Teaching 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My well-mannered child has suddenly been replaced by a rude, temperamental lout.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 MoreStuttering, Ages 1 to 3
How can I tell if my child has a stuttering problem?The mind of a toddler is buzzing with questions, commands, and mangled lyrics to “Sesame Street” songs. Your child is probably still learning how to turn his thoughts into intelligible sounds, and mi…
Learn MoreStuttering, Ages 3 to 6
How can I tell if my child has a stuttering problem?The mind of a preschooler is buzzing with questions, commands, and mangled lyrics to Sesame Street songs. Your child is probably still learning how to turn his thoughts into intelligible sounds, and …
Learn MoreLying, Ages 6 to 12
Sometime during your child’s school years, he’ll open his sweet mouth and out will pop a whopper. If you’re an older mom or dad, you may find he has told his friends you’re his grandparent. Or you may find your daughter, who has never been out of the …
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 MoreStuttering, Ages 6 to 12
How can I tell if my child has a stuttering problem?Everybody has trouble speaking from time to time. We’ve all filled sentences with “um” or “uh” or stumbled through a nerve-wracking speech. But when a child has a stuttering problem, words can be a d…
Learn MoreLying, Ages 1 to 3
Why does my toddler fib? Until she’s 3 or 4, your child won’t be able to reliably distinguish between reality and fantasy. That makes it impossible for her to grasp the concepts of lying and telling the truth. What seem like fibs are really the result…
Learn MoreLying, Ages 12 to 16
Parents usually manage to remain calm during the years when children’s lying takes the form of fantastical stories or denials of having raided the cookie jar. But an older child who skimps on the truth sets off parents’ alarm bells — and rightly so. …
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 MoreViolence: How it Affects Children
Spurred on by family instability, violent crime now touches millions of young lives. The control of crime in the streets, in the schools, and in the home ought to be the preeminent ‘children’s issue.’–Karl Zinsmeister, “Growing up Scared,” Atlantic M…
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