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Suggested by Irine Schweitzer, Psy.D, LCSW
I would like to recommend some websites, books and organizations that I found to be very helpful. Feel free to let me know if you also found them helpful and if you know of any others.
Websites for Parents of Toddlers
www.zerotothree.org is a fabulous collection of articles pertaining to all aspects of a toddler’s life, written by professionals, but geared towards parents.
jenslist.com, commonly known as Jen’s list, is a newsletter sent out daily, written by a mom who posts all kinds of information useful to moms and kids. Definitely worth getting on the list.
www.momsclub.org – is a national organization with chapters in every state and city, run by moms, dedicated to connecting stay-at-home moms with other moms for opportunities to socialize, join a playgroup, and be a support at a crucial time.
www.autismspeaks.org is a new site full of help for recognizing the variety of red flags for autism spectrum disorders.
www.PlaydatesinLA.com is a free informational site for moms and dads looking for children’s activities in Los Angeles. Their site is full of ideas of where to go and what to do with a toddler, and their weekly emails highlight the special activities that week.
Books for Parents of Toddlers
Parenting From the Inside Out, by Daniel Siegel. This is a fabulous book, written by a pre-eminent neuropsychologist, who helps parents get a sense of what is going on with their child, before the child learns to speak.
Autism’s False Prophets, by Paul Offit. This book addresses the issues of MMR vaccine and autism and is a great reference for those who have concerns about giving their babies the MMR vaccine.
Organizations for Parents of School-Age Children
NutritionWise. (818) 304-1876. Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD director.
This is an organization run by registered dietitians who are dedicated to helping children and families with issues stemming from eating difficulties such as allergies, overweight, diabetes, feeding disorders, celiac disease and much more.
Therapy in Action. (818) 708-2292. TherapyinAction.com
Therapy In Action is a multidisciplinary therapy center for children, adolescents and their families. Their staff consists of Registered Occupational Therapists and Licensed Physical Therapists. They have a great touch with kids, and a terrific facility.
CHADD ( Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder). www.chadd.org
CHADD is the nation’s leading non-profit organization serving individuals with AD/HD and their families. CHADD has over 16,000 members in 200 local chapters throughout the U.S. Chapters offer support for individuals, parents, teachers, professionals, and others. They are the place to go to find local chapters, conferences, articles, books and referrals.
Guys Group for boys in middle school. (818) 983-7728. Facilitated by Kent Toussaint, MFT.
The group helps boys develop new social skills, make better choices and become more self confident. It is hard to find a group just for boys and this group does a great job creating a positive, therapeutic environment conducive to growing and learning.
Websites for Parents of School-Age Children
www.babaganews.com is an innovative, educational web site for Jewish middle school students and teachers. It offers games, puzzles, crafts, recipes, e-cards and more. It is very creative, fun for the kids and educational.
Books for Parents of School-Age Children
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. A fabulous book, written by therapists, who give the parents the words they need to talk to their kids.
Playground Politics, by Stanley I. Greenspan, MD. This book is an excellent introduction to understanding the emotional life of your school-age child.
Books for Parents of Teens
How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. Oldie but goodie.
Resources on Special Parenting Topics
Help for LA residents who have left cults or any high-demand group
Venice Family Clinic, (310) 664-7522, offers help for those who had been involved in cults, addressing both practical problems and adjusting back to a new life.
Anorexia/ Bulimia — Books
Dying to Please, by Avis Rumney. This book explains the etiology and different treatments of eating disorders.
Wasted, by Marya Hornbacher. This is a first-hand biographical account of the disorders, anorexia and bulimia.
Books by Steven Levenkron: The Luckiest Girl in the World, The Anatomy of Anorexia, Treating and Overcoming Anorexia Nervosa. Levenkron is a specialist in this area. His approach is both warm and accepting, as well as firm and calculated.
Because I Feel Fat, by Tony Paulson, Ph.D. A great book for parents to read.
Asperger’s — Books
The Other Half of Asperger’s, by Maxine Aston.
A Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome, by Tony Attwood.
Solutions for Adults with Asperger’s Syndrome, by Juanita Lovett, Ph.D. This book is especially helpful for couples.
LGBTQ Youth — Crisis Help
The Trevor Project. 1 (866) 4-U-TREVOR. www.thetrevorproject.org.
This organization is the only accredited, nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTZQ youth.