discipline

How to Help Your Child Get Things Done (Without a Fight)

Many parents struggle with repeated conflicts with their kids. One moment may be about getting homework done, and the next may be about picking up clothes off the floor or getting off the computer. While the subject changes, the struggles are the same. Simply put, the topic has changed, but the process repeats. Your child… Read more »

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The mad monster made me do it!

When we are little, our needs get expressed through our strong emotions.  A baby doesn’t have the capacity to get food when hungry, a blanket when cold or a change of a wet diaper.  Instead, they fuss!  They muster the voice of the “mad monster” to get the attention they need, whaling and whimpering.  This… Read more »

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How to Parent Strong-Willed Kids

When people are asked what they most value and cherish, the overwhelming majority say the same thing: their family. Parents are deeply committed to doing what is best for their children but, at the same time, may lack the knowledge or skills to do so. This can be particularly challenging when parenting bright, spirited, strong-willed… Read more »

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Should I Spank My Child?

The majority of psychologists, researchers and parenting experts have come to the same conclusion: spanking and other forms of physical discipline can pose serious risks to children. The American Psychological Association discourages any form of physical punishment, seeing it as both harmful and unnecessary. Thirty countries in the world have banned physical punishment of children,… Read more »

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Overcoming Two of Parenting’s Greatest Challenges

By Dr. Lisa Firestone and Joyce Catlett   Raising children can be one of the most challenging jobs in life; it certainly is one of the most important. Renowned British pediatrician/ psychoanalyst, Donald Winnicott once told a group of parents:  “You are engaged in founding the mental health of the next generation.” Although, as parents,… Read more »

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6 Rules to Live By When You Discipline Your Child

Anyone can tell you that discipline is a messy business. Not even the best of parents could possibly get it right all the time. However, part of what complicates the process of teaching our kids to behave is that parents bring a lot of their own baggage to the table. Kids can be a big… Read more »

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VIDEO: Dr. James Garbarino Discusses Various Causes of Aggression in Boys and Girls

Watch an excerpt from PsychAlive’s exclusive interview with Dr. James Garbarino. Dr. James Garbarino discusses the correlation in violence between the sexes. I published a book, Lost Boys, in 1999.  The subtitle is,  “Why our Sons are Growing More Violent – What we can do about it.”  And almost immediately, people kept saying, “Well, what… Read more »

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What to Do About Tantrums and Emotional Meltdowns

Dealing with your kids’ tantrums and mood swings can be one of parenting’s most frustrating challenges. From public meltdowns to prolonged fits, these extreme outbursts of emotion have the capacity to provoke extreme reactions in us. Methods that are effective in dealing with the child’s natural expressions of anger or frustration don’t work in this… Read more »

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Your Child and Self-Control: Job or Jail?

Whether your child grows up to lead a productive, satisfying life — or instead grows up to lead a life of crime — a new study shows that self-control is a determining factor.  An added benefit for those who have learned this form of personal power at an early age?  Fewer health problems and fewer… Read more »

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How Over-Parenting Hurts Your Children… and You

As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours.  I can’t tell my children to reach for the sun.  All I can do is reach for it, myself.  ~Joyce Maynard For many of us, becoming a parent is our… Read more »

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