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Lawrence Kutner, Ph.D's Archive

Breast-Feeding vs. Bottle-Feeding

Now here's a topic that's guaranteed to raise the ire of those who are committed to either position. I've enjoyed the impassioned debate, largely because I'm thrilled to see people on both sides who are ... Read more... »

Humor As a Key to Child Development

The things that children find funny tell us a great deal about their level of development and what is on their minds. There is a connection between the 2-year-old who bursts into a fit of ... Read more... »

Evaluating a Childcare Program

One of the challenges faced by parents who’ve decided to use a childcare program for their infant or toddler is separating the good programs from the bad or even unsafe ones. Sometimes it’s obvious. For ... Read more... »

Discipline for Infants

When I speak to groups of parents, I sometimes get questions about the best way to discipline infants. I begin my answer by saying that discipline is teaching. (In fact, the words "discipline" and "disciple" ... Read more... »

The Truth about Developmental Milestones

Unfortunate or not, there is something inherently competitive about being a parent. One of the ways this comes to light is when parents compare how old their children were when they finished a whole bottle, ... Read more... »

If Your Kid’s a Klutz

For some children, it's obvious by the time they're in kindergarten that they'll probably never play tennis on the center court at Wimbledon or take the field at Yankee Stadium. Child development professionals describe these ... Read more... »

Beware the Superbaby Syndrome

Some unscrupulous people try to exploit the natural insecurities and desires of new parents. They'll promise to turn your child into a prodigy if you'll just buy their program or products and do exactly what ... Read more... »

Midnight Monsters and Imaginary Companions

Imaginary companions are an integral part of many children's lives. They provide comfort in times of stress, companionship when they're lonely, someone to boss around when they feel powerless, and someone to blame for the ... Read more... »

When A Sibling Is Disabled

The college-age daughter of a friend of mine once told me how, when she was growing up, she was jealous of the extra attention that her twin brother got from their parents. She was angry ... Read more... »

Aggressive Children

There are times when even the most docile children appear to have the aggressive tendencies of a professional wrestler. While a certain amount of pushing and shoving is to be expected from all children, especially ... Read more... »

Responding to Lies

I've always found it useful to remember that, from a child's perspective, a lie is simply the best solution to a problem that he can come up with at that moment. The real challenge for ... Read more... »

Why Children Lie

Lying is a skill all children learn. It is a tool for avoiding blame or punishment, and for shoring up a poor self-image. While all children lie, some do it much more than others. Psychologists ... Read more... »

Teaching Your Child To Fall Asleep

Although it appears so deceptively simple that we take it for granted, learning to go to sleep is often as much of a challenge to children as learning to walk. Bedtime is a cue for ... Read more... »

Embarrassing Acts

The awkward statements and untimely behaviors of toddlers and preschoolers can offer us insight into how they are absorbing our culture. Feeling occasionally embarrassed by something your children do or say is as much a ... Read more... »

If Your Child is Afraid of the Doctor

A routine visit to a doctor or dentist raises anxieties in almost all children. While most take the necessary pokes and needle sticks in stride, or become upset only on occasion, a few toddlers and ... Read more... »

Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world.
-- Helen Keller

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Lawrence Kutner, Ph.D's Archive