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Archive for September, 2008
Thursday, September 18th, 2008
Though the case can be made that we are regressing intellectually, like it or not, people’s love for movies is not likely to lesson anytime soon.
Licensed psychologist Dr. Vicki Panaccione often suggests that parents have ongoing discussions with their children about the images they see and ideas they encounter while viewing movies.
Panaccione sometimes finds that the discussion of film can be a great ice-breaker in getting kids to talk about their fears.
“Movies, even children’s movies, deal with a lot of serious developmental issues,” she said.
As published in Florida Today.
© MMVI Vicki Panaccione, Ph.D.
Tags: development issues, discussion, fears, movies, therapy
Posted in Communication | Add a Comment »
Friday, September 5th, 2008
Just as adults do, overweight children face increasing health risks not only from obesity-associated diabetes but from heart disease and some cancers.
There also may be psychological problems associated with being overweight, said Vicki Panaccione, who has a doctorate in psychology and practices in Melbourne.
Although in her practice, children rarely are referred solely because they’re overweight, it seems logical obesity can threaten self-worth, she said.
“Even for kids who are somewhat overweight, this can be a problem,” said Panaccione. “Other kids can be cruel, and that can’t help an overweight child’s self-esteem.
As published in Florida Today.
© MMVI Vicki Panaccione, Ph.D.
Tags: American kids, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, overweight, self-esteem, self-worth
Posted in Child Development | Add a Comment »
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008
“Moms should be very careful not to introduce a date to the children until she really gets to know him, and decides that he really is someone she would like the children to know. Also, children can become very attached to these men. So unless mom plans for this relationship to have some long term permanence, I would not recommend introducing him to the children.”
“On the other hand, almost all kids have the fantasy of mom and dad getting back together, and they hold it for years and years. So, if mom brings a boyfriend into the picture, it interferes with children’s hopes that their fantasy will come true. So children can feel very threatened about the possibility that the boyfriend will try to take dad’s place. Or, they can also try to sabotage the relationship, trying to get rid of the man in order to preserve their fantasy.”
As broadcasted on Rose Lee Archer Show.
© MMVI Vicki Panaccione, Ph.D.
Tags: boyfriend, children, dad, dating, mom, relationship
Posted in Family | Add a Comment »
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008
Today’s busy parents need to be aware of whether their child is overly concerned about her body, and if so, get professional help.
Dr. Vicki Panaccione, a Melbourne child psychologist, said she sees a “good many” young people—mostly girls—who think they’re fat or that something is wrong with their bodies, although they don’t have diagnosable eating disorders.
“Generally these are kids who don’t feel good about themselves,” she said. Some are model-thin, some are over-weight and may have been picked on in school.
“They’re never satisfied with the way they look,” Panaccione said. “Most don’t like themselves, don’t think they’re good, worthy people, and the way they visualize themselves is through their bodies. ‘If I’m not a good, worthy person then my body is not good.’”
Experts say the trend of girls trying to lose weight at a young age—or at least talking about it—has been gaining momentum for the past 10 years and is continuing to grow. And it has them worried.
“It used to be that we saw weight problems in the early teens, now it’s in pre-teens,” Panaccione said. “Young girls look up to super models, where the push has been to younger and younger girls. Glamour Shots, earlier use of make-up, sexy clothes for children, and emphasis in society to look older all force kids to focus on their bodies earlier.”
As published in Florida Today.
© MMVI Vicki Panaccione, Ph.D.
Tags: bodies, concerned, fat, girls, lose weight, model-thin, overweight, super models, weight problems, worthy
Posted in Puberty / Adolescence | Add a Comment »
Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008
There’s no doubt secrecy starts early in childhood. Take, for example, when two kindergartners whisper to each other the name of a cute classmate. Teenagers secretly talk about sex, drugs and disagreements with their parents. And (adult) whisperings give way to office gossip.
“It’s hard to keep stuff to ourselves, and we tend to want to share information, even intimate stuff,” said Dr. Vicki Panaccione, a licensed psychologist and adolescent specialist. “And also part of why we tell the secret is for acceptance.”
Among teens, the issue of whether to tell or not doesn’t necessarily depend on factors of danger or safety, Panaccione said.
“That’s because teens are at an age when image and friendship are crucial. So if not telling a dangerous secret will keep a friendship intact, that is what the student likely will do.”
“It is prevalent among teens, and I’m very concerned about it,” Panaccione said. “I see a lot of teen-age girls who confide in each other, but there are times when they need to get an adult involved.
“Telling secrets puts these teens under incredible pressure as to what to do,” Panaccione said. “They are afraid of what will happen if they tell the secret, but then they’re afraid of what will happen if they don’t tell.”
As published in Florida Today.
© MMVI Vicki Panaccione, Ph.D.
Tags: gossip, intimate, kept, secrecy, secret, whisper
Posted in Puberty / Adolescence | Add a Comment »
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Internationally recognized as a passionate and dedicated parent/child specialist, child psychologist "Dr. Vicki” Panaccione has spent the last 25 years helping thousands of families strengthen what she calls the "CaringConnection", the emotional bond between parents and children.
“Dr. Vicki is the author of Discovering Your Child: Parent Guide, and CaringConnections, her weekly online newsletter, helping parents find joy and fulfillment in their relationships
with their children. Read more... |
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