Child Therapy Boston

11/25/2025

🦃 Teen Thursday: The Holiday Break Hibernate Mode

If your teen comes home for Thanksgiving week and immediately shifts into gobble-sleep-repeat, you’re not imagining it — and it’s totally normal. 😅

Teens are growing, overwhelmed, juggling school stress, social stuff, and big feelings.
A long break at home can feel like the perfect time to recharge… in their room… for hours.

And yep — they may want way more alone time than they used to.
That doesn’t mean they don’t want you. It just means they need space to reset. 💛

✨ Here are a few tips to survive (and actually enjoy) the week:

1. Expect (and allow) downtime.
Think of it as their version of pressing “restart.” Resting doesn’t mean they’re unmotivated — just human.

2. Offer connection, don’t force it.
“Want to watch a movie later?” works better than “Why are you always in your room?!”

3. Create low-pressure family moments.
Hot cocoa, car rides, or baking — things they can join without a big emotional demand.

4. Keep routines light but present.
Gently remind them about basic structure: sleep, showers, a walk outside, drinking water… but keep the vibe chill.

5. Don’t take the hibernation personally.
Their alone time isn’t a rejection — it’s regulation.

6. Celebrate the small wins.
A 10-minute conversation? A quick board game? A shared snack? That counts.

This season is about connection, gratitude, and giving everyone the room they need — including your teen.

11/25/2025

I made a veggie that someone actually ate.
Miracles do happen. 🥦✨

If you’re a parent who has negotiated, begged, or performance-art-acted your way through dinner… this one’s for you. Claim your victory. 💚

11/24/2025

11/21/2025

Family Fun Friday: UNO Night! 🎉

Is there anything better than a game where your loved ones become your biggest competitors the moment you drop a Draw 4?! 😏💥

UNO is the best game ever because:
🔹 Everyone can play
🔹 Every round is different
🔹 It’s fast, fun, and full of suspense
🔹 There’s always that one person who claims they didn’t see the color you needed 😜

So grab the deck, shuffle up, and get ready for giggles, gasps, and a little bit of playful chaos. Who’s yelling “UNO!” first tonight? 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️

11/21/2025

Birthday season is here in my house. I've put up a birthday banner made by my talented college roomie and I've also started putting presents out.

I love having family traditions with my kids! What are some special traditions you have??

11/20/2025

Tips from Alison!!!!

11/19/2025

🧠 Wise Words Wednesday: Grace for the “Missing Water Bottle Moments”

Here’s a secret our kids don’t always see...or maybe they see it all the time 😅
Adults lose things too. Keys. Phones. Coffee mugs that magically disappear between the counter and the car. 😅

If we want kids to stay calm, get organized, and bounce back when life gets messy…
we have to show them how it’s done.

✨ Try narrating your own everyday mishaps out loud:

“Hmm… I misplaced my water bottle again. It happens! I’ll check the usual spots.”

“I’m working on keeping things in one place — progress over perfection.”

“It’s okay to forget sometimes. I can find a system that helps me.”

“I’ll take a breath and try again.”

When we model patience with ourselves, our kids learn that:

🟣 Mistakes are normal
🟣 Organization is a skill you build
🟣 You can reset without shame

🌱 Showing self-compassion teaches them self-compassion.
Because empowerment isn’t only about independence — it’s also about how gently we treat ourselves on the messy days.

So the next time your Hydro Flask is MIA…
smile, shrug, and let them see that grown-ups are still learning too. 💜

11/18/2025

💬 Teen Tuesday: The Vanishing Water Bottle Mystery

Why do teens have 38 water bottles but somehow can’t find one when it’s time to leave the house?
Meanwhile, your car, their locker, the backyard, under the couch cushions — all slowly becoming a Hydro Flask graveyard. 😅

Here’s the thing: for teens, organization comes in waves (and usually after a mild crisis). So instead of turning into the Water Bottle Detective every morning, try creating a system that puts them in charge.

✨ Try saying:

“Want help making a water bottle drop zone?”

“Where do you think a good spot would be so you can grab it quickly?”

“Should we do a weekly ‘water bottle roundup’ together?”

“I’m trying to get better at keeping my things in one spot too — want to team up?”

These tiny tweaks shift the tone from nagging → partnering, and give them the independence they’re secretly craving (even if they pretend not to care).

💡 Parent Survival Tip:
Pick one designated spot — a basket, a shelf, a bin — and make it their idea. Teens are 500% more likely to use a system when they feel like they created it.

And if that one favorite, sticker-covered, emotionally-significant water bottle disappears again?
Deep breath. You’re not alone. You’re just parenting a teenager. 😉

11/18/2025

My kid has a cold and this is what I find....are you serious?!?!

11/17/2025

Happy Belmont is open day!!!

11/17/2025

I remembered the class snack before the teacher emailed. 🍎💪

Look at me, living the organized-parent life for a whole five minutes.
No last-minute panic. No sprinting through the grocery store. No child walking in empty-handed.

Today?
I am unstoppable.

11/14/2025

Working out in a ball gown....🤣🤣🤣