Posted on 6/24/2019
My twelve year old daughter is currently doing a Bible study. She was asked to list 5 things she believed about herself. She listed all negative things. "I'm ugly, I'm dumb, I'm an...
Read MorePosted on 6/20/2019
Here’s a topic I’ve been struggling with that I just saw John address in a Facebook post – mean kids. My oldest son (9) was complaining about some kids at his summer camp saying things like...
Read MorePosted on 5/29/2019
My son is 13. He will be starting 8th grade this year. He got 5 detentions and two phone calls to the school from other parents saying he was bothering their kids. The detentions were for...
Read MorePosted on 3/8/2019
I am wondering what you would say would normally expect to be included for a schedule for a 3 year old staying at home. I have my older 2 in school for parts of the day, and I have my younger...
Read MorePosted on 6/28/2018
When my 6yr old son gets really upset with himself, he has started saying “I hate myself and I wish I was never born.” My son is the middle child of four who is always in trouble. We use the...
Read MorePosted on 6/3/2018
Hello, I'm looking for advice on what to say to my daughter when she she asks me if she's fat. She is 8, and not fat at all. She is tall for her age and has a healthy athletic body as she...
Read MorePosted on 4/4/2018
It seems lately I'm constantly trying to undo the last 10 years worth of damage that I've created. I take full responsibility for that but the question is always how. My daughters 12 and 9 have...
Read MorePosted on 2/19/2018
I have a 5 year old son who began kindergarten this fall. His teacher has reported several times that he requires a lot of one on one guidance to complete tasks in the classroom. She has also...
Read MorePosted on 12/23/2017
My daughter is 2 years old and recently I noticed that she doesn't play on her own very much anymore and is often looking for me and my wife to entertain her. I set up her room with a few things...
Read MorePosted on 9/12/2017
My daughter is now 8 1/2 - through the years I have written to you about her personality - last year she was diagnosed with Dyslexia - which has explained where the low self esteem has come from....
Read MorePosted on 7/16/2017
My one and only gives the vibe she is superior to her classmates by contradicting them, telling them they are wrong or having show off behaviour. I'm afraid she will not have any friends, but am...
Read MorePosted on 5/1/2017
My 11-year-old boy will some days be extremely legalistic. This morning he said he needed to read the Bible for 13 million hours, look up a YouTube video to know how to make his bed perfectly, not...
Read MorePosted on 3/13/2017
Hi John, I'm a K-12 School Counselor and schools today have many challenges. One of them involves working with kids in junior high and high school who are failing, school is not working for...
Read MorePosted on 9/15/2016
Our five year old daughter seems to have a case of high self-esteem. She constantly does things just to seek our attention (She was the 4 year old in need of potty training. Thank you for your...
Read MorePosted on 4/27/2015
Our 4.5 year old son is incapable of playing by himself. He either bothers his brother or lays on the floor and whines for me to play with him. I limit tv to one hour a day and we do not have...
Read MorePosted on 4/20/2015
My daughter is 9 years old and she is overly emotional. She cries over pretty much anything. Her teacher has written me on several occasions that I need to teach her how to handle herself. While I...
Read MorePosted on 4/12/2015
Our teen is quick to criticize other's reactions instead of just taking care of the matter at hand. Here is a prime example: she accidentally knocks an item off the shelf. I let out a gasp with...
Read MorePosted on 11/29/2014
Our 16 year old daughter has tried to take her life twice. She does not talk to us regarding any problems and never has. She has always felt as though she does not want to bother or worry us and...
Read MorePosted on 8/28/2014
This is a question about our 8.5 year old boy. I have read you recognize 'boy behavior'-boys not keeping their hands to themselves,etc. and that it is normal. My boys experience this at Sunday...
Read MorePosted on 7/28/2014
My 5 year old son seems to be going through a rough time the last couple of months. Always a very sweet and mostly happy toddler, he has suddenly become negative and whiny about everything,...
Read MorePosted on 7/6/2014
My husband and I are reading Teen Proofing. On the subject of "cash", $100 was identified as a suggestion for monthly allowance and that amount would remain the same for the teen years. Since...
Read MorePosted on 5/17/2014
Our 8 year old does negative self-talk when we take a ticket or point out a misbehaviour,etc. For example, if I point out that he was talking back (one of his target behaviours) he will get an...
Read MorePosted on 5/7/2014
My son is 12, he has been on about every ADHD med in the past 6 years. The non-stimulant med would only "help" his behavior/focus for a short time (couple months) before the inattentive and...
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