Pouting, whining, and sulking are three of the most annoying ways that kids communicate their displeasure, anger, or frustration with a situation. This behavior is not just limited to young children, either—teens do it because they haven't always learned the skills to express their frustration in an appropriate way. Simply put: it works for them. When... Read more »
When parents realize that their children might have either a behavioral or learning problem, the first thing many do is blame themselves. Parents are usually very frightened and worried about their children’s behavior. This fear often manifests itself in negative ways. One of those ways is blame. As problems continue, they start to externalize the blame... Read more »
If you and your spouse take opposing roles in dealing with your kids, you’re not alone. Many parents take on the roles of “good cop” and “bad cop” in the family. For instance, Dad is the kid’s best buddy, and mom is the nag. Or dad is strict and mom is a sympathizer. Which “cop” is... Read more »
I can't tell you how many times I've heard parents say that their children respond to consequences by yelling “I DON’T CARE!” Nothing seems to bother these kids, or so it seems -- not even losing their cell phone, T.V. time, or having an earlier bedtime. My goal in this article is to prove to all... Read more »
With the holidays rapidly approaching, I find myself wondering how many parents are saying to themselves things like: “We spent big money just last year on a new PlayStation and now my son says he wants an Xbox! Why can’t he be happy with what he has?” “My daughter wants the new iPhone. I can’t... Read more »
Many parents are unsure whether they should leave their older kids home alone. For parents who work, this is particularly an issue during the summer. But it also applies during school vacations and during the after-school hours. So, how do you know if your child is responsible enough to be left home alone? And, if you... Read more »
As soon as you knew you were having children, you probably began to dream about who they were going to be, how they might be like you, and hoped they would be successful in life. You may have wanted your child to be into football or academics, but then reality set in. You found that... Read more »
Let’s face it—we are all imperfect parents in one way or another. Even though we realize that no one gets it right all the time, it’s still easy to judge and label yourself a “good parent” or “bad parent” depending upon how you handle a given situation. But as James Lehman says, “The important thing... Read more »
If you have a child or teen who misbehaves, the holidays can be a source of infinite stress and anxiety. Your expectations of the holidays can be seriously at odds with your child's expectations. You expect to have a nice, shared time with your immediate family. And you may attend some larger family gatherings. Meanwhile,... Read more »
Guilt and parenthood just seem to go together. Maybe you lost control and screamed at your child today. Or perhaps you’re struggling to give your kids enough. Or you might even be worrying that you’re doing too much for your child. Whatever the cause, most parents experience guilt regularly. I’ve talked with so many parents... Read more »
