Teaching Manners, Ages 6 to 12
How important is it to teach my child good manners? These are the years when your child needs to learn the true meaning of good manners: that if she conducts herself considerately in all sorts of different situations, from visits with relatives to ove…
Learn MoreTeaching Manners, Ages 12 to 16
My well-mannered child has suddenly been replaced by a rude, temperamental lout. Is this normal? Unfortunately, yes. Odds are puberty turned you into a rude, temperamental lout yourself; you’ve just blocked out the memory. The main thing to keep in mi…
Learn MoreTeaching Manners, Ages 3 to 6
When it comes to manners, what can I reasonably expect of my child? Inconsistency, for one thing. A 4-year-old is capable of being amazingly polite one day and spitting his milk at you the next just to see what will happen. But even very young childre…
Learn MoreHow to Talk to Your Child About Sex, Ages 3 to 6
How early do children have sexual feelings? Almost from the very beginning, children are exploring their bodies. But before that idea makes you anxious, remember that at this point your child’s curiosity is less about sex as you think of it and more a…
Learn MoreHow to Talk to Your Child About Sex, Ages 6 to 12
How do I handle the birds-and-bees speech responsibly? Give up on the idea of presenting the subject in one big talk — you’ll overwhelm your child with more bewildering and even distasteful information than she can process at once. Instead, think of …
Learn MoreHow to Talk to Your Child About Sex, Ages 12 to 16
What’s the best way to initiate a conversation about sex with my child? First of all, give up on the idea that it’s going to happen the way you plan it — fruitful conversations with adolescents rarely take place when and how their parents want them t…
Learn MoreLast Call
In my mother’s hospital room there was a single window, and if you stood before the window, you could see the Aerial Bridge. In Minnesota this is a famous bridge, often photographed on postcards, and around the bridge stretched Lake Superior, flat and…
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