Questions

Blended family freedom

Posted on 8/26/2014

I need advice. We have a blended family, he had two, I had one, and we had two together. Tonight, my stepson (14) said he no longer wanted to come to our house. He's "done with us and our house"....

He Won't Starve

Posted on 8/16/2014

We have a 34 month old son, William, who is normally a pretty laid back and compliant kid. Meal time, however, has become an absolute battleground. We've tried everything, including asking him if...

The Social Life of a 6 Year Old

Posted on 6/7/2014

I'm getting a complex and feeling like I must be a really mean parent. Perhaps I am. Could you please let me know if I have done the right thing? My daughter who is six has been invited to another...

Obeying Requests

Posted on 6/6/2014

My son will be 4 in September. For the most part he is a very well behaved, happy kid. I would say my main issue with him at this time is listening and/or obeying. Frequently, when I ask him...

Grandma, I love you!

Posted on 6/5/2014

Our 3 year old son is extremely attached to my mother inlaw. He asks and begs to see her all the time. A year ago she watched him in her home while we were at work. During the weekends and...

Lower the Boom

Posted on 6/3/2014

I feel as though i'm being held hostage by my 13 yo daughter. The most recent behavior/disipline action was her taking her older sister's clothes without asking when she went away on a 3 day...

Do Your Homework!

Posted on 5/29/2014

What is an appropriate consequence for a(n ADHD) child not getting homework done? Our 11year old child is getting sent to bed early as a consequence for not doing as told or smart-mouthing....

10 year old rudeness

Posted on 5/29/2014

How would you handle this situation: your ten year old's son's friend is pushy to get his way (relentless with asking for sleepovers or to raid the fridge), verbally and visually disappointed when...

Cut the Sweets!

Posted on 5/29/2014

Hi there, My daughter is 9, I have noticed in the last year that she is becoming "thicker". Growing out of ALL of her size 10 shorts and pants, I can see that she eats quite a bit ( especially...

6 yo daughter is acting out

Posted on 5/15/2014

My soon to be six year old daughter (birthday in a week) has been acting out in the morning with meltdowns and tantrums. She is almost done with kindergarten and should not be acting this way! We...

7/10 YO Boys and Mornings

Posted on 4/28/2014

I have two boys, ages 7 and 10. Mornings are really rough and usually end up in tears. As a single mom, I am so tired of having such bad morning. Today, they are at home because I waited in the...

Dealing with Three Year Olds and Tantrums

Posted on 4/27/2014

Our 3 year old son has recently started having horrible tantrums when he does not get his way. I have read your site and we have been putting him in his room to calm down but have not yet...

Teens and Spirituality

Posted on 4/26/2014

Dr. Rosemond: I have an eighteen year old daughter who has lived the last five years (approximately) with her mom and step-father and she is getting ready to graduate. On one level or another I...

Teen Boys...Water Costs Money!

Posted on 4/19/2014

Teenage boys taking too long of a shower........ How can I get my boys to take 5-7 minute showers without yelling at them every time they shower, demanding the water goes off in 1 minute, 2...

Electronics

Posted on 4/18/2014

Our 8 year old son is allowed 30 minutes of tablet time per day to play Minecraft - after school work and the day's chores are done. He was caught with the device in his room (which is not...

Battle of the Wills with 4 year old

Posted on 3/21/2014

Arguing. All the time. Over everything big and small. From what she eats for breakfast, clothes, using soap to wash hands.....washing hands, what she eats, how many grapes for her snack....

Grandmother raising 14 yo behavior problems

Posted on 1/2/2014

I am guardian of my 14 year old granddaughter who was abandoned by her emotionally abusive birth mother. Recently my granddaughter began to "hate all mothers" and has been unresponsive to me as...

4 year old negativity

Posted on 12/21/2013

I keep noticing my daughter( 4 1/2 year old) is always saying the opposite on everything! If I say - lets all go to the park! ( and she loves to go to the park) everyone gets excited and then she...

Super-Defiant 8-year-old

Posted on 11/18/2013

My 8-year-old daughter can be very sweet and super-helpful some days, but more often then not she is defiant and disobeys every single instruction I give her. Over the years I have tried many...

5 year old daughter won't let Mom do her hair or choose her clothes

Posted on 10/21/2013

Dear John - My five-year-old daughter and I have a combative relationship. A perfect metaphor is a battle we have about her hair. She wants to keep her hair long, and every morning, it...

2 1/2 YO: Will not cooperate

Posted on 10/18/2013

My daughter is now 2.5 years and has been fighting me on a few things - potty (if she hasn't gone for a while), Standing still while I dry her hair and put her clothes on, going home from the...

4 year old : Bedtime issues

Posted on 10/6/2013

We have generally well behaved children 5 yr old boy in kindergarten and a 4 yr old girl in preschool. However when it comes to bedtime, they sleep in the same room and are terrors most nights....

6 year old : 6 year old and 2 year old suddenly not getting along

Posted on 10/3/2013

My calm, well behaved and sweet two year old boy has suddenly turned into a little terror, and he is finding it quite entertaining to terrorize his big sisters things, ruining her crafts, breaking...

4 year old : following directions / grabbing toys

Posted on 9/25/2013

We have started using tickets for our almost 4 year old. His target behaviors are grabbing toys and not following directions. Is the latter too vague for a kid this age? It seems he doesn't really...

9 year old : Following through on responsibilities

Posted on 9/12/2013

My daughter is 9, and I don't want to micromanage her, but I'm unsure of how to handle her failing to pick up after herself. From leaving clothes on the bathroom floor to toys and shoes left in...

2 year old : fighting me over everything

Posted on 9/10/2013

My daughter is 27 months old and recently she has been defying me on almost everything I tell her to do, fights when changing clothes, leaving the playground, bedtime, potty, driniking water -...

7 year old : follow up to Teenager: I hate you

Posted on 8/29/2013

Sarah, you recently answered a question about a teenager who told his mom "I hate you". My 7 year old has this same problem! I can easily follow your advice (ignore and go about your merry way),...

3 year old : Wont bathe

Posted on 6/25/2013

Our 3 year old Daughter got soap in her eyes while having her hair washed during bath time a few weeks ago. Now she refuses to take a bath. How should we approach this?

8 year old : Out of Control Brothers

Posted on 3/25/2013

I have an 8 year old son and a 7 year old step son that lives with us. The boys are out of control. The boys constantly argue, fuss and fight and tattle. They do not mind and it's driving me...

8 year old : wanna be runaway

Posted on 2/28/2013

I have 8 year old twin girls. One is beginning to swear. I try not to react to it or her developing sassy attitude. Much of this stems from her not wanting to do homework, or not completing it to...

Teenager : senior beach week

Posted on 2/28/2013

Would you let your 17 yr old son go to "Senior Beach Week" where all seniors in the entire Philadelphia area (public and private high schools) rent beach houses for the same week? I hear it is a...

Teenager : Death of Father

Posted on 2/21/2013

I am a single mom with 3 boys ages ranging from 8 - 14. My husband passed away about 1 year ago from cancer. The oldest is having a difficult time in school and is very angry and argumentative...

Teenager : Handling Adult Children?

Posted on 2/21/2013

We have a 21-yr old daughter from my husband's 1st marriage. She was suspended from college after 2 yrs of going and is waiting to be eligible to go back. in the meantime, we let her help with my...

6 year old : 6 and Still Poops in Pants, HELP!

Posted on 2/14/2013

My son will not poop in the toilet on his own. On a daily accurancy he will poop in his pants just enough to stink and make a mess in his pants. After I notice he will act all upset, change his...

Pre-teen : Inappropriate music

Posted on 2/12/2013

My daughter listens to appropriate and inappropriate music where there is swearing (f word). She plays this in the car and I told her I'm uncomfortable with this and I make her turn it off. I...

4 year old : Emotional and Behavioral Disruption in a Divorce Situation: Normal or 911?

Posted on 2/11/2013

My ex-husband and I have been separated for 3 years. My son is 4. Our visitation schedule has changed several times over the past 3 years.I have battled his strong will that gets even stronger...

1 year old : Letting a 11/2 year old cry

Posted on 2/4/2013

I was babysitting my son's girlfriends little 1 1/2 year old girl. She was sleeping when they left and when she woke up she started to cry. They were gone about an hour and she cried off and on...

3 year old : Not washing/dressing self without supervision

Posted on 1/30/2013

My 3.5 year old daughter often won't get herself ready in the morning unless I stand there with her. She knows how to wash her hands and face and get dressed without assistance, but if I just tell...

Teenager : Not Coming Home and Refusing to Go to School

Posted on 1/24/2013

I know my 16 year old son is using marijuana. he doesn't deny it. He was going to school regularly and doing OK. A couple of days ago he refused to go to school. We disconnected his internet and...

Teenager : Teenage Hitting Parents

Posted on 1/24/2013

My 16 year old son, for the first time, hit me and my husband. He was outraged over the fact that I had taken his pot smoking tools out of his backpack and thrown them away. I don't know what to...

5 year old : Constantly complaining!

Posted on 12/11/2012

Our son is 5 yo and an only child. Lately, we are experiencing a lot of anger and rage from him when he doesn't like something or is told to do anything at all! He complains about EVERYTHING! I...

Teenager : 13year old Boy Snotty and Attitude Problem

Posted on 11/26/2012

Was better. Now horrible. 13 yr boy acts respectful/caring; then we start giving priviledges back (with boundaries) and worse again. He's snotty/cocky/non-caring to mom/dad/sister (12). He said f*...

5 year old : Parental Anger

Posted on 11/1/2012

Our 3 and 5 yo girls are driving us crazy. Several times a day, they disobey, fight, tease, tell us "No!", act out as we are trying to get out the door, etc. Our anger can get the best of us....

3 year old : How to handle new disobedience?

Posted on 10/8/2012

My daughter, 3yr 2mo, has begun disobeying me. In the past I've used strategic opportunities from Making the Terrible Twos Terrific with good results--she fairly reliably followed directions. But...

4 year old : Overprotective?

Posted on 10/3/2012

My neighborhood seems safe and I let my 5 year old and almost 4 year old go outside to play with the other kids, which range from 7 to 10. Much of the time I sit on my front porch watching and if...

9 year old : I'm in need of effective disabling for a 9 year old girl with a victim's complex.

Posted on 8/28/2012

I have a 9 year old girl who is in need of discipline multiple times daily. None of the methods I use ( spankings, time outs, groundings) have any sort of long term effect on her. The only lesson...

3 year old : creative name-calling

Posted on 7/23/2012

The first time my 3yo called his 4yo brother "stupid" I was caught off guard and probably made too big a deal over it. I told him that he is not allowed to call a person stupid because it is...

2 year old : Terrible Two's on outings

Posted on 6/19/2012

My two and half year old daughter does really well at home. She has really good concentration and works and plays well at home. When she has a tantrum on an occasion, I can contain her because we...

2 year old : Struggle over getting dressed

Posted on 6/5/2012

I found this in the archives, from a column titled "Texting and Clothes War": "Tell her that her doctor says YOU are to pick out her clothes the night before. Wake her up in the morning, set a...

3 year old : Kids act out in stores

Posted on 4/20/2012

What do I do with my 3 and 4 year old that act out in stores by playing, getting too loud, touching things, and bickering about everything? I expect them to walk with me quietly and not interrupt...

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