Nancy Berk, Ph.D.

Parenting can be unpredictable and eye-opening. So the journey from crib to empty nest is filled with learning experiences for all family members. And while we create opportunities for our children, it's clear that sometimes children are responsible for helping us find and develop our hidden talents. Below are half...

As an Empty Nest Mom, this is the first year after many that I haven't had to scramble into Prom Mode. Yes, my sons have completed another rite of passage and there will be no more proms in my parenting future. Some days, a tiny twinge of sadness hits me,...

Last month, at Bryant University's Women's Summit, I spoke about strategies for launching successful new careers. Although my audience was focused on reinvention, I knew the lessons could be applied at any career stage. Still, the relevance of the topic for college graduates hadn't crossed my mind until...

This week, when New Line Cinema announced that it had acquired the screen rights to Andrew Ferguson's best selling book Crazy U: One Dad's Crash Course In Getting His Kid Into College, I had to cheer. First of all, I love Will Ferrell, who...

Most parents of college-bound teens quickly learn that some college tours involve more eye-rolling and ridiculous reasoning than family bonding. This isn't unusual. In fact, ask a few honest friends who have been there, and you'll get an earful. The road to higher education may be paved with a lot...

This week the New York Post featured a story about a mom who had taken the SAT seven times in an effort to better understand the process of standardized testing and the implications for her own children. It featured the methods she had used to master the test,...

Having kids changes everything -- your sleep-wake schedule, anxiety levels and musical choices. This fall I resumed control of my car stereo again when we dropped our younger son off at college. Before then, it had been a bumpy ride trying to keep everyone happy. We went from my tunes...

Parents of college students have long weighed in on their kids' academic choices. And every year universities expand their course catalogues to include classes that leave kids intrigued and parents shaking their heads.

Instead of obsessing over how students might benefit from a semester of studying

I suspect over the last three years Paula Deen has been consuming more public relations' advice than she has country fried steak and those famous gooey butter cakes. And yet, I doubt she's finding that advice very palatable these days.

After announcing her 2008 diabetes...

Rumor has it that 17-year-old Justin Bieber might not have college on his radar, BUT he hasn't ruled it out yet. So while it's not at the top of his priority list, you know how kids are. Face it, a multimillion dollar career is meaningless to a teen...

Parenting is rarely easy, but every now and then celebrities step in and help us out. Their good and bad behaviors provide valuable teaching moments that often confirm the lessons we've been trying to teach our kids since day one.

This year, Hollywood and the media handed parents everywhere more...

It's Friday Night -- Do you know where your college-bound kids are? Well, Saturday is another SAT test day, so chances are, many will be in test-prep lockdown. Last year, nearly 1.6 million students took the SAT. That translates into tons of family drama playing out in homes all over...

Just when I thought I was one of a handful to embrace the comedy in college-bound families, Hollywood put its hand on the pulse of family angst. It happens every year, but suddenly sitcoms are sitting up and taking notice of college-bound anxiety. As they should. It's rampant and there's...

Some people believe that Halloween is merely an opportunity to dress up and get free Reese's. But if you dig a little deeper, it's clear there's so much more going on. Halloween can bring parents and kids down to the same level. An excellent excuse for adults to regress, the...

The news of Steve Jobs' death sent a wave of incredible sadness through our home. It's magnitude was unexpected, but as I analyze this, it's pretty understandable. Steve Jobs was a stranger who brought many families together. In a world where technology can stump older adults, he leveled the playing...

This summer, as my son prepares for college, I am preparing for the empty nest. As a psychologist, I know what to expect. As a parent, my moods swing from sad to exuberant. And as a comic, life is rich with new material. Like childbirth, everyone has an opinion when...