Ph.D.
Caroline Hexdall, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in North Carolina who has supported the well-being of children, adolescents, parents and families in public university medical settings, public schools, private schools and in independent practice for over 20 years. She specializes in psychological services for individuals who are considered to be neurodiverse. Dr. Hexdall has, for the past 12 years, taught mindful parenting classes and used mindfulness-based approaches with clients.
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There was a time when children used to spend their days listening to mythical legends, fables, and moral stories. Perhaps that is why storytelling for children is considered a great way to teach them several things. Whether the stories featured enchanting places or mysterious creatures, they had a captivating effect that kept the children hooked and provided great entertainment. The plot twists, fascinating settings, and dramatic characters were all ways to boost their imagination and curiosity. Continue reading to discover ways to become an engaging storyteller for your children and others. [mj-toc] What Is Storytelling? Storytelling is a creative form of expression where imagination is translated into words. It requires interactive words and actions with variations in tone, to narrate a story that keeps the listeners hooked until the end. A good storyteller also encourages the listener’s active imagination, letting them become the co-creators of the tale. Storytelling can take various forms such as dance, puppetry, musicals, comedy, poetry, and...
Making your boyfriend feel special goes a long way in deepening your love. If you want to know how to make your boyfriend feel loved, we are here to help you. Often, the small gestures of love hold the key to a successful and fruitful relationship. So, if your guy goes all out to make you happy and brighten up your day, you might also want to appreciate his effort by showing your love to him a little more each day. So, don’t hesitate to do the little, romantic things for your boyfriend. Although he may tease you and act unmoved, he likes these romantic gestures deep down. Here, we give you a few tips to help you make your boyfriend feel special and important. Read on. [mj-toc] How To Make Your Boyfriend Feel Loved: 21 Simple Ways It is not the big gestures that make men feel loved. Following are some simple ways that make your boyfriend feel special....
There can be times when you have tried and tested everything, but your baby isn’t falling asleep. At such times, singing lullabies for babies might do the trick. Not only will they like listening to them, but it will also help enhance their listening skills. This post on lullabies for babies will give you a list of lullabies that you can sing to your baby while you put them to sleep. Scroll down for the list of lullabies and choose the ones you think your baby will like the most. [mj-toc] What Is A Lullaby? [caption id="attachment_895105" align="alignnone" width="720"] Image: Shutterstock[/caption] A lullaby usually refers to a soft and soothing song sung for infants or toddlers. The tone of the baby lullaby induces a relaxing effect on your baby’s mind and helps her sleep. Lullabies help in establishing a stronger bond between you and your little one. The baby can sense the sweet voice and feel her parent's presence. The...
Are you confused between homeschool vs. public school? It’s a difficult task to wake up every day to get your child ready for school. Your child, too, may dislike the idea of parting ways with you only to go to school and start the process all over again. Some of us wish to avoid formal schooling for good. In a tech-driven world, this type of schooling doesn’t hold as much meaning as it did earlier. So, is homeschooling a possibility? While the debate between the merits and demerits can go on, making an informed decision is importantWe have compiled a list of the pros and cons of homeschooling to help you make an informed choice regarding your kid’s schooling. [mj-toc]What Is Homeschooling? Education is not the learning of the facts, but the training of the mind to think. - Albert Einstein Homeschooling is educating the child at home. Also known as home education, homeschooling is legal in several parts of...
Rejecting someone can be hard. This post will help you understand how to reject someone without causing them tremendous pain. Although it is pretty common, it is not easy—without hurting their feelings. No matter how you do it, rejection will inevitably cause some pain. Read on to get your answer and reject someone respectfully without letting them lose faith in themselves. [mj-toc] How To Reject Someone: 16 Ways How To Reject Someone Nicely Here are some examples of how you can reject someone politely depending on the scenario and the kind of rapport you share with that person. 1. Be clear and honest Rejecting someone may seem rude, but the clearer you are about your feelings, the better it will be for everyone. You can say, “I’m sorry, I do not share romantic feelings for you.” Do not give a vague response and keep someone hanging. Be honest and let that person move on. 2. Be blunt Suppose someone you...
Symbolic play is a creative activity where toddlers and babies use an object or item to represent or symbolize something else (1). This symbolic representation helps a child convey and depict thoughts and ideas through words, sound, and play (2). A baby talking over a toy phone and racing a block like a car are a few examples of symbolic play. Symbolic play is a crucial cognitive development milestone that lays the foundation for developing other important skills, including social skills and language, in children (3) (4). Hence, understanding its importance and taking the initiative to strengthen it are essential for a child’s overall development. In this post, we discuss the importance of symbolic play for children and offer you tips on encouraging your child to engage in symbolic play. So, read on to make the most out of your child’s playtime. [mj-toc] When Do Symbolic Play Skills Appear? Symbolic play skills appear typically between two and three years of...
A child biting someone could be a typical stage of development as they cannot express their actions or feelings through words. However, biting can result in severe physical harm to the bitten person. It also leads to strained relationships and upsets other children, parents, and adults. Therefore, it is important to address biting in young children. Read on to understand why children bite and how to respond to their behavior. [mj-toc]Why Do Kids Bite? Biting is common in young children but could worry the parents, especially when the child continues to show the behavior for a long time. Also, it is not an acceptable way of expression as the child reaches toddlerhood around three to five years of age. Some possible reasons for the child’s biting behavior are (1) (2). To ease the pain due to teething To express their frustration and other feelings they can’t communicate Out of curiosity about the consequence, especially when playing with other children When...
Bringing new life into the world is quite a miracle. The journey begins when a baby is born, and it fills our hearts with love and pride. To help your baby experience life to its fullest, you may consider having your child engage in sensory activities. Since our senses can help us experience life, emotions, feelings, and the world around us, it’s important to awaken our baby’s senses and introduce them to the world around them (1). This post presents several activities that can help your child experience their world and potentially learn from it. [mj-toc]Why Are Sensory Activities Important? So you may be wondering why sensory activities are considered so important? Well, that’s because before your tiny tot can open up their wrist and grab onto things, their senses such as smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch can unfurl and open them up to new experiences. Benefits Of Sensory Activities For Infants: Introducing your tiny baby to the world...
When expecting your second baby, your doubts and queries may decline compared to the anxious first pregnancy. But this time, the challenge is to prepare a toddler for a new baby. The curious little one you already have will fill you with many questions about the new member joining the family. You probably need to include a lot of adjustments to orient your child towards the arrival of their sibling (1). However, your toddler’s age decides when and how to break the news of another baby’s expected arrival. Over your nine months of pregnancy, you can take steps to encourage bonding between your toddler and the newborn. Team up with your partner to announce the arrival of your child’s sibling and let them participate in the events that you have planned for the welcome. Keep reading this post on ways to make it exciting for your toddler. Here Are Some Ways For Preparing your Toddler for New Baby Here we...
According to a Soviet psychologist, Lev Semyonovish Vygotsky, dramatic play for toddlers promotes emotional, cognitive, and social development (1). When children are two to three years old, they show their interests in various activities such as dressing up like you or repeating what you show and wish to be a part of the adult world. That’s why they try to imitate their parents and other family members and enjoy the dramatic play. Keep reading this post to understand its significance and let your child try out a few play ideas. [mj-toc]Why Is Dramatic Play Important For Toddlers? Dramatic play or pretend play helps build toddlers\' social, thinking, and language skills (2). Engaging your children in dramatic play activities is therefore vital in their preschool years. [mj_protip type="Did you know" title="Did you know?"]Drama is originally believed to have originated in Athens. They used to sing hymns known as dithyrambs for Dionysus. These hymns would then be performed by actors wearing costumes...