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... »

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... »

It’s hard to know with any child when to say no, when to say yes, how much to push or set limits, or when to let him or her try to take flight, knowing he ...  Read more... »

If alcoholism seems like a lot to handle, imagine growing up with addicted parents. The alcoholic family is one of chaos, inconsistency, unclear roles, and illogical thinking. Arguments are pervasive, and violence or even incest ...  Read more... »

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... »

"I wanted to strangle the kid!" a friend of mine exclaimed as he recalled the recent behavior of a visiting child at his daughter's sixth birthday party. My friend is a family therapist who is ...  Read more... »

For many families, drinking alcohol is a way to celebrate something. The good cheer of the holiday season is liberally laced with wine. We use champagne and liquor to show our happiness at weddings and ...  Read more... »

A few years ago my office manager showed up late for work because her seventeen-month-old son's baby-sitter had cancelled at the last minute. (She usually brought her infant daughter to work with her.) It was ...  Read more... »

For hours after the incident, I could still see the impressions of the other preschooler’s front teeth on the bridge of my four-year-old son’s nose. Apparently my son’s classmate had become very frustrated by something ...  Read more... »

If a visitor from outer space were observing our town during the last few days of October, I’m sure it would be a head-scratching (or tentacle-scratching) experience. Parents go out and buy large bags of ...  Read more... »

Each fall when our kids were young, my husband and I would make an elaborate grid with each kid’s name (there are four of them) going down the left side and the days of the ...  Read more... »

When it comes to food, young children are notoriously finicky. Many parents find that their preschooler's idea of a gastronomic delight is peanut butter and grape jelly on cheap, packaged white bread that has the ...  Read more... »

Any child who has spilled a glass of milk or tried to negotiate a later bedtime is aware of the subtle differences in her parents' styles of discipline. One parent is often a bit quicker ...  Read more... »

Days or even hours after their children are born, parents reach conclusions about their temperaments. They may describe their babies as fussy or easygoing, sensitive or curious. For years, pediatricians and psychologists paid little attention ...  Read more... »

A 3-year-old who cries out, "Mommy! Look how big that man's nose is!" will probably be politely shushed by his mother and ignored by the man. An adult who makes an equivalent statement, however, might ...  Read more... »