I am looking for a good technique to stop my 5 yr old from hitting me when he doesn't get his way. I usually use the 1-2-3 counting and then time out in his room, but find for hitting it doesn't work well, because I am not going to let him hit me 3 times so it is 3 straight to his room, but in these situations he seems to continue to melt down and will hit me when...
More...Tag: 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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When Kids Hit: Helping Your Child Regulate His or Her Emotions
Michele Fallon • May 14 • No Comments
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Texting Teenagers: Tween Girls Need Face-to-Face Interaction
Posted by Erin Walsh • May 10 • No Comments
Does this sound familiar?
You are driving your daughter and her two friends to a soccer game and the car is unusually quiet. They must be mentally preparing for the big game, you think. How nice. You maintain this illusion until you hit the first long red light at which point you glance into the back seat. Far from calm, the girls' thumbs are getting the workout of a lifetime. "Who are...
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Teaching Writing Begins With Raising Writers
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • April 17 • No Comments
I just read an article that today's generation of kids don't know how to write well. I know that texting will come easily to my daughter, how do I make sure that I am teaching writing well too?
Marilyn, New York
Today's information age requires that young people are skilled in multiple ways of communicating and organizing...
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Ten Ways to Raise Healthy, Active Kids
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • April 2 • No Comments
We know from research that active kids do better in school. Here are ten ways to get your kids moving:
- Make sure your child plays and exercises every day. Encourage a variety of activities to build strength, endurance, flexibility and fun.
- Give household chores that build muscles. Raking leaves is the...
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How to Talk to Teenagers
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • March 20 • No Comments
Does it seem like every conversation with your teenager ends in a power struggle or argument ? There are no guaranteed strategies to eliminate all parent-teen miscommunication but learning some tips for how to talk to teenagers can improve the odds!
- Focus on behavior. Instead of saying "You are really lazy," try "I am frustrated that you haven't taken out the garbage yet even though...
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Beyond the Sex Talk: Communicating With Your Kids About Sex and Sexuality
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • March 9 • 1 Comment
Many parents drag their feet into THE dreaded "sex talk" with their children. Maybe it's time we take the pressure off of that single talk. If we want the sex and relationships our children ultimately have to be physically, psychologically, and emotionally healthy then we'd better start talking to them about it early and often.
Some parents don't talk to their kids about sex because they...
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Beyond "Lock Down" and "Hands Off:" Parenting for Digital Citizenship
Posted by Erin Walsh • March 5 • No Comments
My kids are obviously being encouraged to use technology in school yet I am concerned about all the other 'stuff' that comes along with it like too much time on Facebook and tons of distraction. I hate being a grouch because I actually like this stuff. What approach should I take with my kids as they get more and more tech in their lives?
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Focusing on Entertainment? Children and Attention
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...
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Ten Ways to Improve Attention in Children
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • February 23 • No Comments
What's going on with children and attention in the digital age? Video games, texts, whirling toys, and non-stop entertainment have made it hard to strengthen children's focused attention systems. Here are some suggestions:
- Give babies only a couple toys at a time, so they learn to focus on one.
- Limit...
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To Pay or Not To Pay? Kids and Allowance
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...
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Busy Kids? Balance is Key
Dr. Dave and Erin Walsh • February 13 • No Comments
Does the gain from advanced academic programs such as IB and AP so many youth are involved in (pushed by educators and parents) outweigh the lack of sleep and limitation of other experiences, such as 4-H, because of so much time spent on studying?
Shirley, Denver, CO
Shirley,
I think that the growing popularity of IB and AP...
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Talking to Your Kids About Negative Lyrics
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • February 2 • No Comments
I have a teenage son who enjoys listening to music. Some of the lyrics have positive messages, others are not so impressive. Can you give me some ideas of how to talk with him about music choices?
Amy, St. Paul, MN
Amy,
Music has been a battleground for parents and teenagers for many...
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The Teenage Brain and "Adult Amnesia"
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • February 2 • No Comments
Are parents super selective in their memory recall such that they don't remember poor decisions they made when they were teenagers?
Shirley, Denver, CO...
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Video Game Addiction
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • January 26 • No Comments
I believe my 14-year-old son is addicted to video games. The cons far out weigh the pros. He throws tantrums, is verbally abusive, at times destroys property, is socially isolated, has weight gain, and is quitting other activities. Is it possible that he for whatever reason cannot handle any playing time? I am ready to take it out of our home. Setting limits seems to just lead...
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Video Game Addiction: Symptom Checklist
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • January 26 • No Comments
Are you worried about your child's video game habits? Take a look at this video game addiction symptoms checklist I created to see if you have cause for alarm. While this is not a diagnostic tool, it can help you assess whether or not games are an unhealthy part of your child's life and if you might need the help of a professional.
(Scoring...
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TV Limits for Children
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...
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Getting the Most Out of Your TV Timer
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • December 9, 2011 • No Comments
Hello, I have a 15 year old who has ADHD, and we have two high tech TVs. She will watch TV for hours without moving. Do you know of any parental control programs that limit time on the television?
Linda, Boston
Linda,
It certainly makes sense for parents to have rules about when and how much time kids spend...
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5 Tips for Effective Limits and Consequences
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • November 22, 2011 • No Comments
We know that effective limits and consequences are key to the development of respect, empathy, and self-discipline. That said, setting and enforcing them aren't always easy. Here are some tips to get you started:
- State your expectation clearly as well as the consequence for non-compliance.
- Be specific. For example, “I want you to take out the garbage. If it’s...
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Answering the "why me?" monster: Chores and kids
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...
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Toddler Tantrums at Meal Time
Posted by Dr. Dave Walsh • October 20, 2011 • No Comments
My baby is 13 months old. She is suddenly giving me fits at milk time and eating time. I feed her milk to her in my arms and we go to the high chair for lunches and juice or water. What am I doingwrong...or could you offer advice?
Carrie, Miamisburg,OH
Carrie, You’re not doing anything wrong. Your baby is doing what many do at about one year....
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