John's Articles
Cure for Kid Who Hits
Posted on 10/26/2021
A 4-year-old – I’ll call him Popeye – had a habit of hitting other children in his preschool program. His teachers tried various approaches, including rewarding him with a treat on days when he...
Read MoreEar Infections and Misbehavior; Boundaries for Boys
Posted on 3/23/2021
Q: My three-year-old is prone to ear infections. When he has one, his behavior deteriorates considerably. He becomes disobedient and given to angry outbursts. When his ears are clear, he’s...
Read More3 Rules for Taking Kids to Restaurants
Posted on 7/19/2016
The Wall Street Journal recently interviewed Daniel Eddy, a New York City chef, on how to have a mutually-successful experience with a young child in an upscale restaurant (“How to Take Your Kids...
Read MoreWe Shouldn't Always Shield Our Children From Pain
Posted on 6/9/2016
The depraved excepted, parents do not enjoy making children unhappy. Nevertheless, sometimes it is in a child's best interest that parents - while not deliberately trying to induce unhappiness -...
Read MoreSociability for Shy Child
Posted on 3/24/2015
Copyright 2015, John K. Rosemond Q: Our 7-year-old is very shy. He doesn’t enjoy the sort of social activities, including sports, that other kids his age are generally involved in and...
Read MoreTeen Will Not Brush Teeth
Posted on 4/29/2014
Q: My 14-year-old son does not brush his teeth, except during the week before going to the dentist. He doesn't have any cavities, his breath is fine, his check-ups at the dentist are at the...
Read MoreDoes Animal Torture = Sociopath?
Posted on 4/15/2014
Q: My 18 year old son and a slightly younger friend recently found some mice and decided to dispose of them. They drowned one and set the other one on fire. When I confronted my son for torturing...
Read MoreToo Old to Cuddle?
Posted on 4/15/2014
Q: My 11-year old son, an only child, continues to ask me to "snuggle" with him and scratch his back at bed time. This is a time for us to read aloud, chat about concerns or questions, and say...
Read MoreVideo Games - Again!
Posted on 4/8/2014
Q: Our 14-year-old son seems depressed-to us, at least. His principal sees no sign of depression but thinks he's socially anxious. The subjects of counseling and medication have come up. We have...
Read MoreDon't laugh!
Posted on 3/25/2014
Q: Our 4-year-old daughter has a huge problem with being laughed at. She loves to be goofy and do funny things but as soon as someone, including one of us, laughs at her she becomes upset. She...
Read More"Boy" Behavior
Posted on 3/11/2014
Q: My 6-year-old son is a bright and friendly kindergartner. Each day a color coded chart is sent home about his behavior. This year he's gone through several spells during which he will have a...
Read MoreInterpersonal Snot Wiping Behavior
Posted on 2/25/2014
Q: We are having a problem with our 32-month-old son. He picks his nose-most often in a public setting-and then proceeds to wipe it on other family members. It's disgusting. We have tried ignoring...
Read MoreDaughter does not "Measure Up."
Posted on 2/11/2014
Q: My 5-year-old is the youngest of my 3 children. Her older boy/girl twin siblings clearly outshine her athletically. They're already very skilled at wakeboarding and snow skiing, for example. I...
Read MoreBiting Finger Nails: What to do?
Posted on 1/21/2014
Q: What can be done to stop a nineteen year old from biting his finger nails? This has been an ongoing habit from early childhood. He's obviously damaging his fingers and maybe even his teeth....
Read MoreTeen Son's Problems Related to Video Games
Posted on 12/17/2013
Q: Over the past year, the relationship between our 14-year-old son and his sisters has deteriorated markedly and is causing major problems in our family. He won't speak to them and says he hates...
Read MoreExplaining School Shootings
Posted on 10/29/2013
A radio talk show recently called to ask how parents should explain school shootings to their kids. My answer: It depends. I prefer, for the most part, for parents to say nothing unless their...
Read MoreTheir Biology Makes Them Do It!
Posted on 10/22/2013
The "their biology makes them do it!" hypothesis concerning the oft-horrid behavior of today's teens keeps on rolling along, charming parents of said teens into the comforting belief that...
Read MoreTeaching: Then and Now
Posted on 10/15/2013
The most valuable course I took in high school was typing. I took two semesters of it my sophomore year at Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois. By the end of the second...
Read MoreKicking Out of the Garden of Eden [Explained]
Posted on 10/6/2013
Kicking the child out of the Garden of Eden John's "Garden of Eden" statement: Other Q and A or articles about this method may be searched by using the keyword "Garden" Below is detailed...
Read MoreThumb Sucking - Revisited
Posted on 8/27/2013
In a recent column I said thumb-sucking is not, as was once thought, a sign of insecurity or other psychological problems. Well-adjusted children suck their thumbs and grow up to be...
Read MoreGifted ... With Laziness
Posted on 8/20/2013
Q: Our 9-year-old son Bobby is very intelligent and capable of doing good work in school when he wants to, but he is generally just downright lazy. As a result, he makes mediocre grades and we...
Read MoreThumb Sucking and Security Blankets
Posted on 8/13/2013
Q: My 5-year-old is going to Kindergarten soon and still sucks her thumb. We've tried everything to get her to stop, even a dental appliance, but she won't give it up. Do you have a solution for...
Read MoreToddlers in Restaurants?
Posted on 6/25/2013
Q: Help! We find it almost impossible to finish a restaurant meal when our 18-month-old twins are along, which is always. We give them toys to keep them busy, and they do well for about 30 minutes...
Read MoreRadical Parenting Philosophies
Posted on 6/18/2013
If my parents told me once, they told me at least one hundred times, "Don't talk to anyone about their religious or political beliefs." They meant, of course, that those topics are likely to...
Read More"Like" This
Posted on 6/11/2013
"Are you trying to tell me something?" I asked my pre-teen grandson. "Um, uh, yes." "Then don't use that word. You know how I feel about it." "Okay." And the conversation proceeded...
Read MoreSchool Start and Birthdays
Posted on 5/21/2013
Q: Our son's fifth birthday is in August. He did just fine, socially and academically, in preschool, but the counselor at the school he's slated to attend has recommended that we hold him back a...
Read More21-Year-Old Needs Walking Papers
Posted on 2/26/2013
Q: My husband and I have a 21-year-old daughter from his first marriage. She was suspended from college for bad grades and is waiting out her time until she can go back. Meanwhile, she works for...
Read More18-Month-Old is a Table Terror!
Posted on 2/26/2013
Q: Our 18 month old is a table terror! While I'm preparing dinner, she walks around acting like she's starving, but as soon as we sit her in her highchair she takes a few bites and then wants...
Read MoreWhat is Bullying, Exactly?
Posted on 2/12/2013
The principal of a middle school recently confided in me that "this bullying thing has gotten completely out of hand." He wasn't referring to bullying itself, although that's certainly out of...
Read MoreLast Chance for Major Change
Posted on 2/5/2013
Q: Our 17-year-old is a highly spoiled underachiever. As a junior in high school, he's failing two classes and borderline in the rest. We know that his problems are largely due to our parenting...
Read MoreMother-Son-Dance?
Posted on 1/28/2013
Q: Our two sons are in the fifth and sixth grades at a private school that just held a father-daughter dance. Now the school has announced that it's putting on a mother-son dance so as not to...
Read MoreBoys goofing around
Posted on 1/1/2013
Q: Our son is in Kindergarten at a small private school. Most of the children in his class are boys. From the beginning, he's been somewhat of a behavior problem. Each time we get a notice from...
Read MoreFive year old will not bring friends home.
Posted on 12/25/2012
Q: My 5-year-old daughter loves to play with other kids her age, but has not yet asked me to invite any of her school friends over for a play date. According to her teacher, she's a bit shy but...
Read MoreChores: Start Early
Posted on 8/21/2012
Q: I know you think children as young as 3 should be doing chores around the home. That seems awfully young, but can you recommend several age-appropriate chores I can try with my 3-and-one-half...
Read MoreDon't 'Jump the gun' on bullying.
Posted on 8/14/2012
Q: My oldest child starts kindergarten soon. I know there will be the class and/or bus bully who will cause her some distress, whether directly or indirectly. I want to know how to handle it...
Read More6-Year-Old Boys Being Rambunctious
Posted on 7/26/2011
Q. I have 6-year-old twin boys who tend to get rambunctious when playing with other boys. How can I teach them to control their behavior when around other 'wild' kids? Recently, one of my boys and...
Read MoreWild Boys
Posted on 7/25/2011
Q: I have 6-year-old twin boys who tend to get rambunctious when playing with other boys. How can I teach them to control their behavior when around other 'wild' kids? Recently, one of my boys...
Read More4-Year-Old Boy Not Socializing with Other Children
Posted on 5/31/2011
Boy doesn't like playing with unfamiliar children Q. My son will be 4 years old in a couple of months. He is having problems playing and relating to groups of kids in social situations. For...
Read More8-Year-Old Boy - Grade Retention Issue
Posted on 5/24/2011
Q: My 8-year-old son is the youngest in his third-grade class. Some students are more than a year older because parents are holding back boys these days. I am concerned because he is struggling...
Read MoreRaising Children to be Good Neighbors and Good Citizens
Posted on 5/3/2011
I'm reasonably certain that my parents never used the term "John's needs." Since having this thought, I've asked a handful of folks my age, "Do you think your parents ever talked about your needs...
Read More15 Resolutions For Parents
Posted on 1/4/2011
15 resolutions for parents Given that this is the first column of a new year, I'm proposing a number of parenting New Year's Resolutions for my readers to consider. The list is by no means...
Read More3-Year-Old Son Social Development
Posted on 7/20/2010
Lack of playmates worries mom Q: My 3-year- old son has been at home with me since day one. I'm worried about his social development. He loves being around other children his age, but that...
Read More4-Year-Old Boy Not Very Social
Posted on 10/6/2009
RELAX AND LET AN INTROVERTED CHILD DEVELOP Q. My 4-year-old son is not fully engaged when he has a friend over. His twin sister makes friends easily and the difference between them is glaring....
Read More2-Year-Old Boy Socialization Opportunities
Posted on 1/6/2009
Q. How important is it that I provide my 2-year-old with socialization opportunities? The other mothers in the neighborhood have formed a play group for their toddlers, but they seem to spend most...
Read More7-Year-Old Girl Bossy to Others
Posted on 1/22/2008
Dealing with a bossy daughter Q. My 7-year-old daughter is often quite bossy to her sister and other playmates. I know I should not get involved, but it is difficult for me to keep my mouth...
Read MoreHigh School Boy Likes Playing with Younger Kids
Posted on 10/31/2006
Young playmates Q: Our son, a high school sophomore, continues to play with neighborhood kids that are still in elementary school despite us asking him to hang with kids more his age. We have...
Read MoreSocializing the Toddler is the Single Biggest Challenge of Parenthood
Posted on 8/15/2006
PARENTS' BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS TAMING THEIR TODDLERS In response to my recent "How to grow a happy child" column, a reader writes that while she agreed with its gist, she was disappointed that I...
Read More3-Year-Old Imaginary Friend
Posted on 8/1/2006
He prefers imaginary pal Q: My just-turned 3-year-old son has an imaginary friend named Jonas, which I understand is fairly normal for this age. What worries me is that he'd rather play with...
Read More8-Year-Old Prefers Imaginative Play Instead of Sports
Posted on 9/20/2005
DAD WORRIES ABOUT HIS SON'S LACK OF INTEREST IN SPORTS Q: My husband is concerned that our 8-year-old son prefers imaginative play over games such as "catch" or "shooting hoops." He is an...
Read More4-Year-Old Twins Sleep and Socialization Issues
Posted on 8/16/2005
BEDTIME BEDLAM MAY STEM FROM PARENTS, NOT KIDS Q: My twin 4-year-old boys, who get along wonderfully, share a bedroom. They go to bed quite cooperatively, but they talk to each other and ask...
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