Not now. Later. Tomorrow. That’s when many teenagers say they plan to complete their household chores or tackle their homework. To a certain extent, this is normal—many of us have a tendency to delay, to put off until tomorrow what we don’t want to do today. There is a difference, however, between the occasional delayer and... Read more »
Is it just me or does it seem like children have lost their playfulness? Many of us can recall summer days spent playing games outside with friends, riding bikes, playing hopscotch, or making forts in the woods. Now, though, it seems that most kids prefer to lead a wired existence, constantly connected to some electronic... Read more »
Your 10-year-old son begs you to buy him the newest video game. He cries, "All my friends have it. Why can't you be like all the other parents? They buy their kids the stuff they want!" Or, your 16-year-old daughter is annoyed that she has to drive the old beat-up car to school. "I don't... Read more »
When we do too much for our kids—when we over-function for them—we rob them of the skills and practice necessary to develop competence and mastery in life. Instead of learning life skills, they develop a problem that psychologists refer to as learned helplessness. This is certainly not our intention when we aim to help... Read more »
Is your child failing in school? Maybe he started out full of enthusiasm, but now his grades are slipping, his attitude is bad and he seems to be falling through the cracks. If your child has hit a slump midway through the school year, you are not alone. James Lehman has some advice for you... Read more »
How do you stop arguing with your child? The best and most effective approach to stop arguing is to refuse to take part in arguments in the first place. When you engage in constant arguing with your child, over time they will begin to believe they're your peer and have the power to challenge you. The... Read more »
Many parents want to know how to manage anger in their children. Maybe your child acts out and is belligerent, and you’re at a loss to help him control those feelings. Not only is it upsetting to see, it impacts the entire family. But here’s the truth: Whenever we want to manage someone else’s feelings, particularly... Read more »
Does your child always seem to get in trouble for fighting? You’ve tried talking to him, but the aggressive behavior hasn’t stopped—he still roughhouses with his siblings at home to the point of injury, brawls with kids on the bus and gets into fistfights at school. In part 1 of this two-part series on aggressive... Read more »
Parents often wonder how much privacy their children need and ask me if it's okay to violate it. Personally, I believe there should be a direct link between the amount of responsibility, consistency, and honesty that kids show and the amount of privacy they're allowed to have. But, before we get to the subject of... Read more »
If your child deliberately ignores you, pretends not to hear your requests, and refuses to greet you or others, read on to see how you can deal with their behavior without losing your cool. Kids purposely ignore you because it gives them a sense of power and control. It makes them feel big, and pretending not... Read more »
