ACA Counseling Corner Blog

It is often difficult for parents to accept that sometimes it's a good thing for their children to take risks. That doesn't mean that a child ought to constantly be putting themselves in danger -- that's never a good thing. But it does mean that our kids need to stretch their boundaries at times and try things that they may possibly fail at, but that help them build the confidence and character they need to mature successfully.

Cold weather hits and for many of us that means forgetting all about our promises to ourselves to stay more active. Instead we huddle up in our warm house and ignore the way our weight starts increasing, or the fact that we really don't feel as good as when we're staying active. No, cooler temperatures are not an excuse to become a sloth.

This is about the time of the new year when too many of us give up on those New Year's resolutions that we made just a few weeks before. We shouldn't. In most cases our decisions to change certain things were probably a good idea. The problem, many times, is that we've gone about it wrong. Now is a great time to take a new approach and reach the results we desire.

Most of us, as we get older, are likely to find that our memory doesn't seem to work as well as it once did. That can be a bit scary at times, but it usually is a sign of nothing more than the fact that we're aging and it seems to be a natural part of that aging process. However, recent research appears to show that there are ways we can be more proactive in keeping our brain fit and actively engaged, and fighting memory loss.

This time of the year most families are going to be faced with one or more children who are suffering from a cold, flu or other minor illness. While the family doctor is the one to turn to for medical advice in such situations, it's also important to remember caring parents are an important ingredient in helping that child feel better.

Yes, almost all of us make New Year's Resolutions, and yes, most of us fail at successfully meeting the goals we set for ourselves. It doesn't have to be. While it can be a good thing to wish to see improvements in your life and habits, it's only good if you structure and approach the changes you desire in the right way.

The fact that more of us are living longer lives presents a growing problem for many families. As loved ones age they sometimes lose the ability to continue to live alone or to adequately managed the daily demands of life. Even beginning the conversation about major lifestyle changes with an aging parent or relative can be a difficult thing, but an essential one in many cases.

While the holiday season is a happy time for most people, it can also be a season that brings on feelings of deep sadness for a variety of reasons. It's a season that presents an endless supply of happy holiday images and a variety of expensive gifts to purchase. But when that magical lifestyle isn't within reach for most of us it can result in very real, and sometimes serious, feelings of depression.

Travel is a wonderful experience for most people, at least when that destination is finally reached. But travel by car or plane can often be very frustrating and stressful, especially during the busy holiday season. While there's no way to make the frustration causing parts of busy holiday totally disappear, there are things a person can do to reduce the personal stress of busy holiday travel.

The holiday period between Thanksgiving and New Years can be a busy time of the year, and often a high stress time for many people. One issue that produces anxiety for many is the various social obligations that come with the season. Sometimes all those invitations, or virtual requirements to attend, can leave a person feeling overwhelmed. But there are ways to manage that holiday party stress.