June 30, 2025 Child Mind Institute Provides Resources for Getting Children to Do Chores For most children, chores are a burden that they don’t enjoy and, many times, it can be a chore getting them to pitch in around the house. However, chores can help children to build confidence, independence, and a sense of responsibility to others as well as develop practical skills for taking care of themselves when they get older. Learn More The Child Mind Institute has provided some resources that involve effective methods for getting children to do chores without making it feel like a punishment. It notes that making chores routine as early as the preschool years will help them learn to expect them as they grow older. The resources discuss giving step-by-step instructions on what you’d like them to do, noting that young children and older ones with ADHD might need detailed explanations. In the absence of clear instructions, children might get frustrated or even act out. The Child Mind Institute also wrote that it’s important to praise them for their good work as chores can often be thankless tasks. Here are the Child Mind Institute’s resources for assigning chores to children: How Can I Get My Kids to Do Chores? Building Independence in Preschoolers How to Give Effective Instructions Talking to Toddlers How Can I Get My Child with ADHD to Follow Instructions? Increasing Cooperation in Kids with Autism The Power of Positive Attention
June 24, 2025 Child Mind Institute Provides Sleepover and Summer Camp Anxiety Resources Spending the night at a friend’s house or going away to summer camp can be a fun and exciting rite of passage for children and young adults – but it can also involve anxiety. Learn More The Child Mind Institute has released resources regarding sleepover and summer camp anxiety to help parents in easing their children’s minds when they are going to spend the night away from home. Spending the night at a friend’s house or at a sleepover camp can help children to develop independence, but such occasions can be cut short by a stomachache brought on by anxiety. The Child Mind Institute’s resources discuss how to help children develop the courage to spend the night away from home. One article discusses how one bad experience away from home can lead to anxiety about doing so again, while another involves how parents’ anxiety about their children being away can be passed on to their child. Here are The Child Mind Institute’s resources on sleepover and summer camp anxiety: How to Help Kids with Sleepover Anxiety What to Do When a Child Gets Scared of Sleepovers After Getting Sick How to Help Children Manage Fears 13 Tips for Helping Anxious Kids Enjoy Summer Camp How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids Treating Anxiety in Kids by Working with Parents
May 19, 2025 Child Mind Institute Provides Resources on Oppositional Defiant Disorder Oppositional defiant disorder is a condition that is characterized by a frequent pattern of angry or irritable moods and argumentative or defiant behavior that is typically diagnosed in childhood. The disorder can affect a child’s relationships, school performance, and well-being. This month, The Child Mind Institute has shared some resources on how to respond to children whose behavioral issues are extreme and ongoing or who have a pattern of challenging authority figures, purposefully causing harm, or refusing to follow rules. Oppositional Defiant Disorder The resources examine how the disorder develops and how specific responses – parents being permissive to keep the peace or overly emphasizing punishment – can perpetuate a negative cycle. The Child Mind Institute also discusses treatment options for parents – such as training to reset the relationship – as well as medication for severe cases. Another article examines how children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can develop ODD, while another includes information on how anxiety, depression, and difficulty managing emotions can lead to behavior that looks like ODD. There is also information on conduct disorder, a serious disorder that can develop in teenagers if behavior problems go untreated. The Child Mind Institute’s resources include: What Is Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)? ADHD and Behavior Problems How Anxiety Leads to Problem Behavior Depression and Anger How Can We Help Kids with Self-Regulation? What is Conduct Disorder? Choosing a Parent Training Program
May 7, 2025 Child Mind Institute to Host Black Families and Youth Mental Health Discussion The Child Mind Institute will host a virtual panel discussion in May to discuss the findings of a study on mental health support for Black families and youth. Learn More The institute, in partnership with The Steve Fund, recently released findings from its mental health support for Black families study. The comprehensive literature review and nationally representative survey exposes a shift in views toward mental health within the Black community – and highlights significant gaps in access and quality of mental healthcare. The study was made possible by the Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children’s Mental Health. During the panel discussion, experts will talk about the findings of the study and how mental health professionals, organizations, and communities can break down barriers and improve the quality of mental health care for Black children and young adults. Topics during the discussion will include: Shifts in views toward mental health Parent vs. young adult response to stigma Barriers to quality care Medication skepticism Intervention and prevention initiatives Continuing medical education credits for psychiatrists and continuing education credits for psychologists and social workers will be available to registered course participants. The event will run from noon to 1:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 14. Registration for the event is currently open.
May 6, 2025 Child Mind Institute: Challenging Behaviors Could Be Signs of a Learning Disorder Children who struggle academically in school might sometimes act out, whether it’s resisting to do their homework, refusing to participate, or being disruptive in class. While some parents or educators might believe these children to be defiant or disinterested, their behaviors could be a sign of undiagnosed learning disorders. Learn More The Child Mind Institute has compiled a list of resources on how to determine whether challenging behavior could be hiding a learning disorder or if children are acting out because they are struggling. The resources cover such topics as how to tell if a child who is acting out needs help with their schoolwork, how tantrums and problem behavior could be masking other issues, which issues could be at the root of math difficulties, and how to find the right professional to work with your child. The resources include: When Problem Behavior Masks a Learning Disability Disruptive Behavior: Why It’s Often Misdiagnosed Why Are Kids Different at Home and at School? How to Spot Dyscalculia Inside an Evaluation for Learning Disorders Learning Specialists at a Glance Help for Kids Struggling with Learning For more resources, visit the Child Mind Institute’s website.
May 5, 2025 The Child Mind Institute’s Spring Luncheon The Child Mind Institute will host its 2025 spring luncheon on Monday, May 12. Now is the last chance to register. Parenting in a Complex World: How Kids and Parents Can Cope During Challenging Times will kick off at 11:30 a.m. with a reception that will be followed by a luncheon and panel discussion at 12:30 p.m. Speakers include award-winning journalist Melinda Wenner Moyer and The Child Mind Institute’s Dr. Adam Zamora. Actress Ali Wentworth will moderate the event. Register now.
April 21, 2025 Child Mind Institute Provides Resources on Child Anxiety’s Physical Symptoms Some children experience anxiety through physical symptoms that are manifested as a result of their angst. The Child Mind Institute has released some resources to tackle stomach aches, headaches, or other symptoms that result from being anxious. Learn More A child might complain of a stomach ache or headache but if a pediatrician rules out an infection or illness, it might mean that they are suffering from anxiety. The Child Mind Institute’s resources discuss how anxiety can be connected to physical symptoms. And it also discusses the various ways to deal with them – for example, it might be a good idea to allow an anxious child to take a mental health day at home, while at the same time this could be a problem if it becomes a habit. The institute’s resources include articles on school refusal – which is when children refuse to go to school due to anxiety issues – and how to test for anxiety. There are tips for combatting anxiety and a piece on behavioral health therapy. Resources in the series include: Anxious Stomachaches and Headaches Kids Who Worry They’re Sick When They’re Not When Kids Refuse to Go to School Tips for Beating Test Anxiety Behavioral Treatment for Kids with Anxiety Should Kids Take Mental Health Days?
April 17, 2025 Black Families and Youth Mental Health: Panel Discussion The Child Mind Institute will host a virtual panel discussion on Wednesday, May 14 to discuss findings of a study on mental health support for Black families. Learn More The institute, in partnership with The Steve Fund, recently released findings from its mental health support for Black families study. The comprehensive literature review and nationally representative survey exposes a shift in views toward mental health within the Black community – and highlights significant gaps in access and quality of mental healthcare. The study was made possible by the Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children’s Mental Health. During the panel discussion, experts will discuss the findings of the study and how mental health professionals, organizations, and communities can break down barriers and improve the quality of mental health care for Black children and young adults. Topics will include: Shifts in views toward mental health Parent vs. young adult response to stigma Barriers to quality care Medication skepticism Intervention and prevention initiatives Continuing medical education credits for psychiatrists and continuing education credits for psychologists and social workers are available to registered course participants. The event will run from noon to 1:30 p.m. ET on May 14. Register now.
April 7, 2025 Child Mind Institute Shares Resources on Learning Disorders The Child Mind Institute has shared a series of resources and articles on learning disorders among children that focus on everything from sensory processing issues to how to support children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Learn More The resources provided by The Child Mind Institute discuss how learning disorders evolve as children grow up and how parents can support them over time. Topics include ADHD, dyslexia, sensory processing issues, and how some symptoms of various disorders might diminish over time but then present different challenges. Articles shared by The Child Mind Institute include: Do Kids Grow Out of Learning Disorders? Building Your Education Team Do Kids Outgrow ADHD? ADHD in Teenagers How Sensory Processing Issues Affect Kids in School Do Sensory Processing Issues Get Better Over Time? Learning Disabilities and Self-Advocacy
March 18, 2025 Resources for Children Who are Shy or Have Selective Mutism Shyness can often be difficult for children to overcome. As a result, it can lead to misunderstanding and be a challenge for adults to comprehend what is causing a child’s reticence. The Child Mind Institute has put together a list of resources on shyness and selective mutism to helps adults navigate these challenges. Learn More Some children are cautious in new situations or with unfamiliar people. This could stem from the child’s temperament. Some children who are communicative at home – but unable to speak in such settings as school – may have a disorder known as selective mutism (SM). Children with SM are often misunderstood as refusing to speak, but they could be experiencing anxiety that prevents them from using their voice. Attempting to force them to talk can increase that anxiety. The Child Mind Institute’s resources include articles on everything from behavioral treatment for children with SM to how to know if medication is required. There is also information on other disorders that bear similarity to extreme shyness – such as separation or social anxiety. The Child Mind Institute’s resources include: Complete Guide to Selective Mutism Selective Mutism: Helping Kids Find Their Voices When Should Medication Be Used to Treat SM? What is Separation Anxiety Disorder? Helping Young Children Who Are Socially Anxious Tips for Separating from Clingy Kids What is Social Anxiety?
