Because many children are learning at home and, at the same time, we are experiencing a highly contentious presidential contest, children and teens are asking tough questions about the election. Usually, children learn about elections at school, but the current COVID pandemic has forced many children and families to work from home. As such, parents and caregivers are shouldering the responsibility of talking to their children and many are at a loss about what to say. Keep It

If your child has ADHD, you have probably come across the term 'Executive Function' before. Unfortunately, it has become a confusing topic, and many parents are asking what the truth about executive function is. Because of its importance for a developing child, we asked an expert about what executive function is, how to understand where a child's executive function stands, and how to approach this topic that is talked about so often: Don't have an Esteem account? Get one for

We live in a world where it’s tempting for parents to try and “work everything out” for our children, shielding them from all forms of stress. However, it’s becoming clear that there may be real benefit to our children when we resist that temptation. Sound strange? It’s true. When we allow our children to face appropriate struggles and challenges, we are actually helping them develop an important life skill called resilience. And experts at the Child Mind Institute tell us th

We live in a world where it’s tempting to try to “work everything out” for our kids. But when your child has an ADHD diagnosis, that may seem totally impossible. You can be assured, however, that stress can serve a good purpose by working to build resilience. And when that resilience muscle is well-defined, your kid will know how to persevere through tough times. With your encouragement and guidance, and a little help from Esteem, your child doesn’t have to see setbacks and r

High energy? No impulse control? Incessant talking and interrupting? Welcome to the world of hyperactive ADHD. As the parent of a child with this diagnosis, you know this world well. Hyperactivity and impulsivity issues are challenging for parents and kids alike, and when these issues are misunderstood, the frustration mounts. Just asking something simple like, “Sit down, please” can cause all kinds of aggravation. People in your child’s world, like teachers, coaches, or othe

There’s a reason singing a lullaby will put most babies to sleep. Music promotes relaxation because it directly affects the brain’s rest system, otherwise known as the parasympathetic nervous system. The measured beat of a musical rhythm can slow your breathing and heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and may trigger a release of chemicals in the brain that just plain make us feel good. The National Sleep Foundation reports that adults who listen to relaxing music for 45 mi

We all know that how we sleep affects how we feel, how we look, and how we function each and every day. We know because we’ve had plenty of tough days that began when we woke up feeling more tired than when we went to bed. Researchers are discovering that sleep is one of the most important things a parent can help their child achieve. We don’t need the experts to tell us that sleep deprivation can make kids moody, emotionally unstable, and even aggressive. But studies have sh

We all know that how we sleep affects how we feel, how we look, and how we function each and every day. We know because we’ve had plenty of tough days that began when we woke up feeling more tired than when we went to bed. But, we also know that when our kids get good sleep, they’re more ready to tackle daily activities with clarity and impulse control and they’re set up to operate at their full potential. That’s because when a child receives the right amount of sleep their i

For the kid with ADHD, the impact of being resilient—or not being resilient—is felt every single day, by them, by you, and by lots of other people in their lives. And it’s a mixed bag. Every time we’re presented with a stressful challenge or an obstacle, we have an opportunity to exercise and apply the “skill” of resilience. Being able to bounce back when life deals you a blow, is one of the most important skills children with ADHD need to learn. At Esteem, we want to give yo

The connections between food, mood and behavior continue to develop, and many families could benefit from exploring how children are affected by diet. Mayo Clinic suggests that the ingredients in food affect behavior and the American Psychological Association says kids who have healthy diets are better able to regulate emotions and cope with stress. Much recent research seems to validate what many parents and teachers have known for years: “A well fed brain is more likely to

As a parent, we naturally watch out for sudden, major changes in our children: loss of appetite, moodiness, insomnia, unexpected changes in behavior, sudden weight gain, among other red flags we look out for. But not all sudden changes are quite so obvious - there's always a lot going on "under the hood" of the human mind. And of course, our ability to recognize "weird behavior" in our kids assumes that we have a clear baseline for what "normal" is for our kids. However, some

Esteem's Food Sensitivity Test is now available, and it helps parents work towards getting their children healthier. Tap the button below to check it out, or keep reading to learn more about how a Food Sensitivity can help you make progress with the health and wellness of your child. To better understand why food sensitivities matter, and what you can do about them, we interviewed Dr. Tom Pedigo, medical psychologist, child development expert, and Esteem cofounder. Thanks for

An Interview with Kristen and Melissa of Success Street Schools, and parents, are going to face one or both of two sizable problems this fall. Either they’ll have to re-integrate students into a regular classroom setting after a half-year break, or they’ll need to continue managing the communications challenges and emotional stress stemming from social isolation. Kristen Niemczyk-Kistner and Melissa Dupree are the co-founders of Success Street, where they coach parents as wel

Esteem has partnered with Greenlight, the money management training tool for kids, and we're excited to tell you about the positive impact it's having with families who are using it! Research shows that children with ADHD and other challenges are more likely to experience financial troubles in adulthood. Together, Greenlight and Esteem can help parents promote social and emotional growth in kids while teaching them the life long skill of managing money well! Greenlight is an

People with ADHD can struggle to keep their thoughts organized and focused. But then again, everyone struggles in these areas! The modern-world, with things like cell phones and smart everythings, bombards us with an endless stream of distractions. We all have trouble with this, but there's no question that ADHD can make this even harder to deal with. To help with this, we interviewed Dr. David Sitt, who helps people navigate this information-rich era we live in. Dr. David Si

This week, Esteem CEO Tommy Black appeared on the Lifegiver Podcast with Corie Weathers to discuss how parents can put themselves in the driver's seat, proactively nurturing their children's mental health to prevent serious problems before they come up. Listen here: https://www.life-giver.org/s5-ep15-parenting-series-a-new-way-to-track-your-childs-esteem/ (55 minutes). Being a parent can be an incredibly moving, rewarding, and life-affirming experience. Unfortunately, it also

Many children struggle with reading and writing. This isn't exclusive to children who have dyslexia, or ADHD; some children just need more practice! Because many parents worry about their kids struggling with these important skills, we interviewed Kendra Wagner. Kendra is a tutor for children who struggle with reading and writing, and she founded Reading, Writing, Thinking to help parents help their kids move forward, make progress, and build confidence in these crucial areas

At Esteem, we spend a lot of time talking about strategies for success, like parenting styles, thoughtful conversations, and encouraging our kids to try new things that can help well-being and everyday life. The Calm Optimism Exercise is a technique we've seen parents use with their kids - teaching them to try it out in times of stress or when it's just time to calm down. It teaches children to head off any frustration or anger they may be experiencing and replace it with cal

Keeping our kids safe is a parent's most important job. We all lock our doors at night, keep dangerous things in the house out of reach, and tell our kids to wear a helmet on a bike ride. But how can parents keep their kids safe online? It can be hard to do... But that's why we've partnered with Bark! Partner Spotlight: Bark! The easy way to keep kids safe online. The internet has become a necessity, even for our kids. And with more apps and screen time than ever before, it c

Hello, Parents! We want to bring some positivity to our community by voicing our belief that our kids have the ability to shoot for the moon. And we mean that literally! You may have seen in the news recently that SpaceX successfully sent two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), and they've ushered in a new generation of space-related opportunities. Pretty cool, huh? But do you think a kid with ADHD could ever grow up to be an astronaut? Guess what... there is