In this article, the author discusses how to manage stress in children. A teacher's story and a parent's story about a child who complains of frequent stomach aches, is presented. Stomach aches and other somatic complaints without any apparent physical explanation are common among young children experiencing stress. Nevertheless, it is essential…

Fitting in and being liked by peers is important to children of all ages. It is unrealistic to expect such a young child to be satisfied with national or ethnic pride, at the price of having close friends. In the best school situations, children achieve a realistic balance between feeling they belong with their peer group and retaining pride and…

In this article, the author presents the story of a teacher struggling to help one of her students who is constantly clinging to her. The author provides several tips for teachers on how they can deal with anxious children. If the teacher has an aid, she could consider sending the assistant out to the playground with the group for a while, the…

Shyness is a general term used for behavior that has several different bases. Ten to fifteen percent of children are born with predisposition to shyness. There are two main types of shy children: those who are temperamentally shy from birth, which is evident by their second birthdays, and those who don't become shy from birth until a few years…

When parents decide to separate, a young child is often affected most by a change in their regular routine, which young children often find comfort in. When changes take place at home, it makes changes at school more difficult for young children to deal with because the schedules that they traditionally find comfort in are being altered. Dr.…

An interview with a specialist in childhood trauma examines such issues as what childhood trauma is, what signs teachers should be on the alert for, what traumatized children have in common, how long the effects of trauma last, when psychiatric help is necessary, and how teachers can help. (SM)

In this article, the author discusses how to help Kyle, a 5-year-old child who is struggling with his parent's new marriage. Kyle's teacher's story describing Kyle's behavior in the classroom as well as the parent's story based on Kyle's home life are presented. Among other things, the author provides an assessment of the situation and offers…

This article deals with the problem between the teacher and parent of a child who will not participate in group activities. Here, the author features the teacher's story as well as the parent's story. Some children take a long time to warm up to group play. Often, these are imaginative youngsters who are quite content to amuse themselves. They may…

When early adolescents equate body image with self-image, they risk eating and exercise disorders, with dangerous results. Interviews with two experts present information to help middle school teachers understand the problem and intervene with students whose preoccupation with appearance or prowess can, taken to the extreme, be fatal. (SM)