Parenting Concerns

Dad’s New Shoes

Intro and outro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin.

Today’s dads are confused.

It might not be a bad kind of confusion, but confusion is still the best word for how dads feel. If we pretend that the role of the modern father is clear-cut and obvious, we’d of course be acting a bit disingenuous.

A 9-Year-Old Has No Remorse For Stealing But Always Lets Himself Get Caught: What Should Parents Do?

One morning in your daily rush to get them to the bus, you find your purse, left in its typical place on the kitchen table, wide open. The wallet is on the table, unzipped, with receipts scattered around it. That $10 bill you know was in the front is missing.

Concerts: A Survival Guide

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin.
Outro music performed by Dr. Gene Beresin.

Almost Famous, Cameron Crowe’s wonderful movie about sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, has many lovely and poignant moments.

The Senior Prom: A Joyous Rite Of Passage Or Nightmare For Parents?

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin.
Outro music performed by Dr. Gene Beresin.

It’s the weekend before your kid’s senior prom. You and your wife are having a typical evening at home, perhaps watching a movie with your youngest daughter. And, there’s a kind of tense silence you remember all too well.

One Man’s Brush With Being A Mother

I think we all take our moms for granted in some way, especially us men.

Despite how much we love our mothers—how much we have always depended on them—as men, we not only take them for granted, we also have no clue what it’s like to be a mom.

This came to me today, oddly enough, during an encounter I had with a raccoon.

Mother’s Day

When I was about 4 years old, my dad came home from work early one day. Still in his coat and tie, he quickly ushered me into the car, said something to my mom so that she wouldn’t worry, and whisked me away to K-Mart to buy my mother a Mother’s Day gift.

Journeys On Our Own

This blog post is part of a series entitled Real Lives, Real Stories: Personal Experiences With Mental Illness.

I’ve Stopped Hating You

As a psychiatrist, I am always interested in how my adolescent and teen patients say goodbye to their parents after being admitted into our residential programs. Subsequent to their arrival, we will schedule a speakerphone conversation with their parent(s); some kids readily say “I love you” as they say their goodbyes, and others don’t.

Myths About the 12-Step Program: What Science Tells Us About Effective Treatment of Addiction

The 12-Step Program. Does it work? In recent years, there have been some questions raised about the effectiveness of 12-step mutual-help programs (such as Alcoholics Anonymous) and 12-step professional treatment plans, claiming that these approaches are almost completely ineffective and even harmful in treating substance use disorders.

Considerations for Picking Your Child’s Summer Camp

I remember my own summer camp experiences with mixed emotions. On the one hand, it was a wonderful opportunity for me to develop independence, self-confidence and a love of the outdoors that has lasted a lifetime. On the other hand, I also remember being homesick and wondering how on earth I would adjust to spending a month in an open-air tent.