Depressed teen by David Krasky, Psy.S. Licensed School Psychologist and author of Raising Future Adults As a school psychologist, I sit with teens every day who are trying to make sense of the world while managing powerful emotional experiences. Anxiety and depression in adolescents are more common than many parents realize—and they often look different than they did even a decade ago. While parents may think their teenagers have it easier then previous generations, there are

Stressed Teen by David Krasky, Psy.S., Licensed School Psychologist and author of Raising Future Adults As a licensed school psychologist, I often see parents in my office who are heartbroken, saying, "I just didn’t see it coming." The truth is, mental health struggles in children and teens rarely look like a "breakdown." More often, they look like a slow withdrawal, a change in temperature, or a series of "off" days that eventually become the new normal. Because their brain

Motivated child by Licensed School Psychologist and author of Raising Future Adults , David Krasky, Psy.S. Motivation is one of the most misunderstood parts of parenting. Many parents believe motivation is something you give  children — through rewards, pressure, or consequences. Research consistently shows something different: motivation is something children build internally , and parents shape the environment where it either grows or shrinks. When meeting with teens and yo

Child doing chores A Practical, Research-Informed Guide for Parents Who Want Independent, Self-Motivated Kids by David Krasky, Psy.S., Licensed School Psychologist and author of Raising Future Adults If you feel like you repeat the same reminders every day — “Clean your room.” “Did you do your homework?” “Get your stuff ready.”  — you are not failing as a parent. You are experiencing one of the most common parenting traps: over-reminding instead of transferring ownership. In

Self-management by David Krasky, Psy.S., Licensed School Psychologist and author of Raising Future Adults Many parents assume that if their child is doing well academically, they are automatically being prepared for adulthood. But decades of longitudinal research show something more nuanced: academic knowledge matters — yet life skills often predict long-term professional success, relationship quality, mental health, and overall life satisfaction just as much (and sometimes m

by David Krasky, Licensed School Psychologist and author of Raising Future Adults Most parents step in to help because they care deeply. You don’t want your child to feel stressed, fail, or get hurt. That instinct is natural and loving. But there’s an important difference between helping  and over rescuing  — and over time, over rescuing can quietly shape how children see themselves, their abilities, and the world around them. The hard truth? Kids don’t build confidence from

This article focuses on how parents inadvertently reinforce dependence in children and teens

by David Krasky, Psy.S. Licensed School Psychologist and author of Raising Future Adults Parents often ask, “What actually makes kids successful as adults?” The answer isn’t just grades, test scores, or college admissions. Long-term success is built on a set of transferable life skills  — the abilities that help young people function independently, navigate relationships, manage stress, and adapt to change. Many in the business world call these soft skills. But for a teenager