ARTICLES

Teaching Kids Gratitude
Children are not born understanding appreciation. KEY POINTS “I want that fire truck,” screams 3-year-old William, and he proceeds to throw himself prostrate on the floor in the store. Mom is beside

Why Kids Whine
Tips for how to resolve a child’s whining KEY POINTS “Stop whining!” Parents will plead with their kids. It’s hard to hear your child drone on and on, “I want some ice

Preparing Your Children for School
Parents and children are naturally feeling anxious KEY POINTS This has certainly been a year of constant adjustments for children in their home life and education. Some have learned remotely throughout the pandemic,

This Sexual Behavior Is Part of Natural Development
Four-year-old Grace is lying on the couch in the living room with her hand in her pants. Mom and Dad are very uncomfortable and are not sure what to do. On one hand, their

Should Parents Apologize?
KEY POINTS Many parents tell me that they feel overwhelming guilt after yelling at their children. They remember how badly they felt as children when their parents screamed at them and had even sworn

Age Gap: When to Have a Second Child
Large or small, age gaps affect sibling relationships Parents often wonder about whether it’s better to have their children close in age or spaced far apart. Some will say: “Oh let’s just

Overcoming Parental Guilt
Parenting is the hardest job in the world Many parents tell me that they feel overwhelming guilt after yelling at their child. They remember how badly they felt as children when their parents yelled

How Parental Birth Order Affects Parenting
Identifying with your child A parent’s birth order powerfully impacts his relationship with his children. If a parent was the firstborn child, he may identify completely with his oldest. He understands this child best

Raising Twins
Encourage their unique identities There are many benefits for children growing up as twins. The children always have a playmate whether they’re playing dress-up together, or just lying on their beds reading. They’re never alone.

The Only Child
Are you demanding too much of your only child? Four-year-old Julie is walking down the street hand-in-hand with her mom and dad. “One, two, three everyone counts,” when they arrive at a

Middle Child Syndrome
Overcoming the challenge of being both an older and younger sibling all at once The family is sitting around the dinner table. Daddy is having a discussion with his 12-year-old son about

Sibling Battles During Quarantine
Mom and her two sons, 9-year-old Alex and 12-year-old William, are going out for a bike ride. This is their “outside time” during the stay-at-home quarantine. Mom is happy to be leaving

Talking to Kids About Coronavirus
A mom and her 3-and-a-half-year-old little girl stop at the library to drop off some books. The little girl sees a candy on the floor and starts to reach for it. The

The Second Child
Being the secondborn has its challenges Four-year-old Michael sits wide-eyed on his father’s shoulders, watching his 7-year-old sister Rebecca take part in a swimming competition. The whistle blows, she jumps into the water,

When Your Child Says, “I Want to Kill Myself”
The child is turning their anger against themself “I want to kill myself. ” These are the most terrifying words a parent can hear from a child at any age. Though these

What to Do When Cliques Form
Helping children who are excluded Around the age of 4, groups of friends bonded by the same interests are often formed. Several children may enjoy playing monsters at the park together or

When Your Child Says, “Nobody Likes Me”
Stay objective and avoid overreacting Four-year-old Sam arrived home from preschool one day complaining, “ No one likes me!” Needless to say, his mom and dad were horrified. Memories of their own childhood wounds

Encouraging Independence
An independent child will feel more secure in himself and take more risks A child feels exhilarated when he experiences his own power and capabilities. If you encourage his independence, he will

The Opppositional Child
Some children give their parents a harder time than others It’s normal for small children to run the other way when you call, constantly test you, and refuse to listen, at times.

How Parental Birth Order Affects Parenting
Parental birth order may powerfully impact the parent/child relationship “Stop that!” 7-year-old Allie screeches. Standing within earshot of this latest sibling squabble, Mom instantaneously hollers at her 9-year-old son, “Brian, You’re punished.”

Handling Your Child’s Jealousy
It is hard for a child when another sibling is the center of attention Eight-year-old Grace is at her older sister’s sweet 16 party. She is feeling down because her sister is

Getting a Divorce? 5 Tips to Help Your Children Cope
Learn how to cut down on children’s distress When parents are getting a divorce, children can become extremely upset. Even if there was tremendous friction between the parents, the family is breaking apart.

The Challenges Facing a Firstborn Child
The ups and downs of being a firstborn Parents are very excited when they are about to have their first baby. They make sure they have researched and purchased the most high-tech

I Want More Presents!
It’s New Year’s Day and four-year-old Jennifer whines to her mom, “Mommy, buy me that new doll on TV for Christmas.” Mommy hits the roof. “Jennifer, you just got tons of gifts.

You Love My Brother More than Me
Sharing parents’ love often creates sibling rivalry It is 6 o’clock in the evening. Mrs. Allen walks into her house exhausted from a long day, places her packages on the kitchen table,

Ending Homework Battles
Children naturally resist homework to one degree or another Dad walks by his 14-year-old daughter Sophie’s room and sees that she is talking on the phone. He is enraged. It is 8:30

Six Steps For Schools to End School Violence
What causes a child to walk into a school with an intent to harm It is back to school again, and this year parents, children, and school officials are feeling tremendous anxiety. Will

All Children Are Created Equal
Would they ever see their parents again? They sat huddled in a cave waiting, they were panicked, frightened, cold, hungry, and badly wanted their parents who symbolized safety and protection. Would they

The Effect of Separating Children From Their Parents
The child has lost his lifeline, and often his sense of self There has been a great deal of news coverage about the policy of separating children from their parents at the

Birth Order and the Third Child
Each child may have unique emotional experiences The news has been ablaze with stories about the birth of Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s third child. And there has been much

Teaching Young Children Morals
Every child wants to be good and to be loved Four-year-old Maddie is lying in her bed talking to her mom. Feeling ashamed, she keeps her face covered with her blanket. Maddie: Mom. I

Coping with an Angry Teenager
Whatever I do or say sets him off Recently at a parenting workshop, a mom described an interaction with her teenage son: “Every day, I drive my 15 y-o son to school. The whole

Teaching Children Self-Control
Impulse control is a developmental issue dating back to infancy A toddler will bite a friend who takes his shovel. A ten year old will slam the door in your face when

What to Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied
The victim of bullying feels anxious and trapped A bully is someone who verbally or physically persists in hurting others. The bully may tease, taunt, or exclude a child or start rumors

Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs
Your loving care helps her to feel safe and trust others Children come into the world with certain basic emotional needs: the need to feel loved and the need for a positive self-esteem.

The Value of Pre-school
The teacher helps the children to build their social and emotional skills At this time of year, I always like to reassure parents of young children who are starting preschool, that they

Managing Parental Anger
Stay calm and protect your child’s self-esteem It is normal for parents to feel angry at their kids. Children’s behavior is very difficult to manage and can easily drive you crazy. But,

Helping Kids Who Bite
Young children are in the oral stage of development Eighteen-month-old Sophie is digging happily in the sandbox next to her friend Kate. Kate suddenly takes Sophie’s shovel. Sophie bites her arm. Biting

Acknowledging Children’s Emotions
Verbalizing acceptance of your child’s emotions helps her feel understood Mommy is pushing 11-month-old Lily on a swing. Mommy announces that it’s time to go home for dinner. As she tries to

Preventing Teens From Abusing Alcohol
One in five teens have problems with alcohol Mom and Dad receive a phone call that at the party their fifteen year old son Alex attended the night before, a group of

The Shy Child
Be careful not to refer to your child as shy in front of her Some children jump in and make friends wherever they go, whereas others take a while to “warm up”

Managing Playdates
A play date is more complicated than meets the eye A play date is more complicated than meets the eye. As soon as your child knows a friend is coming to her

Responding with Enthusiasm
Admiration and approval give your child the message that he is good When your child calls out to you, “Mommy look. I made a snake with my clay,” it is very important

Strangers and Danger
Ways to protect and empower your child Young children are often outgoing and like to tell people stories about themselves. Even if your child does not reach out to a stranger, someone might approach

When Your Child Plays Doctor
Young children are naturally curious about anatomical differences Four year old Julie is having a play date with her best friend, Justin. After awhile, it seems a little too quiet in her

Starting School Jitters
Children tend to face the new year with many worries Uh oh! The school year is starting up again. With camp and family vacations becoming fond memories, the more easy going routine

“Hurry up! You’ll Be Late for School.”
Watching her dawdle with a sock is a hair-raising experience It’s 7:30 A.M. You’re rushing to get your four year old to school on time. You walk into his room and find

Where Do I Come From?
Young children are fascinated about how they were made “Where did I come from?” four year old Molly asked her parents one morning at breakfast. Her parents glanced nervously at each other:

Helping Your Child Cope With a Death
When someone dies, he realizes that his parents and even he himself can die Your young child may first come across death when Sweetpea her hamster dies, when she sees the movie

How to Help Your Child Sleep Alone
It is important for children to learn how to fall asleep on their own Do you find yourself all twisted up from sleeping on the floor of your child’s room every night, or from

Teaching Children Tolerance
Teach your young child positve values about accepting differences You’re standing in the supermarket check-out line with your 3-year old when he suddenly points to another little boy sitting in a shopping

Mommy, I Want to Marry You
Your child’s love is like a teenager’s first crush At around the age of 4, it is common for a child to fall in love with the parent of the opposite sex. This

Why Hitting is Harmful to Children
Hitting hurts children both physically and emotionally As a parent you love your child more than anything in the world. And most of all, you want your child to grow up feeling

I Don’t Want to Go to School
There are many explanations for why a child would refuse to go to school Parents are often shocked when, a month into the school year, their child suddenly says, “I don’t want

Raising a confident kid
If there’s one quality most of us equate with success and happiness, it’s self confidence.

Oldest, Youngeset, or In Between
How your child’s birth order can affect her personality – and what you can do to influence it’s impact.

Growing up in the new family
Adoptive, mixed race, single-parent households – for all, it’s important to be honest about the hurdles they may face.

Do you secretly favor one child?
Were you the oldest? The youngest? Your own birth order may influence how you treat your kids. Here’s how to be fair.

Mommy, Why is that boy’s skin brown?
Teaching your child to see the beauty in our differences.