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Unless you’re made of money, used sports gear is a must if your child plays youth sports. Until you know whether she’s going to stick with a particular sport or position, it’s just too pricey to buy new equipment every season—which could mean every few months, if she plays more than one sport or has any brothers or sisters. Here’s how to make the best of it. Used gear is ideal, especially while your child is young, growing quickly, and in the trying-things-out phase of youth sports....

A behavior chain analysis is a process that can help people better understand why certain behavior happen. When it comes to addressing maladaptive behavior, a chain analysis can be useful for identifying the different factors that contribute to that behavior. Chain analysis can be helpful in the treatment of different mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder (BPD), substance use, and other conditions. It is an important technique in a type of therapy known as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)....

Many parents know that extracurricular activities come with many benefits. They can help your tween learn new skills, make new friends, destress from school, and even discover a hidden talent or life-long passion. But the truth is many extracurricular activities are costly, and not every family can work their price tag into the budget. The good news is that many after-school activities are budget-friendly, and still offer the same benefits. If your child hopes to participate in an after-school activity, but money is an issue, consider the ideas below....

Our DNA is extremely complex, and we do not fully understand what causes traits to be inherited or skipped. However, research has shown that there is a genetic component to autism, meaning that autistic people are highly likely to be related to other autistic people. In fact, there is evidence that autism is “one of the most highly heritable disorders with negligible shared environmental contributions.” Language note: Although individual preferences exist, surveys of the autistic community consistently show that autistic people prefer identity-first language rather than person-first language (i....

What traits do good parents have in common? Are there certain things that some people do that make them good parents (or not good parents)? Of course, the characteristics of a good parent aren’t fixed or absolute. What may seem like good parenting to one person may not fit that definition for someone else. But generally speaking, these traits and habits can be found in parents who are practicing good parenting skills....

Dads don’t always realize just how important their role is when it comes to breastfeeding and newborn care. They may even feel a little bit left out since mom is the only one who can breastfeed the baby. But, dads have a profound effect on breastfeeding and the well-being of both their partner and their child. The loving support of a partner is one of the most important factors in a woman’s decision to breastfeed....

Ideas and expectations regarding gender roles have changed quite a bit in the past 50 years. However, the patterns that have influenced human behavior for centuries are still potent, especially when members of older generations are involved. Some of those old patterns involve relationships between mothers and their adult sons. As men get married and have children of their own, their relationship with their mothers must evolve to reflect the new roles of each person: the sons as husbands and fathers, and the mothers as in-laws and grandmothers....

For many busy families, breakfast is rushed and on the go as kids and parents gobble up whatever’s on hand as they try to get to school and work on time. This sometimes results in breakfast being skipped entirely, which makes for grumbling tummies and wandering minds long before lunchtime. However, it’s important that kids start their day with a nutritious, well-rounded breakfast that will keep them full until snack or lunchtime....

Exposure therapy has been found to effectively address the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as symptoms of other anxiety disorders. With this roundup of different forms of exposure therapy, find out which treatment is right for you. Overview of Exposure Therapy for PTSD Exposure therapy is considered a behavioral treatment for PTSD. This is because exposure therapy targets learned behaviors that people engage in (most often the avoidance) in response to situations or thoughts and memories that are viewed as frightening or anxiety-provoking....

If you’re head over heels in love with someone who has what you perceive as flaws, you might hope that your significant other will change for the better with time and those nagging doubts will magically slip away. Many couples go into their relationships believing they can fix each others’ flaws and that bad habits magically disappear once time goes by, but sadly this is rarely what happens. You shouldn’t assume your partner will change in order for the relationship to work out....

Psychedelics, also known as psychedelic drugs, hallucinogens, or hallucinogenic drugs are chemical substances that induce hallucinations and other sensory disturbances. Probably the most well-known and notorious hallucinogenic drug is lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD. Other well-known hallucinogens include psilocybin, which occurs naturally in certain wild mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms, or shrooms, and mescaline, which is found in the peyote cactus in Mexico and the Southwest United States. Ecstasy is less hallucinogenic and more stimulating—meaning it increases alertness more than LSD or magic mushrooms....

If your ex has jumped back into the dating world and you see them on the apps, it can be painful. It’s also challenging to handle the news from friends who report that your ex has started seeing someone else. It’s normal to feel down. You might wonder if you should be dating again, too. Learning the news can affect you emotionally, so take a deep breath. You might feel a range of negative emotions from rejection to sadness....

If you’re looking for a counselor to help you cope with infertility or your doctor requires it before certain treatments, you may be wondering how to find someone who will be right for the job. There are a number of reasons for seeking out a therapist, and some more than others require a counselor with specific expertise in infertility. Here are some tips to help you find a counselor that is right for you....

Whether you stopped talking to your dad a year ago because he was critical of your identity or partner or values, or you cut your sister out of your life a decade ago because her addiction was out of control, ending a relationship with family members is tough. Estrangement doesn’t always last forever, though. A research project between the UK’s University of Cambridge and the non-profit organization, Stand Alone, found that estrangement from fathers was the most common, and that it tends to last an average of almost eight years....

For kids of all ages, boo-boos often feel better when covered with a fun adhesive bandage. However, removing Band-Aids is another story. Even if you’re quick, yanking off a stubbornly stuck bandage can be painful for kids. Luckily, there are some simple tricks to make removing bandages a breeze. And the best part is that all you need is a little patience and some common household items. 5 Easy Ways to Remove Band-Aids In general, bandages should be changed daily and can be removed once a cut has scabbed over....

It’s not uncommon for individuals living with an addiction to have problems with boundaries. For the people who love and care about them, establishing and enforcing healthy boundaries can be a challenge. The process can be painful and guilt-inducing. When a person with an addiction is struggling, those closest to them are often willing to allow otherwise problematic behaviors in order to help their loved one find their way. Unfortunately, this often means letting the person “cross the line” when it comes to certain completely inappropriate behaviors....

The mind-body connection is an important concept for kids to understand. Children are regularly taught about physical health and feelings. But what may often get left unexplained or unexplored with kids is the powerful link between our bodies and our brains. Knowing what the mind-body connection is can help children (from toddlers to teens) to better understand—and achieve—physical and emotional well-being. Learn how to teach your kids about the connection between how they think and feel emotionally and how they feel in their bodies....

There has never been an easier time to find out information about another person. In our current age of social media, google searches, and LinkedIn profiles—very little stays hidden away from one or more clever clicks of a keyboard. Using only a mobile phone, you can gain access to a person’s email conversations, social media messaging, direct message communication, text messages, and so on. This can prove useful or troubling, depending on the circumstances....

These days, it seems everyone is looking for something to take the edge off. Lately, the trends are leaning toward all-natural options over manufactured drugs. Key Takeaways Kanna is an indigenous South African plant that’s been used for centuries as an herbal remedy and natural mood booster.Today, some people take kanna for its euphoric and anxiety-reducing properties as an alternative to party drugs.More research is needed to understand the risks of long-term use....

In psychology, the just-world phenomenon is the tendency to believe that the world is just and that people get what they deserve. Because people want to believe that the world is fair, they will look for ways to explain or rationalize away injustice, often blaming the person in a situation who is actually the victim. Melvin J. Lerner proposed the just-world theory (also called the just-world hypothesis) in the 1960s. He noticed that people often thought of the world as fair and just in order to make sense of or cope with various injustices....