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Disciplining children is hard work. It requires constant vigilance, consistency, and thought-provoking effort. So if you’re a little lax on those days you’re tired or overwhelmed, you’re not alone. A lack of discipline, however, can be a serious problem. And while it may be tempting to make excuses for your child’s behavior, limits and consequences are important. Reasons Discipline Gets Derailed Don’t let these 10 excuses get in the way of giving your child healthy discipline....

This quick short-term memory test is a simple psychology experiment that you can try at home. You can do this experiment on your own or with a small group of volunteers. By seeing how many words you can memorize in a brief period of time, you can learn more about both the capacity and duration of short-term memory. Look at the list of words below for two minutes. Memorize as many words as you can in this amount of time....

Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a leadership style characterized by individual control over all decisions and little input from group members. Autocratic leaders typically make choices based on their ideas and judgments and rarely accept advice from followers. Autocratic leadership involves absolute, authoritarian control over a group. Like other leadership styles, the autocratic style has both some benefits and some weaknesses. While those who rely on this approach to heavily are often seen as bossy or dictator-like, this level of control can have benefits and be useful in certain situations....

Ways of dealing with depression and fear that can come from loneliness and anxiety may seem obvious—therapy, medication, meditation, and yoga—but wellness practices aren’t always accessible. They may, at times, come with a negative stigma. Such is the case in communities of color. The National Council for Behavioral Health states that though 20% of Black Americans are more likely to report psychological distress than Whites, they are less likely to seek treatment and stick to it....

Trying to take care of a newborn and breastfeed can be a challenge in and of itself. Add a cold or the flu into the mix, and being a new parent just got more difficult. Luckily, if you are suffering from cold or flu symptoms, including a cough, fever, and/or a stuffy nose, there is medication you can take to feel better, even if you are nursing. It is generally OK for breastfeeding parents to take Mucinex, which contains the active ingredient guaifenesin....

During pregnancy, there are many beauty-related activities to avoid, such as treatments using certain ingredients and getting piercings. Manicures commonly include a variety of chemicals. So, it’s natural for pregnant people to worry that manicures may be off-limits, too. Luckily, getting manicures (and pedicures) is generally safe while pregnant. However, there are safety precautions to take to keep you and your baby safe when getting a manicure during pregnancy. “It’s very important for the pregnant mom to visit a non-toxic nail salon where there is less exposure to toxic chemicals and where the specialists are also gentle and the studio is vigilant about cleanliness,” explains nail care expert Amy Ling Lin, CEO and founder of Sundays, a wellness-focused nail care brand and nail studio located in New York City....

As your baby bump grows, you may notice that it gradually gets more difficult to move around or bend over—especially in your third trimester. Activities that are quite literally as easy as tying your shoes gradually become more challenging and may require multiple heave-ho attempts. Shaving your legs easily falls into this category. Because of this, many people have considered a more long-term fix while pregnant, like laser hair removal. But with all the dos and don’ts you have to follow during pregnancy, it’s easy to wonder if it’s safe to get laser hair removal while pregnant—on your legs, or anywhere, for that matter....

Although March is Optimism Month, any month can be an opportunity to build your tendency toward grounded optimism, and reap the many benefits that come from this. Optimism is associated with many benefits in life, including increased health, happiness, and longevity. Focusing on developing these thinking habits may take a little time, so focusing on them over the course of a month can help you to make this a lifelong habit....

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is published by the American Psychiatric Association and contains the formal requirements for classifying and diagnosing mental illnesses. You will often find references to both the fourth and fifth editions of the DSM. The DSM-IV was published in 1994 and the DSM-5 replaced it in 2013. The DSM is important because it contains diagnostic codes for mental illnesses, similar to those for physical illnesses....

Boys often are thought of as being more likely to have learning disabilities (LDs) or problems such as attention hyperactivity attention disorder (ADHD) than girls are, but is this really the case? Overview It’s a question worth considering given that since the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA) was established in 1975, the number of students identified as needing special education has doubled. In 2015, the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) found that of the 5....

Group therapy is sometimes used alone, but it is also commonly integrated into a comprehensive treatment plan that also includes individual therapy. Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy that involves one or more therapists working with several people at the same time. This type of therapy is widely available at a variety of locations including private therapeutic practices, hospitals, mental health clinics, and community centers. Types of Group Therapy Group therapy can be categorized into different types depending on the mental health condition it is intended to treat as well as the clinical method used during the therapy....

Making time for yourself as a new parent is challenging. This is also true for experienced parents, but it’s especially true for new parents. There’s so much change, so much to learn, and it’s all happening at once. You may be feeling like you have no free time. While this is partially based in reality, there are steps you can take to lessen that feeling of I-have-no-time and make time to relax—at least, for a little while!...

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Friday Fix: Episode 206 We all make poor decisions sometimes. But we often blame those bad decisions on not having enough information. And while that may be a factor, there’s another factor that often comes into play–we aren’t balancing our emotions with logic....

Balanced nutrition is important for an expectant mother, to assure her baby receives all the nutrients it needs during gestation. Doctors emphasize getting the right vitamins and minerals, but the crucial nutrient of iodine can be overlooked. Key Takeaways Iodine helps fuel hormones essential for growth and development.A new study notes that certain dietary practices can lead to iodine deficiency in pregnant moms.Proper iodine levels are important for the fetus and for the mother....

It’s generally believed that staying politically informed and active is good for both individuals and society. But a survey conducted in both 2017 and 2020 that measured the mental, physical and social impact of politics on American adults suggests otherwise. Key Takeaways A recent study found that stress levels around politics have not improved despite a change in administration.In fact, the results show that many Americans believe politics take a chronically negative toll on their mental, physical and social health....

Paranoid personality disorder is a chronic and pervasive condition characterized by disruptive patterns of thought, behavior, and functioning. This disorder is thought to affect between 1.21 to 4.4% of U.S. adults. Individuals with paranoid personality disorder are at a greater risk of experiencing depression, substance abuse, and agoraphobia. Symptoms Individuals with paranoid personality disorder typically experience symptoms that interfere with daily life. In general, people with this condition feel suspicious of others....

Welcoming a baby into the world and into your family is one of the most miraculous and amazing things you can do. As a parent, you want to provide the very best beginnings for your child, and do everything in your power to make that so. Key Takeaways Approximately 1.5 million babies have been born in the U.S. since March 2020, when COVID-19 began its rapid spread through the country.New parents are feeling the effects of this unprecedented stressor at a time when they’re already undergoing major life changes....

People with borderline personality disorder (BPD) commonly experience relationships that are chaotic, intense, and conflict-laden. This can be especially true for romantic relationships. If you are considering starting a relationship with someone who has BPD or are in one now, it’s important to educate yourself about the disorder and what to expect. Likewise, if you have been diagnosed with BPD, it can be helpful to think about how your symptoms have affected your dating life and romantic relationships....

Seattle has officially become the largest U.S. city to decriminalize non-commercial use of psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelics, like ayahuasca, ibogaine, and non-peyote-derived mescaline. Key Takeaways Seattle is the latest U.S. city to decriminalize personal use of psychedelics, following in the footsteps of Denver, Colorado, Washington, D.C., and the State of Oregon.Psychologists who advocate the use of psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelics to treat mental health conditions welcome the news.More research is needed on the effects of psychedelic substances on people with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses....

People with somniphobia experience excessive worry surrounding sleep, may have trouble concentrating during the day, may delay going to sleep, and may experience physical sensations like rapid heartbeat and nausea when faced with the prospect of going to sleep. Somniphobia is an intense fear of sleep. It’s what happens when stress and anxiety about sleeping or falling asleep turn into a phobia. Phobias like somniphobia are common in the population: 12....