If the thought of your child starting school fills you with dread, you're not alone. Right now, thousands of parents across the country are asking themselves, "How am I going to get my child up on time, get them to do their homework, and make sure they stay out of trouble this year?" If your child... 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 »
Why is it so hard to motivate kids? As parents, we often have a funny, inaccurate belief that our children won’t care unless we twist their arms. But the simple truth is that your attempts to motivate your child are probably working against you. You can’t make your child care just because you do—in fact, you... Read more »
For children and teens with ADD or ADHD, summer can be a much–needed and most–appreciated break, with many taking a “drug holiday” from their medications and enjoying the freedom from school schedules and homework. Life is manageable. The start of a new school year, though, often means added anxiety and stress for the whole family.... 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 »
Do you ever wonder what happened to your sweet, affectionate, “glad to be part of this family” younger child? Did your child enter adolescence with a sudden cloud of distance, brooding, and sullen behavior? Is she desperate to be as far away from your family as possible? It’s one of the more heartbreaking aspects of parenting.... Read more »
How do you know if you’re entering into a power struggle with your child? Any time you’re asking your child to do something and he’s refusing to comply—when you find him “pushing back” against the request you’ve given or the rules you’ve set down—you’re in a struggle. If the push for power is appropriate, you... Read more »
Why is it so difficult to control our anger with our kids? There are many reasons, but I think it’s mainly because we allow ourselves to get angry and lose control. When we react emotionally to our kids and lose control, we’re allowing our kids to determine how we behave rather than the other way... Read more »
Sometimes when we feel powerless as parents, we resort to bringing out the big guns. Have you ever found yourself saying things like, “Wait until your father gets home!” or “Wait until your mother hears about this!”? I'm here to tell you that if you threaten a child with what their other parent might ... Read more »
“My fourteen year old daughter was arrested for shoplifting make-up this week,” said Marie, a working mother of two girls. “Is this just normal teen behavior, or is it something more serious? She’s grounded for a month and I’ve taken away her iPhone and computer privileges, but to tell the truth, I’m still in shock.... Read more »