September 10, 2025 Child Mind Institute Offers Resources for Suicide Prevention Month To honor Suicide Prevention Month in September, the Child Mind Institute has released a list of resources for caregivers to combat the scourge. Learn More Suicidal feelings or attempts in children can leave adults feeling helpless and struggling to figure out the cause of distress. But there are services and treatments available for people of all ages who are experiencing suicidal behavior. Among the Child Mind Institute’s resources is a piece on cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention (CBT-SP), which helps children and teens recognize and change the thoughts that drive suicidal behavior and learn tools to cope with painful feelings. There are also resources on how to create a safety plan so children know what to do if such thoughts emerge as well as guidance on how to notice signs that a child might be suicidal. Below are the Child Mind Institute’s resources: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP) Reducing a Suicide Risk with Safety Plans Signs a Child Might Be Suicidal Teen Suicides: What Are the Warning Signs? What To Do If You’re Worried About Suicide What Are the Symptoms of Depression in Teenagers? Taking a Child to the Emergency Room
September 8, 2025 Resources for Caregivers Parenting Multiple Children with Mental Health Challenges Caregivers who take care of multiple children face the task of juggling many needs at once – and often at different maturity levels and schedules. But balancing the needs of multiple children can be even more challenging when more than one child struggles with mental health issues. Learn More The Child Mind Institute has compiled a list of resources to help caregivers meet these challenges, allowing them to take care of themselves while also giving each child the support they need. Among the resources are a list of common challenges faced by families when more than one child has a mental health issue as well as how to approach conflict between siblings with different needs. The resources include ways caregivers can prevent children from arguing and how to encourage connection. There is a discussion on how to navigate differing parenting styles while making sure children are properly supported. The Child Mind Institute also includes advice from siblings of children with mental health challenges on how caregivers can ensure that each child feels seen and heard. The resources also include guidance on how to avoid burnout. The Child Mind Institute’s resources on parenting multiple children with mental health challenges include: Parenting Multiple Kids with Mental Health Challenges How to Help Siblings Get Along Conflicts Over Parenting Styles Advice from Siblings of Kids with Mental Health Disorders Preventing Parent Burnout Supporting vs. Enabling
September 2, 2025 Back-to-School Resources for Children Who Are Struggling Starting back at school in the fall presents a number of challenges for young children – but especially those who are already struggling. The Child Mind Institute has provided a series of resources for children who might need a little extra help to achieve success. Learn More Children might experience anxiety as they start a new school year – especially if they are attending for the first time. But some students might need a little extra assistance as they navigate the challenges of school. Some students with selective mutism might speak comfortably at home but find it harder to interact at school. Other students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might need tools and strategies to stay organized, while others with sensory processing challenges may need help to stay comfortable and focused. Most children would benefit from a consistent schedule and homework routine, the Child Mind Institute noted. Here are some resources for back-to-school success for children who might be struggling: Selective Mutism and Starting Kindergarten Back-to-School Tips for Kids Who Are Struggling School Success Kit for Kids with ADHD School Success Kit for Kids with Sensory Processing Issues School Mornings Without the Stress Strategies to Make Homework Go More Smoothly
August 25, 2025 Child Mind Institute Provides Resources for Children Making School Transitions Children will head back to school in a few weeks, and some of them will do so for the first time. The Child Mind Institute has put together a list of resources for caregivers who have children who will make a big transition this fall by starting kindergarten, middle school, and high school. Learn More The transitions for students starting at these levels can involve new schools, new routines, and unfamiliar faces. As a result, both students and parents can be anxious about these transitions. The Child Mind Institute outlines the specific challenges of each transition and offers tips for how caregivers can help children navigate changes. For children starting kindergarten, the resources emphasize the importance of building independence such as using the bathroom solo or opening snacks. It also provides strategies that children can use to calm themselves down when they are nervous. For middle school, the Child Mind Institute’s resources discuss how to handle an increased workload as well as social and emotional challenges that come with puberty. And for high school, the resources provide assistance with how to help build time management and study skills as well as guidance on how to handle situations involving sex and substances. For all grades, the resources also emphasize the importance of getting enough sleep. The Child Mind Institute’s resources include: Starting Elementary School Starting Middle School Starting High School Back-to-School Anxiety How to Work Well with Your Child’s Teacher Back-to-School Dos and Dont’s
August 12, 2025 Child Mind Institute Provides Resources to Prepare Students for College The Child Mind Institute has shared a list of resources for caregivers whose children are preparing to leave for college. Learn More Getting ready for college involves more than just buying the necessary clothing or dorm-room bedding, the Child Mind Institute writes. Students need to be prepared to get to class on time, get enough sleep, balance academics with social life, and learn to handle inevitable challenges on their own when they arise. The institute has put together a College Readiness Kit that identifies challenges that college students face, especially if they are spending their first year away from home. It also offers strategies for managing these challenges. The toolkit is designed for students to use before they leave for college. It covers everything from how to manage money in college as well as how to troubleshoot challenges such as difficulty getting along with a roommate or failing a midterm. It offers parents guidelines for playing a supporting role, such as how to help a student who is nervous about leaving home or how to support children with ADHD or a learning disorder. Here are the Child Mind Institute’s resources: How Do You Manage Your Money in College? You’re Having a Conflict with Your Roommate: What Should You Do? How to Support a Child Who is Nervous About Leaving Home What Parents of Students with ADHD or Learning Disorders Need to Know Before Their Kids Go to College Medication Management in College Procrastination and College Students Preparing for College Emotionally, Not Just Academically
August 4, 2025 Child Mind Institute Shares Resources on Nonverbal or Minimally Verbal Children The Child Mind Institute has released a series of resources on the complexities of diagnosis regarding nonverbal and minimally verbal children. Learn More Caregivers are likely concerned when a child doesn’t speak or uses fewer words than is typical for their age and might wonder if a child will start speaking on their own – or if they require support. Delayed speech, the Child Mind Institute writes, can be a sign of autism, spectrum disorder, intellectual developmental disorder, or speech sound disorder. Visiting a diagnostician might be in order to determine what’s going on. The Child Mind Institute’s resources discuss the complexities of diagnosis, such as how to assess nonverbal or minimally verbal children. It can be challenging – but not impossible – for a clinician to assess them accurately if the child can’t speak to respond to questions. Among the resources are tips on what to look for in a diagnosis as well as what an evaluation for autism should include. There is also advice on why certain symptoms can lead to misdiagnosis and how to work with a clinician to get the correct one. Below are the Child Mind Institute’s resources on the subject: Assessing Nonverbal and Minimally Verbal Children How to Find a Children’s Mental Health Professional What Should You Look for in a Diagnosis? What Should an Evaluation for Autism Look Like? The Most Common Misdiagnoses in Children Challenges in Diagnosing Psychiatric Problems in Very Young Children
July 28, 2025 Thriving Kids Newsletter Discusses How to Promote Good Behavior in Children The Child Mind Institute recently kicked off its Thriving Kids newsletter with the topic of how to promote good behavior in children. The article noted that while managing a child’s behavior can be exhausting, there are simple strategies that can be employed to make a big difference. Learn More Thriving Kids noted that taking time out of each day to do something with a child that they enjoy can contribute to a healthy caregiver-child relationship and promotes good behavior. Children appreciate getting attention, which can include everything from asking about their day on the drive home from school or taking part in an activity together. Setting clear expectations about the type of behavior that is expected helps to guide both the caregiver and child when undesirable behavior occurs. Expectations should be realistic and discussed with the child. When a child exhibits good behavior, it should be acknowledged and rewarded. This increases the chance that the child will repeat good behavior in the future. On the other hand, parents should initiate consequences for unwanted behavior immediately after it happens. Consequences should be brief and consistent. Lastly, caregivers should take a moment to reset. It is normal to become frustrated or upset with a child’s behavior. It can be helpful to take a breath, and caregivers can share with a child that they are taking a moment to let go of frustration before having a discussion about the behavior. 8 Tips for Promoting Good Behavior Thriving Kids also provided eight tips for promoting good behavior in children. These include: Taking care of the relationship – connecting with a child is important to build a relationship based on trust and respect; try to spend time daily fully engaged with the child in an activity they enjoy. Set clear and realistic expectations – go over expectations for how a child is expected to behave in certain situations and review them when a child needs to demonstrate that behavior. Catch them being good – Use specific praise when a child behaves appropriately, which will increase the likelihood that they’ll repeat the good behavior in the future. Be thoughtful about consequences – try to make consequences immediate, brief, and consistent; try to return to “normal” as quickly as possible once the consequence is completed. Avoid harsh discipline – consequences don’t need to upset children to work; it’s more important that consequences are consistently applied when unwanted behavior occurs. Take a moment – if you notice yourself getting frustrated or upset with a child’s behavior, take a moment to calm down before responding. Be a detective – rather than focusing on the behavior itself, dig deeper to try to figure out what might be behind it; the reason is not always simple or obvious, so look for patterns. Talk when they’re calm – don’t try to reason with children during a meltdown; wait until things calm down to have a discussion, during which you listen to one another and share feelings. To learn more, read Thriving Kids’ article on how to promote good behavior in children.
July 22, 2025 Child Mind Institute Series Focuses on Fostering a Child’s Development Children grow up quickly and keeping on top of all the various forms and stages of their development can be challenging for caregivers. The Child Mind Institute has released a list of resources for fostering a child’s development, from play to language skills. Learn More Articles in the series focus on how specific forms of play are integral to a young child’s development and how play can help to develop cognitive, social, emotional, physical, creative, and language skills. The series also features an article on how spending time in nature can help a child to foster creativity, curiosity, and a sense of responsibility. It also includes resources on how to introduce discipline and encourage a child’s growing independence in an age-appropriate way. Here are the Child Mind Institute’s resources on fostering a child’s development: How Young Children’s Play Promotes Healthy Development Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature Helping Toddlers with Language Skills How to Discipline Toddlers How to Build Independence in Preschoolers Preschoolers: Tips for Supporting Learning at Home
July 15, 2025 Child Mind Institute Provides Resources for Summer Sensory Processing Issues The Child Mind Institute has compiled a list of resources for sensory processing issues that are exacerbated by summer. Learn More For many children with autism, The Child Mind Institute writes, summer can be a challenging season. Because many of them can be sensitive to light or certain sounds and textures, they might not enjoy things that other children do – such as playing in the sand on the beach or watching July 4th fireworks. The Child Mind Institute has put together some resources that parents can utilize to help children with autism enjoy the season on their own terms. Tips on how to navigate overstimulating summer activities involve planning and letting children know what to expect, whether you’re going on vacation or outside on a hot day, as well as smoothing transitions from one environment to another since unfamiliar sensations can lead children to act out. Rather than avoiding potentially stressful situations, The Child Mind Institute notes that it’s better to prepare for them by carrying comfortable clothing, earplugs, sunglasses, and other items. Showing kids how to deal with unpleasant sensory experiences helps them to recognize their needs and learn to manage situations on their own. Here are The Child Mind Institute’s resources on managing sensory processing issues during the summer: Summer and Sensory Processing Issues Sensory Processing Issues Explained Tips for Going Places with Sensory-Challenged Kids How Can We Help Kids with Transitions? Supporting vs. Enabling Sensory-Friendly Party Ideas
July 7, 2025 Child Mind Institute Shares Resources on Setting Screen Time Rules for Summer As summer temperatures heat up, parents will likely want to encourage their children to spend more time outside and hope that they’ll spend less time thinking about screen time. The Child Mind Institute has put together a list of resources on how to make effective rules for screen time during the summer. Learn More Most parents will want to limit their children’s screen time and, more importantly, not spend much of the summer arguing about it. The Child Mind Institute has shared tips for identifying the tech-related harms that parents will want their children to avoid as well as the activities they’ll want to encourage. It also discusses how to make a practical plan to achieve both objectives. The resources include recommendations on screen use for children who are neurodivergent and strategies to keep children reading over the summer. The Child Mind Institute proposes ways to provide the structure that children with ADHD need to thrive while on summer vacation. Lastly, the resources explore how parents should not be afraid to let their children become bored because there are lessons they can learn from it. Here are The Child Mind Institute’s resources on how to approach screen time for children during the summer: Screen Time and Summer Neurodivergent Kids and Screen Time Summer Success Kit for Kids with ADHD How to Keep Kids Reading Over the Summer Summer Activities for Kids with Learning Disorders The Benefits of Boredom For more information, visit The Child Mind Institute’s website.
