KIDZ, Inc

12/25/2025

12/23/2025

✨ Holiday Reminder ✨

It’s okay if your holidays don’t look like the movies.

Real families are messy.
They’re tired.
They’re overstimulated.
They forget things.
They lose patience.

And they are still worthy of joy, love, and connection.

The magic isn’t in perfection, it’s in showing up, repairing when needed, and doing the best you can with what you have. 💚

If today feels hard, you’re not failing the holidays. You’re being human.

12/19/2025

🎄 When the Holidays Feel Heavy for Kids 🎄

The holidays are often described as joyful but for some children, this season can bring grief to the surface.
Children may be mourning:

🐾 The loss of a beloved pet
🕊️ A grandparent or family member
🏠 Changes in family structure or traditions

Grief in children doesn’t always look like sadness. It may show up as irritability, withdrawal, regression, trouble sleeping, or big emotional reactions to small moments.

How adults can support grieving children during the holidays:

👉 Acknowledge the loss instead of avoiding it
👉 Let them talk or play about their feelings at their own pace
👉 Keep routines where possible to provide a sense of safety
👉 Make space for remembrance (a candle, ornament, drawing, or story)
👉 Remind them it’s okay to feel both sad and joyful at the same time

Grief doesn’t follow a calendar and children shouldn’t have to carry it alone.

If your child is struggling with loss during this season, support is available. 💛

Play therapy and counseling can help children process grief in ways that feel safe and developmentally appropriate.

✨ You are not alone. Neither is your child. ✨

12/16/2025

❤️ Repairing After You Lose Your Temper: A Parenting Superpower ❤️

Every parent loses their temper sometimes.

Stress builds, emotions overflow, and suddenly we have said something too sharply or reacted bigger than we intended.

Here is the good news: what you do next matters far more than the moment itself.

Repair is one of the most powerful tools in parenting, and it teaches kids emotional skills they will use for life.

Here is how to reconnect and repair after a tough moment:

👉 Pause and regulate yourself first
Take a breath, step away for a minute, or regain your calm. You cannot repair while still dysregulated.
👉 Offer a simple, genuine apology
It does not have to be dramatic. Something like:
“I am sorry I yelled. You did not deserve that. I am working on staying calm.”
👉 Name what happened (without blame)
Kids feel safer when they understand the why.
“I was overwhelmed, and I reacted too fast.”
This models accountability, not shame.
👉 Reconnect with warmth
Sit together, offer a hug if they want it, or simply be present. Repair is about rebuilding emotional closeness.
👉 Normalize big feelings
Let kids know it is okay to make mistakes. Everyone does.
“We all have moments we wish we handled differently. What matters is how we move forward.”
👉 Talk about next time
When things are calm, gently share how you will try to handle moments differently. Kids learn emotional regulation from what we show, not just what we say.
👉 Celebrate the repair
Repair teaches empathy, resilience, accountability, and forgiveness. It strengthens the relationship more than perfection ever could.

Remember:
Good parents do not get everything right.

Great parents repair.

Your willingness to circle back, reconnect, and model emotional honesty is one of the most powerful gifts you can give your child. ❤️✨

12/14/2025

🎄 Navigating the Holidays in a Blended Family 🎁

The holidays can be magical but they can also be complicated when you’re juggling schedules, traditions, emotions, and expectations in a blended family.

Here are a few gentle reminders to help keep the season joyful and connected:

1️⃣ Create a Team Mindset
Instead of “my kids” and “your kids,” think our family. Everyone’s needs matter, and decisions feel easier when the adults see themselves as a united front.

2️⃣ Keep Communication Open & Calm
Talk early about schedules, school breaks, travel, and gift expectations. Clear communication prevents last-minute stress and helps kids feel secure.

3️⃣ Honor Old Traditions while Creating New Ones
Kids often want something familiar and something that belongs to the new family. Keep one tradition from each household and introduce one new tradition you build together.

4️⃣ Stay Flexible With Plans
With multiple households, things will shift. A change of pickup time or a delayed celebration doesn’t have to derail the joy. Kids follow our emotional lead.

5️⃣ Protect Kids From Grown-Up Stress
They don’t need to manage adult emotions or hear negotiation frustrations. What they do need is reassurance that they are loved, wanted, and not in the middle.

6️⃣ Focus on Connection, Not Perfection
The best memories aren’t about a flawless dinner or matching pajamas. They’re about the moments you slow down, listen, laugh, and simply enjoy being together.

Blended families aren’t “messy”, they’re beautifully layered.

With patience, kindness, and thoughtful planning, the holidays can become a time of connection that every member of the family truly treasures. ✨❤️

12/12/2025

🎄 Navigating the Holidays in a Blended Family 🎁

The holidays can be magical but they can also be complicated when you’re juggling schedules, traditions, emotions, and expectations in a blended family.

Here are a few gentle reminders to help keep the season joyful and connected:

1️⃣ Create a Team Mindset
Instead of “my kids” and “your kids,” think our family. Everyone’s needs matter, and decisions feel easier when the adults see themselves as a united front.

2️⃣ Keep Communication Open & Calm
Talk early about schedules, school breaks, travel, and gift expectations. Clear communication prevents last minute stress and helps kids feel secure.

3️⃣ Honor Old Traditions while Creating New Ones
Kids often want something familiar and something that belongs to the new family. Keep one tradition from each household and introduce one new tradition you build together.

4️⃣ Stay Flexible With Plans
With multiple households, things will shift. A change of pickup time or a delayed celebration doesn’t have to derail the joy. Kids follow our emotional lead.

5️⃣ Protect Kids From Grown-Up Stress
They don’t need to manage adult emotions or hear negotiation frustrations. What they do need is reassurance that they are loved, wanted, and not in the middle.

6️⃣ Focus on Connection, Not Perfection
The best memories aren’t about a flawless dinner or matching pajamas. They’re about the moments you slow down, listen, laugh, and simply enjoy being together.

Blended families aren’t “messy”, they’re beautifully layered. With patience, kindness, and thoughtful planning, the holidays can become a time of connection that every member of the family truly treasures. ✨❤️

12/09/2025

✨ Re-Engaging Kids After Decompression Time ✨

After a long day at school, kids need time to decompress, to play, snack, relax, and reset their brains. But once they’ve recharged, how do we gently guide them back into homework and chores?

Here are a few therapist approved tips 👇

1️⃣ Use a “Transition Cue”
A simple heads up like, “In 5 minutes, we’ll switch to homework time,” prepares their brain for the shift and reduces resistance.

2️⃣ Start Small
Kids feel more motivated when the first task is quick:
• One math problem
• One spelling word
• One small chore
Success builds momentum!

3️⃣ Offer Choices
Giving kids control decreases power struggles. Try:
“Homework first or chores first?”
“Do you want to tidy your room or feed the pets?”

4️⃣ Make It Collaborative
Sit nearby, work on something of your own, and remind them they’re not alone in the “getting things done” part of the day.

5️⃣ Celebrate Effort, Not Perfection
A simple, “I love how you got started right away,” boosts confidence and encourages repeat behavior.

Kids do best when they feel connected, supported, and understood.

Creating a rhythm of decompress → transition → re-engage helps evenings run smoother for everyone. 💛

12/02/2025

Happy Tuesday! The Internet at our office is currently out which means we do not have access to our phone system. If you are a current patient and need to get in contact with our office, please use the secure messaging feature of your Client Portal. For new patient information or general questions please email is at info@scottriviere.com. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes.

11/24/2025

🗓️ Creating Structure During School Holidays 🗓️

School breaks bring a much needed pause but for many kids, too much unstructured time can lead to restlessness, big feelings, or behavior challenges.

Children thrive on predictability, even when school’s out. A flexible routine helps them feel secure, balanced, and calm.

✨ Try these simple tips:
🕰️ Keep consistent wake-up and bedtime routines.
🍽️ Maintain regular meal and snack times.
🎨 Plan one daily activity…… something fun, creative, or social.
💤 Build in quiet time for rest and free play.
🤝 Involve kids in setting the daily plan so they feel empowered and heard.

A little structure goes a long way in helping kids enjoy their break while keeping emotional regulation and family harmony intact. 💛

11/20/2025

🌟 Why Downtime After School Matters 🌟

After a long day of learning, social interactions, and following directions, kids need time to decompress, just like adults do after work.

Downtime gives children a chance to:
🧠 Reset their minds and bodies
💬 Process the emotions and experiences of their day
🎨 Reconnect with creativity and play
💞 Transition smoothly from “school mode” to “home mode”

When we rush straight into homework or activities, kids can become overwhelmed or shut down. Giving them 30–60 minutes of calm, unstructured time (reading, drawing, playing outside, or simply relaxing) helps regulate emotions and restore energy.

Building in this buffer teaches children that rest is not laziness, it’s part of healthy emotional balance. 🌈

11/18/2025

🌻 Encouraging Gratitude This Thanksgiving Month 🌻

November is the perfect time to pause and appreciate the small moments that fill our days with joy, a kind word, a shared laugh, a comforting hug, or even a quiet breath of peace.

Gratitude isn’t just about saying “thank you.” It’s about noticing the good around us especially when life feels busy or heavy. When we practice gratitude regularly, we strengthen our sense of connection, calm, and hope.

✨ Try this week:
• Share one thing you’re grateful for each day.
• Write a note or text of appreciation to someone who’s made a difference in your life.
• Take a moment at dinner to go around the table and name a “gratitude win” from the week.

Small acts of gratitude can transform hearts, including your own. 💛

11/15/2025

🌿 Kindness Starts with Connection 🌿

True kindness grows from understanding, not obligation.

When we take the time to connect (with a child, a friend, or even ourselves) we begin to see the why behind feelings and behaviors.

✨Connection turns frustration into empathy.
✨It transforms correction into guidance.
✨And it reminds us that every act of kindness begins with seeing and valuing another person’s experience.

💛 Start small today: make eye contact, listen without fixing, offer a smile.

Because kindness that’s rooted in connection changes everything.