Inkandescent Kids Story of the Day

March 2026: In her books to help families thrive, child psychiatrist Dr. Gayani DeSilva offers insights for tweens and teens — and their parents — to stop addiction and depression before it starts

A Note from Hope, publisher, Inkandescent Kids magazine — I am honored to introduce you all to Dr. Gayani DeSilva, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, Gayani obtained her medical training at Albany Medical College before interning at Brown University and doing a residency at Harvard. She has won numerous awards for her insights and work, including helping children in juvenile justice centers and foster care.

“Much of that work consists of understanding the complex array of needs of adolescent and young adult criminal and violent offenders,” Gayani explains. “I work to understand the interplay between mental illness, societal factors, and interpersonal issues.”

Based on her experience and research, she has so far written two books (see below) that provide insight for parents hoping to help depressed tweens and keep their children from suffering from addiction.

“I am dedicated to improving the health and wellness of children, and also the whole family,” says the mother of a son who practices in Laguna Beach, CA. “Straight talk and practical expertise are my tools. “To understand the deeper needs of a child, a parent can better support them as they mature.”

If there’s ever a time when more parents need advice on how to keep kids mentally safe and well, it’s now! Scroll down for more! Follow Dr. Gayani DeSilva on Twitter. 

Dr. DeSilva explains: In my practice as a child and adolescent psychiatrist, the parents of my patients most often ask me, What do I say to him (or her)? These are well-meaning parents who care deeply for their children but find themselves at a loss for how to begin, maintain and resolve conversations with their children who struggle with illnesses like depression, ADHD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Though this book focuses on how parents can converse with their children who have a mental illness, the skills, and tools presented in this book apply to parents of all children.

When faced with the challenge of trying to connect with their children, parents are frequently so focused on their child talking with them that they miss ways to make a meaningful connection that leads to increased understanding between the parent and child. This book will help parents learn to be cognizant of childhood developmental processes and how their child s illness impacts development. Using knowledge about neurodevelopment, psychological development, and psychiatric disorders, parents will learn how to use conversation to improve bonding, bolster their child s self-esteem, and aid their child s development.

Click here to buy the book. 

Dr. DeSilva explains: “Addictive substances and activities hijack the teenage brain to create an addiction. This book demystifies addiction from a neurological and psychological perspective, explaining how the brain changes in response to addictive stimuli and psychological factors.

The teenage brain and psyche are particularly vulnerable to developing addictions because, during the teen years, the brain is in a phase of rapid and profound development. Moreover, more than half of all suicides were with people who were intoxicated.

With a non-judgmental approach, I describe family dynamics and parenting choices that inadvertently promote the development of an addiction. Armed with knowledge about how addiction develops, I coach parents on optimizing their parenting strategies to help their children avoid getting addicted.

Click here to buy the book.

 

 

April 2026: This month at Inkandescent Kids magazine — we celebrate Autism Awareness + Acceptance Month by creating Social Stories. Learn all about it, and send us your submissions!

A Note from Ellen Smith, editor, Inkandescent Kids magazine — Dear Readers, I am thrilled to join you as the editor of Inkandescent Kids magazine! Here at Inkandescent Kids, we are all about empowering young people. In our magazine, kids will learn to “think like a journalist” and have opportunities to share their ideas with the world. I am grateful to begin this position in April, also known as Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. I began my career as a special education teacher and often worked with kids on the autism spectrum. That was where I learned about writing social stories. And you will, too!

February 2026: “We show our kids and each other a powerful act of love when we keep them safe in the car,” says auto expert Judy Curry, who shares “12 Ways to Keep Kids Safe in the Car”

A Note from Judy Curry, co-founder, Curry’s Auto Service — “Few parents forget the first time they put their infant into the car. Many hospitals won’t release a new mother unless she has an infant car seat for her baby. Installing car seats correctly is an essential part of being a good parent. But almost anyone who has installed a car seat knows it’s a challenge to get the seat set up correctly. The good news is that help is available.” Check out these 12 ways to keep kids safe.

January 2026: Start the new year off right with rock star and social justice activist Michael Franti whose songs teach us the art of embracing “Peace, Love, and Social Justice”

A Note from rock star Michael Franti — “When I’m asked if I’d ever think when I was a little kid that you would be traveling the world playing music, I admit it really was not an ambition of mine. Throughout my childhood, all I wanted to do was to be a basketball player, and I eventually played at the University of San Francisco. My dorm room was right above the campus radio station, so I’d hear these bass lines coming up through the floor all of the time, and at first, it was kind of annoying. And then I started to get into music, hearing all these different styles coming out of the campus radio station. By the end of the semester, I was hooked, and the rest is history.”

December 2025: Children’s book author Karen Leggett Abouraya teaches us that we are all connected in her newest tale, Zamzam

A Note from Karen Leggett Abouraya, author of the children’s book, “Zamzam” — Zamzam is a young boy who enjoys life with his Egyptian grandparents in Alexandria, Egypt, and his American grandparents in New York City. He shares big and little differences in his daily experiences in each country – including phrases in Arabic and English — but ultimately realizes that the most important experiences are exactly the same​ across cultures. We know you’ll embrace this story of peace, family, and love.

November 2025 — We give thanks this month with “Nonviolence,” an award-winning essay by high school student Shay Jackson entitled, “Living the Dream”

A Note from Shay Jackson, from her essay, “Nonviolence” — There have been many successful nonviolent movements throughout history. One of the most well-known was the Indian Independence Movement, led by the notable Mahatma Gandhi, another famous civil rights activist. The movement used nonviolent resistance to end British colonial rule in India. Another important movement was in the United States, with leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., who advocated for racial equality. They used peaceful protests and civil disobedience. Another nonviolent act was the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, where the Czechs used nonviolent protests to end Communist rule. These movements show the power of nonviolence. Nonviolence is a significant movement to change.

October 2025: Learn to be MoneySmarts with LouAnn Lofton, author of “Warren Buffett Invests Like a Girl,” started investing as a student. You can, too!

A Note from LouAnn Lofton, the author of Warren Buffett Invests Like a Girl — When it comes to knowing the value of investing wisely, we learn from the woman who started to grow her portfolio at age 15, shortly after the death of her father, a pharmacist, who set aside funds for LouAnn and her two siblings. “Because my father died, it meant that I would inherit some money upon my 21st birthday. I decided, about a year out of high school, to learn about investing, so I didn’t squander the opportunity presented to me by that money.”

September 2025: In his new book, “The Secret Sauce,” Superintendent Peter Noonan and his team of Educators Share 45 Ideas on What Makes FCCPS Special

A Note from Dr. Peter Noonan, Superintendent of Schools — “When I arrived in 2017 to serve Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) as the 9th Superintendent in the division’s history, I knew something about this place was different than anywhere else I had ever worked,” insists Dr. Noonan. Read all about it in the 45 essays by teachers, administrators, and Fall Church officials that sum up the story in his 2025 book, “The Secret Sauce.”

August 2025: Welcome to Inkandescent Kids magazine — the online publication for kids, by kids, about kids! Learn to think like a reporter

A Note from Hope Katz Gibbs, publisher, Inkandescent Kids — Hello and welcome to the newest magazine from the Inkandescent PR + Publishing Co. I cooked up this project in my mind back in 2017, but I wasn’t quite ready to bring it to fruition in the summer of 2025. Sometimes things need to simmer for a while before the meal is ready to serve. Today, it is with great pride and love that I share with you the publication for kids, by kids, about kids. We are on a mission to help children around the world think like reporters. Please join us.