoint their parents or their teachers. Trying to live up to expectations placed on them can be a catalyst for stress. Talk to your children. Assure them that you want to help them avoid stress as much as possible.

We all have anxiety present in our daily lives, but some think longer and harder about certain circumstances and it affects their quality of life.

Chronic anxiety is a part of a series of conditions called generalized anxiety disorders. They include panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, phobias and social anxiety disorders. Where others may feel overwhelmed in a situation and then recover, those who experience chronic anxiety always find themselves back in this situation no matter what they do.

Chronic anxiety is a condition that may begin as normal worry. A situation in your life may cause you to begin fretting about the present or the future. Over time, these thoughts consume you and dictate your actions. What some people may push aside and forget about, others will continue lamenting.

Anxiety is not uncommon. A person who changes their life in answer to increased anxious thoughts may be experiencing a more severe problem. If you have been experiencing any of the following symptoms for at least six months, see your doctor. They can suggest a course of treatment which may involve seeing a psychologist. Official diagnosis of chronic anxiety requires at least six months of unrelenting symptoms.

Signs of Chronic Anxiety

* Digestive issues – When we are upset or nervous about a situation, we get “butterflies” in our stomach. This can happen before a public speech. What is not normal is when the issues are more progressive and don’t go away after the event has passed. They can include heartburn, cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

* Chest pain – Often associated with heart attacks and angina, chest pains may arise when you think of a certain situation in your life. It can also bring on heart palpitations or shortness of breath.

* Irritability – Anxiety can lead to a state of restlessness. The constant thoughts that you can’t get away from can make you impatient with yourself, especially if you desperately want to change.

* Insomnia – Sleeplessness is a sign of worry. The mind takes time to calm down at night, but it is harder to complete this process and get to sleep when you are filled with anxious thoughts.

* Confusion – Some people view anxiety as being in a fog. The perceptions and thoughts alter how you see your life. You are also easily distracted by new thoughts that lead to anxious feelings. You may feel as though you are losing your mind because you can’t control your thoughts or your response to them.

Those who experience anxiety disorders don’t have to live in fear or shame. There is treatment that can reduce or totally relieve the symptoms by getting at the underlying condition.

Stress in general refers to our reaction to stimuli in our lives. Learning how to deal with stress can make all the difference between meeting and overcoming challenges or being distressed by them.

Have you ever heard of “eustress”? The prefix “-eu” means “good.” Stress can have an upside. Seeing someone else performing better than you can cause you to step up your game and sharpen your skills. This works well in sports competitions and is motivation for getting the most out of life.

When stress levels are high they elicit the “fight or flight” response. The body prepares to go to battle if it has to. Adrenaline is released into the bloodstream. Muscles tense to prepare to stay and fight or run. Pupils dilate to take in the entire surroundings.

When we learn to handle stress, this response is not exhibited all the time. The body only reverts back to this instinctual path during times of real danger. On the other hand, when stress is out of control, you may experience this heightened state more often than you need to.

These levels of stress take their toll on the body.  If you are overstressed, you may begin to notice these signs and symptoms:

* Dizziness

* Sleeplessness

* Difficulty concentrating

* Fatigue

* Irritability

* Loss of appetite

* Decreased sex drive

Fighting Back

You can combat these symptoms in the following ways, which are designed to help you deal with stressors in your life and change their effect on you for good:

* Make a plan – Many times, stress occurs because we don’t take the time to add order to our lives. If you are always in traffic in the morning, it might be because you are running late. Work on getting to bed earlier so you can rise on time and avoid the traffic.

* Take time for yourself – Even the busiest person needs a time-out. If your evenings are booked, decide to get up early in the morning to spend a peaceful thirty minutes alone. Use that time to read, meditate, listen to music or something entirely different. The purpose is to calm the mind and the body.

* Visualization – This technique helps because you actively see yourself overcoming the stressors in your life. Go through the motions of how you would deal with the stress and then actually do it.

* Exercise – A stress-relieving exercise is yoga, which combines stretches that help to tone muscles and also promote relaxation. The mind-body connection is cultivated.

Stress can be good and bad. Use it to motivate you instead of making you sick. Use the suggestions above to begin to push back the stressors in your life and get a handle on things.

Going to the doctor is not necessarily a fun experience. Children may sense this and complain about having to go. If they are fearful, here are some ways that you can calm them beforehand.

Children can sense that something unpleasant may be about to occur. When you tell them that they are making a visit to the doctor, there may be a twinge of panic.

Your children may remember getting shots or the bright lights or the cold room from previous visits, which are all aspects of a routine visit to a pediatrician. While the past visits weren’t harmful, they may have left some lasting impressions.

To avoid fighting with your children each time they have to visit the pediatrician, dentist or another specialist, here are some tips to keep them calm and actually have them looking forward to the visit.

First, consider what your child may be thinking, as mentioned above.

Pain – Shots are not easy to take. Even if your child doesn’t remember them, they may anticipate some sort of pain due to their fear.

The doctor – What will he or she be like? The doctor may look scary to a child, who may not feel warmth or comfort and sense danger instead.

So, here is what you can do for them:

* Talk to them – Explain what type of doctor they will see and what will happen. If they are going to see a dentist, talk about how they see you brushing your teeth in the morning or how you brush theirs. Explain that the dentist will do the same thing and check to see that their teeth are healthy.

* Show them – You can find just about any video you want on the internet these days. Find one that shows how teeth are cleaned and what exactly a dentist does. If you are visiting a pediatrician, maybe you can demonstrate how they listen to their heart or look into their eyes.

* Make a practice run – Ask the doctor if your child can visit just before they begin office hours, or after hours. They can see the examination room, meet the staff and get a feel for the office before they actually have to be there. In such a calm environment, they can ask questions and see that there is nothing to be afraid of.

* Get them involved – Write down questions your child may want to ask. Involving them in the process can make them feel better.

Is your child anxious about a visit to the doctor? Learn what is making them fearful and then take steps to try and alleviate those worrie

In present day society, we are often focused on what is wrong instead of what is right. Everything is viewed in the negative. But what if we looked at the positive and learned from that?

What Is Positive Psychology?

Imagine that you are looking at a butterfly trying to bust out of its cocoon. Using it as a metaphor for life, someone might say that life is hard and we struggle against forces that we aren’t sure of. This is often how psychology works. It asks us what the problem is and tries to come up with solutions and answers from that standpoint.

Let’s look at that butterfly again. What if, instead of looking at the negative aspect, we concentrated on the positive? It takes some time since we aren’t wired to think that way, but it can be done. The butterfly is using its strength to push open to a new world one day at a time. As he pushes out, his wings get stronger. Once he is out, he can soar to the heavens happily.

What about that inner strength? It has a valid place in our lives and our society. That is one of the beliefs of positive psychology.

Positive psychology is the scientific study of the attributes and virtues that cause a person, a community or a family unit to survive and do it well. According to those who practice positive psychology, the human condition is not to rail against adversity, but to find ways to thrive in life independent of circumstance.

Everyone wants to make a life for themselves that is fulfilling. No one starts out striving to be mediocre or live a so-so life. For those who are living exceptional lives, their traits are studied to help others to do exactly the same thing. The tables are turned from using the negative to explain feelings and purpose to viewing the positive and how to find that in each person.

The theory is that when people learn to identify the positives in themselves, they can continue to replicate more positives in their lives and the lives of those around them. This is the basis of research being done in this field.

The goals of positive psychology are:

* Strengthen communities to begin to work together for everyone’s good

* Get people to learn to recognize their strengths and how to build on them for a bright future filled with purpose

* Teach families and schools to help children grow and flourish in the environment

* Train therapists to look for the positives in their patients and cultivate it

* Teach community leaders and others to bring this training to the members in their neighborhoods.

It is believed that positive psychology will build better individuals. These people will have more tolerance of differences, even embracing them for the common good.

Positive psychology is a growing field with a lot of potential in individual lives and communities.

For women, meeting midlife means menopause. For men, there is the equivalent of a midlife crisis. So, what is a midlife crisis?

There are times when we naturally re-evaluate our lives. Hitting adulthood is usually the first. Being a child and having your parents watch over your shoulder is over. Another milestone occurs during the onset of middle age. For women, this can be variable, but is somewhere between 40 and 55, depending upon when other women in your family experienced menopause.

For men, this can begin around 40 or 50 and last almost as long. It is jokingly referred to as “man-opause,” but it is serious condition that has both men and women worried. Here are some ways to identify midlife crisis and get through it.

It is easy to lose your way, especially when what you thought was once true about yourself is in question. Let’s take a man who is an executive. All of the sudden he wakes up to realize that a younger hotshot is reaching for his job. In the mirror, his hair is turning gray, and he may look at himself and see a few extra pounds around the middle.

All of these things can give him the wrong impression of himself and lead to trouble. As the image in others’ eyes seems to have changed, a man begins to question himself.

What are the symptoms? Take a look at your man. He may be experiencing insomnia, fatigue, depression, foreboding, lack of concentration and focus at work, thoughts of dreams unfulfilled, his own mortality and those of shifting roles in society.

Many men have affairs during midlife crises. It may be like trying to recapture something that they think they have lost. And then there are the big toys like new cars and boats that can make them feel young again.

What can a man do? He must first recognize that this is what is going on. Next, he should discuss it with his partner and let her him through this time. Her love and reassurance of his importance to them can get his feet back on the right track. The grass is not always greener on the other side, and he doesn’t want to ruin his marriage, family or life trying to find that out.

Get help. He should talk to a family counselor or talk one-on-one. He should tell them of his concerns and ask for help with the feelings. Maybe he needs to rekindle his relationships and accept the new roles his life. They are different but that doesn’t mean they are inferior to who he was before.

Midlife crises don’t have to be his ruination. He should face it with support and love, and get through it with new knowledge of himself and not regrets.