Shannon Philpott

Helping Kids With Their First Crush

Published February 2011: eHow Family & Relationships

Helping Kids With Their First Crush
Picking Up the Pieces When They Fall Head Over Heels

Article Excerpt:

When Terrina Picarello was in the eighth grade, she fell hard for a boy. Her summer crush was doomed to end — the boy went to a different school — but dealing with the heartbreak is something she remembers well. “I sat in my room and played the record ‘Endless Love’ over and over for days and cried and cried,” Picarello said.

Her brothers and parents left her alone to deal with her feelings, and it took Picarello, a licensed counselor in Scottsdale, Arizona, almost two years to get over that first broken heart. “At least they did not make fun of me,” Picarello said. “But they just let me stew in it.”

Crushes are a natural part of growing up, but far too often, children feel alone and isolated with their feelings. Even worse, they tend to seek advice from their peers instead of trusted adults, prompting irrational decisions and actions. As a parent, you might know how it feels to fall head over heels, but do you know how to help your child cope with the same feelings you experienced years ago?

- Shannon Philpott

February 26, 2011 - Posted by sphilpott | Feature Stories, Magazine Writing, Sample Work | kids first crush, parenting, relationships, young love