ARTICLES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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.

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.”

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

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 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

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.

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,

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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