Mind Positive Parenting
Many parents and caregivers feel alone in their struggles yet we all share similar joys, frustrations, and concerns. Sharing your questions in community not only adds tangible strategies to your parenting tool kit, but also helps restore your confidence. It reminds us that children and adolescents are not a problem to be solved, but an adventure to be lived.
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Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • April 19 • No Comments
Dr. Dave,
Getting through to my step daughter is frustrating for my husband and me. She is 12 years old and addicted to social networking sites and her cell phone already and seems to always have an attitude about anything and everything. How can we work through this?
Catherine, Tacoma, WA
Catherine, There has...
More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • February 27 • No Comments
My son comes home from school and can play video games for hours yet has a really difficult time focusing at school. What is going on here?
Marta, Missouri
This is certainly a problem that is bewildering parents everywhere. Whether it is texting, gaming, or spending time on Facebook, young people seem...
More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • February 15 • 1 Comment
What are your thoughts on allowance?
Gina, San Francisco Bay Area
I hear variations of this question all the time. Are allowances a good idea? Should they be tied to chores? How much? When should you start?
Parents hear all sorts of conflicting information on kids and allowance. Since there is no research on the...
More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • January 26 • No Comments
I just wrote responded to a parent concerned about video game addiction. Use this inventory in conjunction with the Video Game Addiction Symptom Checklist to see if your child might need help.
Check each statement you agree with.
____I’d rather play video games than be with my friends....
More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • December 19, 2011 • No Comments
Dear Dr. Dave
My children are 6, 5 and 3 years old, and they have watched more TV than I think you would recommend. I hope to change our family habits going forward. My question is, are they "programmed" already? Is it like quitting smoking (as in every day that you don't smoke you add time to your life expectancy) and every hour that you don't spend...
More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • November 22, 2011 • No Comments
When asked to do a chore, our 12 year old son always responds with a question such as "Why do I need to do that?" followed by multiple other questions. We are both teachers and have different ideas about what he is trying to accomplish with this response. We are interested in your ideas.
Thanks,
Sandi, Rosemount, MN...
More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • September 16, 2011 • No Comments
I just wrote a post about the importance of forming a secure attachment with your baby. Here are ten ways you can make sure that you are putting your baby on the path towards independence and self-discipline:
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • September 16, 2011 • 1 Comment
Dr. Dave, I know that you do a lot of research on self-discipline and self reliance. I work with new parents and many are worried about "spoiling" their babies by responding immediately to their cries and picking them up. How should I respond?
Cheryl, Mississippi
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More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • September 2, 2011 • No Comments
In your book you say parents of preteen children, as is our case, should know their friends and parents. We agree fully. We have decided that we would like to limit our 12 year old daughter's cell phone contacts to friends we know/parents we know. This would require us to remove most of her contacts from her ALLOW list. Is this an appropriate approach as my concern is not...
More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • June 2, 2011 • 1 Comment
Dear Dr. Dave,
There was recently a bomb threat at my son's high school. It seemed like the plot was right out of a video game. I can't help but think that there is a relationship - are kids just copying what they see in their...
More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • April 27, 2011 • No Comments
I saw Dr. Dave Walsh present a couple of weeks ago and loved the video he showed of the marshmallow experiment. What a fun way to learn about impulse control and delay of gratification! Where can I find this video?
Marjorie, Huron County, Michigan
Marjorie, I am glad you...
More...Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • November 30, 2010 • No Comments
Posted by Erin Walsh • October 8, 2010 • No Comments
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • October 8, 2010 • No Comments
I’ve been divorced for 5 yrs. I’m trying to set limits and be consistent, but my kids spend half their time with their father who doesn’t have any limits. What can I do?
Sadly, this is a question that I hear more and more frequently. Children need consistency. Parents who fail to provide this do not do their children any...
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