The story about first graders possibly getting condoms in Massachusetts showed, yet again, how the issue of sex education in our country has become politicized in such a ridiculous way that we lose sight of the importance of informing our children about their sexuality and reproductive health. This issue should not be placed in the Liberal vs. Conservative category. Rather, it squarely falls within “public health.” Teen pregnancy is...

The story about Jamie Kieles and her 30-day trial of following Seventeen magazine was insightful and funny. It also got me thinking about alternatives to the teeny-bop magazines that do exist. As a psychologist and the mother of a 7-year-old girl (who at difficult times seems like a teenager already!), I am always looking for anything and everything that will help balance my daughter’s consumption of Hannah Montana, iCarly and, yes, her...

The Sunderland family has found themselves in a firestorm — or, more accurately, a big storm in the Indian Ocean that could have taken the life of their daughter, Abby. They have been criticized by many people for allowing and encouraging their 16-year-old daughter to try to break the record for being the youngest person to sail around the world. I believe that enabling a minor to voyage alone for months in hostile seas (especially...

A Nassau County Supreme Court justice has sentenced a mother to six weekends in jail for civil contempt. Per the judge, the guilty mom — Lauren Lippe — engaged in a pattern of “alienating” behavior wherein she made false allegations of sexual abuse against her children’s father, Ted Rubin — allegations that were calculated to interfere with her ex-husband’s scheduled time and relationship with their...

Stephanie Rochester, who was charged with the June 1 suffocation death of her 6-month-old son, Rylan (whom she feared was autistic), may have been suffering from postpartum psychosis. This is a horrible tragedy, whether or not she was psychotic at the time of her son’s death. I am sure Stephanie Rochester is going through an extensive battery of tests to find out if in fact she is experiencing postpartum depression or postpartum...

The recent story of the mother who had her 5-year-old mock-arrested for setting fires made the many misconceptions about children and firesetting clear to me. I empathize with the fear and frustration this mom must have been feeling, but how she handled the situation was, in my opinion, not the best way to deal with this very dangerous behavior. Children who are preoccupied with fire and firesetting may have many reasons for this type of acting...