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 which high school he would like to attend. Mommy is busy cutting up their 3-year-old’s chicken and vegetables. Suddenly, 7-year-old Nicole flings a forkful of […]
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 the house with them, because she has been working all day at her computer and feels guilty that she has not been spending […]
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 mom yells no, a 6-foot-tall security guard standing nearby, sees what’s happening, and leaps toward the candy. In one grand gesture, he kicks […]
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, swims quickly to the other side of the pool, and wins the race. Rebecca is Michael’s idol. It’s been that way since he […]
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 words always mean a child is distressed, the magnitude varies widely. Sometimes the words sound worse then they are, yet they must always […]
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 building cities in the block corner at preschool. Sometimes these groups can exclude other children. Yes, this is how cliques begin to form. […]
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 from rejection flooded their minds, and they worried that Sam was having the same problems. This situation presented his mom and dad with […]
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 feel more secure in himself and take more risks as he grows. Here are some ways to achieve this crucial task. Praise her […]
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. Even older kids act that way. But some children give their parents a harder time than others. This may have to do with […]
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.” Brian screeches, “That’s not fair!” Why Mom immediately lashed out at her first born is puzzling. Maybe he tends to cause lots of […]