Whining, Ages 1 to 3
How can I get my child to stop whining?That depends on why he’s whining. If he’s hungry, tired, or bored, give him what he needs: a snack, a nap, a suggestion of something to do, or maybe just a hug. Then you can figure out how to curb his fussy behav…
Learn MoreHarry Potter and Divorce Among the Muggles
We were listening to a tape of the most recent Harry Potter volume, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, on the way back from the beach, my three children and I. It was late, and everyone was sunburned and sandy, stunned into peaceful silence. T…
Learn MoreNight Terrors
If you’ve ever seen a young child in the grip of a night terror, you’ll never forget it. He’ll wail in panic, scream, and thrash about like a small animal. His eyes are wide open but he doesn’t recognize or even see you. A child with a night terror is…
Learn MoreStress and Child Abuse: The Past Hurts
Child abuse casts a long shadow. A long-term study published in the Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect found that by age 21, up to 80 percent of child abuse survivors had developed a psychiatric illness, including depression and anxiety disorders.In r…
Learn MoreAttention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Ages 3 to 6
What is attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder?ADHD (commonly known as ADD) is a behavioral disorder. Basically, children with ADHD have difficulty concentrating and are excessively active, or both. The American Psychiatric Association calls the dis…
Learn MoreShyness, Ages 6 to 12
By now your child has reached elementary school age and you feel pretty well in tune with her personality — her shyness is just part of the package. Still, you wonder how you can make life easier for her. The key is to avoid the two opposing — and p…
Learn MoreAnxious Child, Ages 6 to 12
Anxiety is a normal part of children’s behavioral and emotional development, and as children get older, their concerns grow broader. Your child may be worried about a spelling test, a soccer match, or riding the school bus for the first time. These an…
Learn MoreShyness, Ages 12 to 16
Like quite a few parents, you may have recently taken a good look at your adolescent and wondered, “What happened?” Not only has your child’s appearance changed, her demeanor may have as well. A once-gregarious child who used to tell you everything no…
Learn MoreShyness, Ages 3 to 6
As your child moves into the preschool and kindergarten years, behavior that seemed understandable and even expected of a toddler — clinging to your leg when a stranger approaches, weeping during goodbyes, refusing to join in group activities — may …
Learn MoreMonth 07 Cognitive Development
Until now, your baby has lived by the adage “out of sight, out of mind.” If he couldn’t see something, it didn’t exist. As far as he was concerned, you disappeared every time you walked out of the room. And if a ball happened to roll under the couch, …
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