Parenting Today Newsletter
Parenting Today is a bi-monthly electronic newsletter that provides support, education, and resources around a particular parenting topic.
AskBYS: When Parents Seek Emotional Connection with Their Teens
AskBYS, I’m a parent of a teenager, and I’m noticing how much their needs and behaviors are changing as they grow. It feels like they’re pulling away, and while I understand it’s part of becoming...
What is BYS, Anyway?
What Is BYS, Anyway? -- How Bainbridge Youth Services meets the needs of our youth, wherever they may be at Over the years, I’ve developed dozens of ways to describe what BYS is and does. There’s...
The Excitement Wears Off: What to Do When Your Child Suddenly Refuses to Go to School
By Courtney Oliver, BYS Executive Director The start of a new school year often brings excitement, with children eager to meet new teachers, make friends, and engage in fresh activities. However, as...
The Power of Peer Tutoring: Boosting Academic Success and Building Community
By: Laura Firman, BYS Program Coordinator In the educational landscape, where academic pressures are ever-increasing, peer tutoring has emerged as a valuable and effective approach to learning....
Helping Kids Make Friends: A Guide for Parents
by Chase Myers LMHCA, BYS Therapist There was a time in all of our lives when finding a new friend was as simple as someone running up to us, exclaiming loudly, “Wanna play?!” And BOOM, just like...
How To Help Kids Who Are Lonely
by John Carleton LMHCA, BYS Therapist There are many ways that loneliness can be expressed, so it can be tricky to know when your child is feeling lonely unless they come right out and tell you. A...
How to Parent Kids with Anxiety
By Kerri Shoumaker, LSWAIC BYS Therapist Anxiety is now the leading mental health problem worldwide. Psychology Today (2024) states that it affects one in eight children. Most of us have...
How to Avoid Passing Your Anxiety Onto Your Kids
By Emily Henning, LSWAIC BYS Therapist Many of us are anxious prior to parenthood. For those who aren’t, the experience of bringing tiny humans into the world and shaping them into full-blown,...
Is it Possible to Make Parenting Less Stressful? (Asking for a friend)
By Helen Burke, LMHC BYS Therapist “I seem to have to learn, over and over again, that whatever problems I prepare my children for will always be a little to the left or the right of where the...
Teaching Children to Set Boundaries
Courtney Oliver, LMHC BYS Executive Director When children are young, it can be easy to set basic boundaries such as no hitting, no interrupting, etc, but it becomes more complex as they grow up. As...
Managing Back-to-School Anxiety
by Megan Bradley BYS Clinical Intern It’s that time again. A new school year is beginning and families are gearing up for the transition. For some, the return to a set schedule with early morning...
Gaming the System: Finding Your Own Homework Method
Chase Myers, LMHCA BYS Therapist If you often find yourself struggling to finish or even start assignments, a good question to ask yourself is “How am I approaching it?” It’s important to remember...