Does your teen have low self–esteem? Maybe he has a lousy self image, or anxiety about fitting in at school or with peers. This week in EP, read about these difficult adolescent issues from someone who’s been there and knows what he’s talking about. Abandoned and abused as a child, Josh Shipp was raised by a... Read more »
Most kids go through phases where they are sassy, sarcastic, mouthy, or disrespectful. As a parent, it's hard to know when to let it slide and when to address the problem. That's why parents often ask me the following: "How do you differentiate between disrespectful, sassy, or fresh language and abusive language?" These behaviors are... Read more »
“There’s a sale on school supplies,” I told my then 11-year-old son. “Let’s go. You can pick out all your own binders and folders.” “Mom, you are ruining summer,” he wailed. “I don’t want to think about school. I hate school!” This was not news to me. He struggled with ADHD and school demanded he be—and do—all... Read more »
Why do some kids try to become the so-called "alpha dogs" of their families? The answer lies in an old saying: nature abhors a vacuum. And in my experience, if there's a power vacuum in a family, somebody's going to try to fill it. And too often, it's a bossy or domineering child. "If your child... Read more »
Girl bullying. Mean girls. Relational bullying. Whatever you call it, it's bullying and most girls will experience some form of it at some point during their childhood. I recently gave a talk about bullying to a group of parents in my city. Afterward, a nervous-looking dad approached the front of the room to ask me... Read more »
Some children demand constant attention and will not take "no" for an answer. Just as children need to learn the importance of saying “please” and “thank you,” they need to learn how to appropriately make requests. If you're the parent of a demanding child, rest assured that this is not a new problem and there... Read more »
Do you find yourself in full-on homework battles most nights of the week? It’s no surprise that most children and teens will dig in their heels when it comes to doing schoolwork. Think of it this way: How many kids want to do something that isn’t particularly exciting or pleasant? Most would prefer to be playing video... Read more »
Passive-aggressive resistance is when kids learn to develop power over you by resisting you. It's the opposite of aggression: instead of threatening or yelling at you, a passive-aggressive child simply doesn't answer you. He ignores you. The behavior looks like this: Your teen just walks into the house, goes upstairs, and doesn't say anything. When you... Read more »
As a parent, if you aren’t the boss in your family, the lines of authority can become blurred very quickly. When your children are unsure about who's really in charge, they often act out, engage in risky behavior, or become extremely bossy and patronizing as a result. And eventually, you start to resent them because... Read more »
If you’re a parent, it’s almost inevitable that you’re going to be faced with your child not wanting to go to school at some point. In many cases, a child will outright refuse to go to school. Many parents respond to their child's refusal to attend school by yelling, screaming, and taking everything away. Other... Read more »
