Dr. Rachel Kramer


 
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Parent Coach
Speaker
 

A couple of weeks ago I taught a parenting workshop at a preschool about social and emotional development. During the presentation I explained that the line between fantasy and reality is fluid for young children, particularly children 4 and under, and they are not able to distinguish between real and pretend . For example, we expect young children to believe that inanimate objects have thoughts and feelings, and young preschoolers may feel unsure about whether a scary charac

In January I met with a group of preschool teachers to talk about supporting social and emotional growth and emotion regulation in the classroom. This amazing group of teachers shared so many thoughtful comments and observations, and over the past couple of weeks I have continued to reflect on many different aspects of our conversation. Today I’m sharing one of the strategies we discussed in the training. An important component of emotion regulation is emotional awareness. A

A topic that comes up on a regular basis in my practice is what to do about explosive moments when a child says something extreme such as, “I wish I wasn’t part of this family,” “You’re the worst parent ever,” or “I hate you.” I have written about this before, and today I thought it would be useful to circle back to this topic and suggest some effective ways to manage a moment when a child says something that feels really awful to hear. Today’s newsletter will mostly focus o

Several years ago, I shared my family’s favorite version of year-end reflection: our New Year’s Eve Survey . Today I’m sharing a lightly edited version of a previous newsletter describing this tradition. The New Year’s Eve survey is a fun and flexible tradition that can grow with your family . If you have babies, toddlers, or preschoolers at home, adults can answer the questions and reflect on the year. Once children are in mid-elementary school, they can join in and, perhaps

In November I participated in a panel about teenagers and technology. Participants asked a wide variety of interesting and important questions which inspired me write to you today about practical strategies parents can employ to support healthy family communication about technology . To frame this topic, I encourage you to develop a mindset in which you view communication about technology as a series of ongoing, low-key conversations . This topic is broad and complex, and dis

As we enter the second half of November, I have been thinking about setting intentions for the holiday season . Family holiday celebrations can be wonderful, complicated, fun, and messy all at the same time. It can be useful for parents to spend time prior to the holiday season thinking about their own priorities and expectations . If this idea appeals to you, devote some time to thinking about your personal objectives for the upcoming holiday season. If you are parenting wit

Last week I gave a talk to a group of parents about helping children build skills to manage stress and worries. During the Q&A at the end of the presentation, a parent asked a question about a topic that has been dominating her social media feed. This question reminded me of the many conversations I have with parents about how to evaluate parenting resources that they find online .   There is a staggering amount of content about parenting available to caregivers including boo

Now that most families have settled into their school year routines, a frequent topic of conversation in my practice is trouble-shooting...

Over the past week I have heard from parents of children of all ages about struggles with emotion regulation at the end of the school day...

Over the years that I have been in practice, I’ve had many conversations with parents about when and how to implement giving children an...

In mid to late August, I often have conversations with parents about decision-making regarding extracurricular activities for the...

Recently, a child in my practice asked me such an interesting question: “Dr. Rachel, are feelings contagious?” I asked for a little more...

Last month, I sent a newsletter describing strategies for managing moments when a parent sets a boundary and then changes their mind and...

Last week, the town where I live and work, Concord, Massachusetts, was faced with a devastating tragedy when four seniors from our local...

Last week I gave a talk about Building Skills for Social and Emotional Well-Being. There was a lively Q&A session at the end of the talk,...

As winter slowly gives way to spring, a common conversation in my practice revolves around how much time children are spending on...

Last October I sent a newsletter about thinking traps , which are patterns of distorted, negative thinking that can show up in a variety...

When I meet with parents for an initial consultation, I often ask them to tell me about their parenting influences . I’m interested in...

This week I have been thinking about emotional intelligence and how caregivers can help children develop a rich feelings vocabulary. The...

As we begin the New Year, I have been thinking about simple rituals that promote family connection . Many families have well-established...