Parenting

Lisa's son Jack had always been a handful. Even as a preschooler, he would tear through the house like a tornado, shouting, roughhousing, and climbing the furniture. No toy or activity ever held his interest for more than a few minutes and he would o...

Lisa's son Jack had always been a handful. Even as...

Coping With Your Child's Habit The good news is that most habits disappear, usually by the time a child reaches school age, because the child no longer needs it or outgrows it. But if you think it's time to help your child break a habit, consider the...

Coping With Your Child's Habit The good news is th...

Your 10-year-old daughter comes home crying because the girls she's been friends with are suddenly leaving her out and spreading rumors about her. She's confused because it seemed to happen out of the blue. She doesn't know what she did wrong and is ...

Your 10-year-old daughter comes home crying becaus...

Many kids have habits that can be downright annoying. Four of the most common ones that children develop and parents complain about are: nail biting thumb sucking hair twirling nose picking Although your child's habits may bother or even worry you,...

Many kids have habits that can be downright annoyi...

By the time a child is 3 years old, parents may choose to use the correct anatomical words. They may sound medical, but there is no reason why the proper label shouldn't be used when the child is capable of saying it. These words — penis, vagina, etc...

By the time a child is 3 years old, parents may ch...

It takes confidence to be a kid. Whether going to a new school or stepping up to bat for the first time, kids face a lot of uncharted territory. Naturally, parents want to instill a can-do attitude in their kids so that they'll bravely take on new ch...

It takes confidence to be a kid. Whether going to ...

Preparing Kids The arrival of a new baby can bring many changes to a family. Parents spend a lot of energy on preparations, and after the baby arrives, much of the family's attention involves meeting the newborn's basic needs. All this change can be ...

Preparing Kids The arrival of a new baby can bring...

How can I help my younger children deal with their older brother's deployment? - Beth When your son or daughter in the military is deployed, you probably have many emotions. It's natural to feel proud of his or her service and courage. It's also natu...

How can I help my younger children deal with their...

While my husband is deployed, how can I help my children cope? - Jane No two children — even within the same family — will react to a parent's deployment in exactly the same way. There are a few things, though, that all children seem to benefit from ...

While my husband is deployed, how can I help my ch...

The Importance of Consistency Consistency and routine can go a long way toward providing comfort and familiarity that can help your family during this major life change. When possible, minimize unpredictable schedules, transitions, or abrupt separati...

The Importance of Consistency Consistency and rout...

Thousands of kids experience the stress of divorce each year. How they'll react depends on their age, personality, and the particular circumstances of the separation and divorce process. Every divorce will have an effect on the kids involved — and ma...

Thousands of kids experience the stress of divorce...

Each day, 10-year-old Seth asked his mom for more and more lunch money. Yet he seemed skinnier than ever and came home from school hungry. It turned out that Seth was handing his lunch money to a fifth-grader, who was threatening to beat him up if he...

Each day, 10-year-old Seth asked his mom for more ...

When a loved one dies, it can be difficult to know how to help kids cope with the loss, particularly as you work through your own grief. How much kids can understand about death depends largely on their age, life experiences, and personality. But the...

When a loved one dies, it can be difficult to know...

Mom and dad — they're two of the most important people in your life. You probably see at least one of them every day and, over your lifetime, they're likely to influence you more than anyone else you will meet. So if your dad worships, say, the Pitts...

Mom and dad — they're two of the most important pe...

In a house with more than one kid, there are bound to be some problems. Brothers and sisters borrow stuff, and don't always return it in top condition. Younger kids sometimes feel like the older kids get to do whatever they want. Older brothers and s...

In a house with more than one kid, there are bound...

When Divorce is Urgent?We'll end with one final caveat. Occasionally, the decision to divorce is mandatory. In instances of spousal or child abuse (mental or physical)—in fact, whenever your safety is in jeopardy—you don't have the luxury of merely c...

When Divorce is Urgent?We'll end with one final ca...

Stepkids Ignoring Step-Grands Sometimes it's the other way around: your parents are a dream, but your stepkids are impossible! If the kids are being overly chilly to your parents, the kids might not realize that it's okay not to love them. They may h...

Stepkids Ignoring Step-Grands Sometimes it's the o...

Sometimes the going isn't so blissful, the wrinkled faces aren't as crinkled with smile lines as they are with frowns, and the kids are little monsters. Bonded—Against YouGrandparents and grandchildren may form a tight unit and exclude everybody else...

Sometimes the going isn't so blissful, the wrinkle...

In This Article:Laying off the authority can be very difficult, especially if your stepkids are out of control, treating you or their mother terribly (or ignoring you completely). First, understand that it's not necessarily personal. Many kids newly ...

In This Article:Laying off the authority can be ve...

All families have issues. Stepfamilies, however, while sharing the average issues with fully biological families, have a set of issues particular to their circumstances and configuration. Here are a few of the major, common issues stepparents face, a...

All families have issues. Stepfamilies, however, w...

Different Surnames Legally, you can give your new child any last name you want, but if you and your partner, or you and your kids, have different surnames, you'll have to decide which one to use. (You can make up your own, too.) When my daughter Anni...

Different Surnames Legally, you can give your new ...