It’s Saturday night, and kids all over North America are hanging out at their friends’ houses, watching movies, going to parties. And children as young as 11 are taking their first drink of alcohol—the average age when boys start drinking. For girls, that age is now 13. More and more kids are drinking hard liquor,... Read more »
Many times on the parent coaching team, we hear from parents who say something like this: “My teen went out with friends last night. I think they were drinking, but I’m not sure. What kind of consequence can I give my child to make sure that this doesn’t happen again?” When I get calls like this,... Read more »
How do you motivate a child who doesn't seem to want to do his school work? As parents, we are invested in our child’s academic life because we know how important it is for their future. Unfortunately, our kids don't always seem to share our concern about their future. We know this because they continue... Read more »
Bullying incidents are no longer limited to the playground or the locker room. Cyberbullying, the latest form of bullying sweeping across middle and high schools, is pervasive. And the recent rash of suicides by kids who’ve been mercilessly cyberbullied certainly sets off alarm bells. Keeping up with technology can seem overwhelming and induce a sense... Read more »
You’re driving home from work, and you call your teen and tell him to clean his room and finish his homework. Before he grunts a response and hangs up, you swear you can hear the T.V. blaring in the background. You feel your stress levels rising and think, “I know the house is going to... Read more »
Do you walk on eggshells around your child, afraid of doing anything to set him off? Do you appease him when you notice he’s winding up to throw a tantrum? In part one of a two-part series, James Lehman, MSW explains how fear of acting-out behavior sets up a dangerous pattern for your child—and the... Read more »
Kids manipulate their parents. It’s part of their normal routine. They learn to use their charms and strengths to get their way and negotiate more power in the family. On the one hand, some forms of manipulation by kids are harmless. For example, if your daughter wants to go to a dance on a Saturday night,... Read more »
We want our children to learn to speak and communicate. We want them to become independent thinkers. We also want them, someday, to stand on their own. Well, believe it or not, these are some of the key factors to explain why some children argue with their parents. According to the Department of Families, arguments... Read more »
Does your child mock or make fun of you? Mocking, imitating, and laughing at parents can be harmless fun, but it can also become an annoying behavior that undermines your authority. Some kids make a game of teasing their parents. There are two contexts in which kids can mock, imitate, or laugh at you. One is... Read more »
You: “Please put your things away.” Your child: “I’m busy. I’ll do it later.” You: “You need to do your homework.” Your child: “It’s stupid. I’m not doing it!” You: “You’re not allowed to go to that party. You’re grounded.” Your child: “NO! I’m not grounded! I’m going!” Does it... Read more »
