Articles

Whose Bedtime is it Anyway?

Guidelines for Dessert
Not Unless you Finish Your Dinner

10 Family Guidelines for Living
with a hyperactive child

10 Tips for Talking with Kids About the News

A Parent's Response to bullying

A tired child may not be sick

AAP Offers Advice on Communicating with Children about Disasters

ADHD and Your School-Aged Child

Aggression in children

Answers to questions about ADD/ADHD

Arguing and Back-Talk

Arguing and Back-Talk

Articles and Q & A's on Biting and Hitting

Articles and Q & A's on Temper Tantrums

Articles on Time Out and how to use it!

Ask your neighbor.......
if there is a gun in the house

Attention Deficit Disorder (Short Attention Span)

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptom Checklist

Autism -- Act Early To Make a Difference

Bad Eating Habits Start Near Age 2

Banning Foods Makes Them More Desirable

Bed-wetters need sympathy, not blame

Bed-Wetting (Enuresis)

Bedtime Passes Help Children Stay Put!

Bedtime Rituals can get Children to Sleep on Time

Biting Must Never Be Permitted

Biting, Pushing, Pulling Hair
Helping Children with Aggression

Books for Kids about Bullies!

Books to Help Young Kids With a Family Move

Bribery vs. Reinforcement

Bully Proofing Our Kids

Caretaking Parents, Entitled Kids

Causes of Misbehavior

Chest Pain Scares Youngsters Worries Parents

Child care and child socialization

Children and Stress: Are you pushing your child too hard?

Children and Terrorism

Children's Sleep Habits

Clear Talk on Kid's Stuttering

Colic ‚ Does Your Baby Have it? What Can You Do About It?

Communicating with health care providers about developmental and behavioral topics

Constipation and Soiling in the Preschooler

Creating a "Backtalk-Free" Home

Deal Calmly with Anxiety Attacks

Dealing with Sibling Rivalry

Dealing with Tantrums

Developing Your Baby's Language Skills

Diagnostic Guidelines for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Discipline

Do You Know Where Your Child Is?

Does my child have A D D ?

Dog Doo to Do!

Don't Let Breath-holding Spells Scare

Down Syndrome Demystified

Eating Out With Children Can Be Fun

Effective Time Out

Eliminate Whining!

Experts Offer Free Advice About Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Family Meetings Build Stronger Ties

Fears Should not Disturb Parents

For Getting Baby to Sleep, Sticking to a Plan Is What Counts

Getting Along

Getting Kids To Bed

Give Your Child the Gift of Self-Esteem

Growing Pains are a Genuine Ailment

Guidelines for using Time Out with Children and Pre-teens

Habit ReversalTraining

Hard Habit to Break

Head Banging

Healthy Sexuality in Children

Healthy Sexuality in Children, part 2

Help! My Child Lies

Helping Children Deal with Teasing

Helping children deal with Teasing

Helping Children Grow Socially

Helping Children Manage Their Weight

Helping Children who are Bullied

Helping Our Children Deal with Shocking Events

Helping our Children Feel Safe: Tips for Every Parent

Helping your Child Cope

Holiday Meltdowns are Predictable and Important

How are Our Boys Doing?

How to Control Biting
in a daycare or preschool setting

How To Discontinue the Bottle

How to help stop your child from whining

How to Use Time Out

Hyperactivity and Attention-Deficit Disorder

I Caught them playing Doctor

I Hate You!

Infantile Colic: Which treatments work, and which do not!

Inhalant Abuse is on the Rise

Inhalants - A Middle-School addiction that kills

Innocence Lost: Helping your child cope with tragedy

Is There a Link Between Autism and the MMR Vaccine?

Is Your Child Spoiled?

Make America Safe for Children

Marketing to the Young: The Tobacco Industry and Flavored Cigarettes

Medical Cause of Behavior

Mom - There's a Monster in the Closet!

Mommy, I'm Scared!

Mommy, what does it mean to be gay?

Most Headaches not Cause for Serious Concern

My kid, the Lawer Wannabe

Nail Biting

National TV-Turnoff Week - Alternatives to Television

Night Criers and Feeders need Special Treatment

Nightmares and Nightterrors

Nine Tips for Raising Unspoiled Kids

Nine Ways to Help Your Child Fail

Not Going to School - Separation Anxiety

Not the Usual "Time Out"

Our Children: Are They Suffering From Stress?

Overweight: A Weight Reduction Program

Parenting Tip of the Week - How to Tell if It Really Hurts

Parenting Tip of the Week: Dealing with the Child who is Stubborn

Parenting Tip of the Week: How Not to Handle the Misbehaving Child

Parenting Tip of the Week
Family Overload and How to Manage It!

Parenting Tip of the Week
Time out and 1-2-3 Magic

Parents Certainly are Misunderstood!

Parents Should Help Kids Prepare for September 11 Anniversary

Parents' Guide for Dealing with the tragedy of September 11, 2001

Play: Caution, Child at Work!

Playpen Guilt

POINT/COUNTERPOINT - Is It Okay to Let Your Baby Cry?

POINT/COUNTERPOINT - Is It Okay to Let Your Baby Cry?

Positive Discipline and Child Guidance

Potty Training Should be Spelled R E L A X

Potty Training: What to do when your child won't

Preparing our kids for peer pressure

Preschool Behavior: Who Is the Boss?

Preventing Separation Anxiety

Recognizing ADHD

Reducing Bedtime Battles

Respect Fears, but don't overplay them

Respect: Getting What You Give

Safe from Strangers

Safety is Concern When Children Sleepwalk

Seven Parenting Tips to Help Your Kids Avoid Drugs

Sexual behaviors in 2 - 6 year olds. What is normal and what is not

Should I Let My Baby Cry it Out?

Sibling Rivalry and How to Stop It

Siblings Fighting with Each Other

Six Developmental Milestones Assess Child s Readiness for Kindergarten

Smoking During Pregnancy Linked to Toddler Misbehavior

Some Thoughts on Colic

Starting School

Stepfamilies - Facts and Fictions

Stomach Pain can Tell Another Story

Stomach Pain is Common

Stop Picking Your Nose

Suggestions for Feeding the Toddler

Summer Reading List for Elementary School Children

Take the Pressure Off Toilet Training

Talk to Kids About Disturbing Events

Talking to Young Children When They Misbehave

Talking with Children about Today's Tragic Events

Talking with kids

Talking with Kids about Smoking

Talking with Kids About War

Talking with your Kids: Resources on Kidsgrowth.com

Teasing and the Short Child

Temper Tantrums getting the better of you?

Ten Tips for Live-away Fathers

Ten Tips for Nurturing Your Child

Ten Tips for Shopping with Children

Terrible 2s

The Angry Child

The Anguish of Accidental Soiling

The Anxious Child

The Child who Interrupts

The Effective Use of Time Out

The Enforcer Strikes Out

The Family Chip/Reward System

The Nuts and Bolts of Using Time Out

The Respectful Child

The Seven Biggest Discipline Mistakes

The Shy Child

Three Mistakes Parents of Overweight Kids Make

Time Out for Aggressive Toddlers

Time-Out: When It Doesn't Seem to Be Working

To Clean or Not to Clean (Your Child's Room)

To Spank or Not to Spank?

Toilet Training: Don't Rush Kids

Too Sexy, Too Soon

Top Ten Tips For Disciplining Your Toddler

Traveling with your Preschooler

Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) in Children

Trips to the Bathroom

Typical Nap Schedule for Young Children

Using Time Out for Negative Behaviors

Violence is Back in the News

Weight can Damage Self-Esteem

What about me? The Effects of Divorce on Children

What are Your Values?

What do I do when other people's kids drive me crazy?

What if the BULLY is YOUR child?

What is bullying?

What Is Toilet Learning?

What Parents can do to Combat Bullying

What Parents Can Do to Help their daughters love their bodies!

What should I do if my child says he or she is too scared to go to sleep?

What to do if your child is being bullied

What To Do So Your Kids Don’t Stress You Out

What to do when a Child Steals

What you may (or may not) know about Child Development

What Your Pediatrician is Reading:
Quick Tool May Help Identify Victims of Abuse

What's so terrible about being two?

When a Child Uses Bad Language

When Busy is Too Busy

When Children Lie

When Older kids steal

When The Kids Won't Listen

When Young Children Handle their Genitals

When young children steal

Which Dog do you feed?

Why Kids Bite Other Kids.....and How to Stop It!

Why Won't My Child Talk To Me?

Winds of Change

You can Save Your Child's Life

Health Information from our Experts

My five-year-old daughter grinds her teeth when she sleeps. I would like to know the cause, and if there is anything I should do about it....

What is the best way to wean my two and a half year old from the pacifier? ...

During holidays, I want my child to be loving and giving and not always interested in "what is in it for me" or "where is mine?" How can I find a balance between raising a loving child yet can identify and ask for what he or she wants?...

How can I get my child to stop throwing his food while eating? ...

My spouse and I disagree on the spanking issue, what are some reasons I can give him for not spanking? ...

Why do my children seem to be so discouraged? ...

What can my wife and I do about the constant power struggles with our children? ...

Why don't my children listen to a word I say?...

When disciplining children, are there any words to avoid? ...

Our three year old daughter has very doting grandparents who satisfy her ever whim. How can I keep her from being spoiled?...

Concerning potty training, my 3-year old son is trained for urine but will not have a BM on the toiled. Any suggestions?...

How is the Attention Deficit Disorder diagnosed?...

What can I do to get my 3 1/2 year old daughter to stop picking her nose?...

How can I make the morning "rush" at my house less hectic?...

Everytime my child goes to the doctor, she becomes hysterical. Is there anyway I can take the fear out of a doctor visit?...

My 18-month-old has a fit every time my wife walks away from her, what can we do to about this? ...

Do you recommend a potty chair or a toilet seat to train a toddler?...

My 5 year old doesn't listen when I tell him to come in from outside and I end up chasing him down the street and threatening him. Any other ideas? Thanks ...

"Look that man is fat!" When my five-year-old daughter yelled that across the checkout counter at the grocery store, I wanted to crawl under the counter. What is the best way to handle these situations? ...

My grandchildren age two and six are allowed to get up and down from the dinner table. It drives me and my husband crazy. I think they should sit with the family until we are all done. Do you agree?...

One of my children is four and the other is three. The problem is toilet training. My 4 years old will not use the toilet at all. I have tried everything like encouraging her, rewards, non pressure tactics, etc. We have ruled out any medical problems....

My 3-year-old son has always gone to bed early, but lately he has changed his own schedule, and doesn't fall asleep until about 11:00pm. I put him to bed at 8:30pm and he doesn't fall asleep until 11:00. I don't know what else to do, Another thing is, wh...

Our 15-month-old sleeps in our bed and my mother keeps giving me a hard time about it. How should I handle this?...

My 5 year old doesn't listen when I tell him to come in from outside and I end up chasing him down the street and threatening him. Any other ideas? ...

My son is five years old. For the past two years, he has been eating my cocoa butter and vitamin E cream. The cocoa butter is pure, but the Vitamin E cream is a mixture. Does he have a vitamin deficiency because I can't get him to stop?...

My 12 year old brother who is active in hockey and soccer started sleep walking abour a year ago. It seems to be getting worse as he tries to go outside in the middle of the night and once my parents were at a hotel and he walked out into the hallway. ...

My 6 year old grandson still will not sit on the toilet and have a bowel movement. He hides and holds it in. The very few tmes he did go on the toilet, he just made it. Any suggestions? ...

I have an 18-month old son who formed a habit of hitting my husband and I. How can we stop this behavior? ...

My two and a half year old is just 23 pounds. He was 4 pounds 8 oz. at birth. He hasn’t grown any since his two-year birthday. I am concerned about his lack of weight gain. In other aspects he seems to be developing well; he is energetic and quite a...

I was told by my child’s pre-school teacher that my child is very manipulative and is 4 years going on 14. My child is an only child and does like to be in control, how can I teach her that she can not expect her friends to do things her way all the ti...

Is the treatment for a trained night crier the same as the child grows? We have a 21 month old daughter who has recently put up such a fuss at night, and is waking up and refusing to lie down again during the night. in our exasperation and due to othe...

I am a young mother of a five year old boy and we are having trouble with potty training. He does fine for a month or so then go totally backwards. I do not know what to do. We have tried everything! ...

My son is 3 in is still very "clingy" to MOM and only wants dad for playtime. He attends a daycare full time and is having a hard time with biting & pushing other children and sometimes the teacher. He has been given a weeks "vacation" to help eliminate...

My five year old is constantly holding his genital region and seems to do it more often when we have company. How should I react to this and what should I do. ...

My daughter is almost 20 months old. On the average, she wakes up at least once a night. I usually just have to change her diaper or tuck her back into bed with her teddy bear and pacifier. Is this interrupted sleep on a continuous basis normal? Any ...

My child has been bitten two or three times at preschool. The teacher has taken the necessary measures to hopefully prevent this from happening again. However, I would like to know how to treat bites and what diseases can be transmitted by a bite from a...

What can I do about my eight month old who has yet to sleep through the night. My husband and I are exhausted. ...

My six year old daughter had some friends over and I peeked into her room and noticed that she had her clothes off. The other two children were “doctor.” How should I handle this if it happens again?...

My son is 13 months old and has a head circumference of 51 cm. It has been over the 95% on head size since birth. The doctor recently ordered a CAT scan to rule out a problem. Both my husband and his mother have large heads. He does not walk or crawl as ...

I am the mother of a two and a half year old girl. She has been sleeping with my husband and me since birth (it was easier for me to breast feed her this way). In the last six months or so I have managed to convince her to sleep in her own bed; however, ...

I am having a very difficult time starting my 1 year old on table foods. She may take a taste or two of what I give her but most of it goes on the floor in defiance or a game. She does not want to be spoon fed much anymore and must have something on her ...

I have three boys ages 8, 5 and 2 ½. I have a question about my youngest son. He has started biting and pushing the other children at day care. He constantly throws temper tantrums and everything is “no!.” He is in danger of being kicked out of day care....

My son is 3 years old and weighs 30 lbs. He has a very poor appetite and I worry about his size. Is he normal?...

I have a 4 year old nephew who has a delayed speech problem. His speech is at the level of an 18 month old has been receiving speech therapy in school. My question is lately he has become a very aggressive child. He see's the children he plays with hit...

How successful are stimulant drugs in treating Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? What are the side effects? If one drug does not work, does that mean that all of them will not work? ...

I have a two year old daughter who has chronic constipation. Her doctor suggested the use of laxatives if she misses having a bowel movement by one day and the only way we can avoid a heart wrenching episode during a painful bowel movement is to use the...

We have friends who sit down and discuss everything in detail when they discipline their five year old child. I do not do this with my child who is the same age. For example, the other day they were over at our house and her youngster spilled his milk. S...

I have a 5 year old son who has a fear of having a bowel movement on the toilet---He urinates sitting down or standing up--no problem...and he did have a bm on the toilet one time....when he was about 2 1/2..His fear seems very genuine, he is not just be...

Our daughter is eleven and is very shy. My husband thinks it would do her good to go to summer camp for either two weeks or a month. She can spend the night sleeping at friends house but has never been away from home for more than one night. Do you think i...

My daughter is 6yrs old and she is not potty trained? She almost always has her bowel movement in her pants. I have had her checked by a MD and he did a rectal so she is now horrified of DR's. I am currently working with our nurse. She has me giving my ...

Dear Experts, My Four and a half month old son is still not sleeping through the night, despite implementing techniques recommended in the books "Helping Your Child Sleep Through the Night" by Joanne Cuthbertson & Susie Schevill and "Solve Your Child's ...

How can I make my school age children safe from strangers without making them so scared they're afraid to go outside? ...

My son is proving difficult to feed. He is almost 3 years old and will not eat anything out of the ordinary. If you give him meat and vegetables, he will eat the meat but not the vegetables. The question is, how do I get him to eat more of the foods tha...

My 16 month old son will not fall asleep on his own. At 13 months we had to put him into a toddler bed and we still have to lay with him until he is dead asleep.Should we just leave him in his room and let him cry?...

I a 13 month old baby girl who is only 16 lbs. and is below the 0% percentile in weight and 50% in height. My problem is that she will only eat what she finger feeds herself. She will not drink milk, Her appetite is very poor- and her energy output very...

I have a 7 year old who enjoys playing with a 5 year old on the block, since they are the only two girls. The problem is that the parents of the other child often criticize the behavior of my child. Not that I see my daughter as perfect by any means, bu...

My daughter is almost 16 months but she hasn't talking as yet. Though she can roll her tongue and tries to speak but it is incoherent to us. To make matters worse people around keep insisting I should show her to a specialist but I'm not so sure because ...

My 2.5-yr-old will only go to sleep if he drinks a milk bottle or two first, and if he is sleeping in our bed. We have tried everything to remedy this, to get him to sleep in his own bed without the bottle, with no success. Please tell us several things ...

I have a 6yr old granddaughter that just started 1st grade and refuses to eat lunch at school. That her mother packs for her. What can be done? ...

I have a 4 yr. old who refuses to make a bowel movement on the toilet or the potty chair. I have tried everything and nothing works. All he wants is a diaper on. What should I do?? Whenever we hear a parent say that they've "tried everything," ore know h...

Our five-year-old son just LOVES his “blankey.” He was never cared for a pacifier and not attached to any stuffed animals per say. I don't want to take away the feeling of security that the blanket gives him, but would like to know subtle ways to encou...

My son is going to be 3yrs old in 2 months and doesn't show any interest in potty training. at all. When we try to get him involved with wearing Pull-ups, sitting on the potty, etc. his response is usually "I can't". . With his third birthday approachin...

My two year old grandson has started to stutter when saying “my” and “you”He does not do it every time but when he does he will say it 10-15 times before he can start his sentence. What is happening?? ...

I am having a very difficult time getting my 11 month old started on table foods. She coughs, gags and occasionally vomits whatever she has eaten whenever I try. Yet she seems bored with the baby food in a jar. She will only take a few drops from a sippy...

My son is going to be 3yrs old in two months and doesn't show any interest in potty training at all. When we try to get him involved with wearing Pull-ups, sitting on the potty, etc. his response is usually "I can't". . With his third birthday approachin...

Have you ever heard of a child with "button" (as in the type that come on clothing) phobia? This started with my son before his second birthday. I thought he would grow out of it. He is now approaching his fifth birthday and still cannot wear anything with...

I have a friend who has a 9 month old baby who sleeps primarily in her parents bed. My friend says she has tried putting her in the crib asleep and she instantly wakes up crying and stops breathing. She has also tried putting her in the crib awake and she ...

I am asking for advice on weaning my son who is 22 months old from the breast. My husband and I have been trying without much luck. I wondering if there is something else besides cold turkey. Please help?...

My 7-week-old son has gas every day. Can anything be done to relieve his pain? Is this normal? I am breast feeding him, could something in my diet be causing this?...

My daughter, who recently divorced her husband, has two beautiful daughters aged seven and five. They are totally unruly and ignore everything she tells them to do. She has tried her best to be a good mother, but she is finding it more and more difficult...

I am having a very difficult time getting my 11-month-old started on table foods. She coughs, gags and occasionally vomits whatever she has eaten. Yet she seems bored with the baby food in a jar. She will only take a few drops from a sippy cup and it tak...

What are the best vegetables to start my 6-month-old on? Are there any vegetables that I should stay away from?...

I have three boys, 9,6 and 3. The 9-year old is always trying to touch the six year old’s penis when they are wrestling and playing around. We have told him that is not appropriate and nobody should touch your private parts. He says that he can't help h...

I have a 13-year-old boy who is terrified of the dark. Should I be concerned? He will not sleep without the overhead light on (not just a night light). He is actually my husband's brother who has lived with us for the last four years. When he first moved...

My son Mitchell is 23 months old, going on 20 years! He can count to 10, say his ABC's, and has begun counting things. He spends the day with a licensed day care provider and knows all the other child’s first and last names. One of the moms works full ...

My 33-month-old son will hit me or grab my neck and squeeze it when he gets angry at me for telling him "no" or taking him to a timeout. I don't understand this since I don't believe in spanking. I tell him "we don't do this" and "that's not nice" and on...

My 4-year-old son has been banging his head at night since he was 6-months old. Can anyone help me understand why he does this? He usually does it just before he wakes up. ...

We have recently moved closer to my in-laws and my mother in-law is now taking care of my 19-month-old son while I am at work. She has repeatedly been giving him junk food (i.e., french fries, chicken mc nuggets, gummy bears, chocolate chip cookies, pork...

My three ½ year-old daughter goes to day care. Her caretaker has done some of the things in previous articles that aren't supposed to be done in potty training, such as leaving her sit on the potty too long, time outs for accidents, etc. I have discusse...

My daughter will be three years old and is still strongly attached to her pacifier. She seems more attached each day, using it for comfort and to fall asleep. I have tried to keep it from her but she cries and begs until she gets it. What can I do to bre...

I have a question regarding my 20 month old son. Ever since he was 10 months old, he has refused to eat anything new. He looks at the food and turns his head and won't even try it. If we do manage to get it in his mouth he spits it right out. have never...

My niece (7) and nephew (10), who are cousins, were spending the day with me. Looking out the window I saw them sitting on the grass, he was kissing her from fingertips to shoulder, neck and face, toes to knees, stopping occasionally to lift her skirt an...

My 10-year son has been diagnosed as Bipolar with ADHD. He takes a ton of medication yet he still seems angry and depressed a good part of the time. He cannot make or keep friends because all he does is argues with them about everything. I try to help h...

What is the best way to stop my eight-year-old from biting her nails? ...

How do we cure separation anxiety or stranger anxiety in our 3-year-old? He constantly stays with both sets of grandparents and even great-grandparents. We start preschool at the church next month for two days a week and this past week at Vacation Bible ...

My son is 6yrs old and lately he has become increasingly jealous of the relationship between his father and myself. If he sees us kissing or showing each other affection he gets very upset and says that I don’t love him and then becomes very nasty toward...

My son is going to be 10 in October and still wets the bed. I have tried a nasal spray and also a small white pill the doctor had given him, and neither one seems to help. Is there a test he can have to see if there is a medical reason for this? ...

My 4-year-old daughter occasionally fondles herself at bedtime and nap time.at daycare she pulls her pants down to her knees and touches herself. What do I say to her about this type of behavior? She says no one touches her down there but she never says ...

My son is 3yrs. old. We enrolled in a tiny tot sports class and he won't interact with the other kids and the teachers. He wants to sit by my side on the bleachers or he wants me to stand right beside him. The other mothers stay during the class, I don't...

My husband and I are considering the possibility of international adoption. We are not necessarily going to be adopting a new born baby, but rather, we are interested in adopting a toddler. What advice can you give us with regards to possible psycholog...

I am a mother of 5 year old girl. She has a difficult time communicating her needs and wants to me and people and other children. She tends to yell a lot and is rude. My response is to usually give her a time out. Is there something more I should be doin...

My child is bi-racial. I am Hispanic and her father is American. How can I help my 3 month old baby to learn both languages? How soon should I start speaking to her in Spanish?...

My 18 month old daughter has been bitten twice in daycare. I know bitting is common however the bitter has bitten everyday for the past 3 days. Our daycare director assured us that every measure is being taken to prevent this from occuring. The biter i...

Our twins are 6 months old. They have been sleeping through the night since they were 3 ½ months old. They are teething now and are waking up at 1am. This is very unusual. Is this a problem with their sleep pattern (getting days and nights mixed up) or j...

I'm worried that my older brother is doing drugs. He hangs out with bad kids and seems kind of out of it to me. If I say something to him or to my parents, he’ll hate me. What should I do? ...

My daughter is 5 years old and just stared kindergarden. Over the summer she started having panic attacks in public and at home. When she gets upset she will begin running around the room scared stiff and crying. Her whole body tenses up and it's very h...

My grandchild is 21 mos. old. He has never slept like a normal child should. He has only slept a few nights all the way through. I am very concerned about this . ...

My son will be three years old on November 6 this year. He just started pre-school in September and is hitting and pushing some of the girls, not the boys in the class. He is an only child. The teacher says that they try to re-direct him or separate him...

We have just found out that my father has a brain tumor (specifically "meningioma") which appears to be benign. However, it still needs to be treated (most likely with a combination of surgery and radiation). My question relates to the best way of explai...

My 23 month old daughter has recently started biting herself if she does not get her way. What do you suggest?? She is going to speech therapy twice a week because she hasn't really started saying much. They attribute it to alot of ear infections. Coul...

My 7 year old son has what the pediatrician calls a habit cough. The dr. tells me that we just need to ignore it and he will outgrow it. But its been going on for months. The only other option is to have him see a psychologist which I am reluctant to do...

I have an eleven year old daughter who suddenly is having trouble falling asleep at night. She works herself up into such a frenzy that it takes a while to get her to sleep, and she sometimes is up even after my husband and I go to sleep. She is doing w...

I am concerned about my son's lack of "boyish" interests. He is 5 years old and has an older sister and younger brother. He likes playing with girls and girl things. He has little to no interest in boy "things". He does not like sports at all. He is v...

I have two boys, one is six the other three. My six year old is a sweet boy with a heart of gold, but he's been getting in trouble at school. He's not doing anything too serious just basically goofing off. He tends to be impulsive and lacks self control...

My soon to be 5 year old son has started to hit other children in preschool when they anger him. Hitting is not something he has learned at home because we do not believe in spanking. Is this a normal phase for a child to grow through and if not what can i...

I am trying to get my 10 1/2 month old daughter to sleep in her own bed and not in mine. Every time I lay her down in her crib she wakes up crying and will not stop until I pick her up put her back into my bed. What is the safest way to break her of the ha...

We were told by my 3-year old nephew's mother that he has ADD & is hyper-active. Is it possible to diagnose these conditions so early? We are quite concerned since we have been told he has been put on Ritalin and Prozac and it seems he is much too young ...

My 26 month old son has been sleeping in my bed for about four months now. He never slept through the night on a consistent basis in his own bed but he does in mine.The biggest problem I have with this sleeping arrangement is that my husband sleeps in the ...

My son is going to be nine right away, and my question is...Since he was little he's always had a bad temper, but it definately has escalated. My friends have even commented on how badly he loses it. I give him time out's but he seems to think that everybo...

My six-year-old son is having trouble focusing on some types of schoolwork in the classroom. While he is slow in picking up math and is especially poor in organizing himself in his schoolwork, he is often sits by himself doing math and reading exercises ...

My neighbor has a 2 1/2 year old son that will only take a nap if the mother drives him around in the car. Every day for the last two years the mother has driven the child around until he falls asleep, then pulls back into her driveway,leaves the car runn...

My name is Paul and I am writing you this e-mail from Brussels in Belgium. I have 16 months old girl, who will, when crying hard, after she has fallen or has to do something she doesn't like, will stop breathing. The condition can last for what seems an ...

I am a caregiver for a 18 month girl who is being defiant with her parent's by saying no and hitting them I know that this is to be expected upon closing in on being two and that this type of indpendence/ aggression is normal, and continues in ...

My child is 3 1/2 years old and has been holding back his stool since he was 12 months old. At first he was not very successful at it but now he has it down to a science. We are being streated with a stool softener by our pediatrician. Is further testing n...

My wife and I are at our wits end. Our three and a half year old mis-behaves terribly. His most annoying habit is to completely ignore us and do his own thing. He will run off on his own and keep on running to where he wants to go despite the consequences....

My 3-1/2 year old son just had his Tonsils and Adenoids removed. Now he has started to have Night Terrors like clock work 1 hour after he goes to bed, Then he will wake up crying about every 1-1/2 for the rest of the night. Is this night terors all night l...

Everytime my daughter does not get what she wants, she whines, and it is driving be crazy. What is the best way to stop this annoying behavior? ...

My nine year old has just started to swear (probably picked it up at school). My mother in law says I should wash his mouth out with soap. How do you think I should handle this problem?...

I have a very happy and active 18 month old, but we've noticed he has a really bad temper. When he gets angry, he resorts to head butting. He will either head butt the object closest to him or one of us. I am really concerned because I haven't seen any ...

I am a single mother with a five-year-old son. Just recently he has become obsessed with showing me his penis and his bottom. He drops his shorts or bends over and demands I "Take a look". Intially I reacted casually about the exposure and would say "Come...

My 18 month old daughter will eat an entire meal sitting in a high chair at daycare, but not at home. I give her nutrional snacks in a bowl which she will eat while playing, like fruit, bread, yogurt, cheese, etc. Usually when we have supper I put her in...

My 2 year old daughter has become very picky. She will not eat what we make for her. Is this normal and is there anything we can do?...

Our nine year old daughter constantly lies. She has "told stories" since she was 6. Now, she down right lies to our face. One of us will ask why something happened and she answers. Knowing it can't be right, we ask her if she is telling us the whole tru...

What are the average times in minutes that you would expect a childs attention span to last?...

My 17 month old child is a very picky eater. Should I give her a childrens' vitamin every day? ...

My 7yr.old daughter has recently began to steal little things that she sees and thinks are neat. She was caught by her teacher once and I've caught her at least four times. What should I do to break her of this habit? ...

Our 6-year-old grandson has encopresis. His parents are separated which only compounds the treatment problem. I have him for several weeks this summer. Mommy has decided he is holding bowel movements on purpose and has discontinued the mineral oil. ...

My fiancee has a little 4 year old daughter. We have her on the weekends. When she stays with us she sleeps in her own bed in her own room. Well at her mother's house they sleep together, so we have a terrible time trying to get her to sleep alone. Is it...

My 15-month old son has begun to throw food off of his tray at meal or snack time. He will eat a few bites then begin throwing. If I feed him with a spoon or my fingers, he will eat. He has been eating finger foods himself for the past 5-6 months without a...

My 4 year-old son's K-4 teacher recently informed that she was unsure whether she would recommend that he be placed in kindergarten next year. She believes that he is not mature enough for kindergarten, plus she believes he has some speech problems becaus...

My son just turned 3. He goes to preschool 2 days a week. At school, he is interested in all the activities, but cannot sit still. He has "ants in his pants". During story time and rest time, he will be bouncing off the wall. It is starting to be a pr...

The behaviour of my 5 year old nephew is becoming quite worrying in both his actions and the danger he is becoming to younger girls that we know. He has just recently started school and my worry is that he will try the same things at school. Some of his ou...

I am a mother of a 30 month old boy and 12 month old girl. I am beginning to pull my hair out when it comes to disciplining my son. It began with him testing us, now I feel it's turned into something beyond our control. He doesn't listen to anything we ...

My son is 7 mos. old. He "screams" (not cries - no tears) every time he is not getting my full attention or being held. This has gone on for at least three weeks. He had colic pretty bad from about 3 weeks until 12 weeks. I suspect he's teething - he got t...

I have a four year old daughter who likes to rub her genital area on the floor. She's been doing this since she was3 and I had hoped it would get better once she was potty trained but instead it got worse. At times her vagina is rubbed raw and I'd like to ...

My parents are very concerned about their 27 month old grandson. He was diagnosed with failure to thrive syndrome at about 10 months of age. My mom weighed him at home the other day, and he was only 22 pounds. I do not know his height, which I realize may ...

I have been in the process of potty traing my 2 1/2 year old son. He knows when he needs to go because if I leave him naked ( in the house) he never has an accident and immediately runs into the bathroom on his own. If he is wearing anything at all, even...

My two year old has developed really dark circles under his eyes recently. My mother suggested that maybe he's not getting enough sleep, and he is a poor sleeper, but no matter what I do he won't sleep more. I've also heard that they could be caused by all...

My son is 26 months old and weighs about 35 lbs.. I wouldn't be concerned but his appetite tends to lean toward chocolate and sweets. He eats a nutricious meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but always ask for junk food several times a day. Often I tr...

Thank you in advance if you can answer my question. My 5 year old son has started to blink excessively. He is definitely not aware that he is doing this. Should he been seen by an eye doctor? Is this a nervous condition? ...

I have recently taken over "custody" of my 5 1/2 year old grandson at the request of my daughter. This is not legal guardianship in the sense of having gone through the courts but rather an agreement between my daughter and myself (she said she could no l...

My daughter is 2 1/2 years old and she goes to the potty when she feels like it. We just moved to a new house and it seems like she just went backwards. Before we moved she went all the time on her own and now she only goes sometimes and when I ask her why...

My nephew will be turning 4 in May. Over the past 1-2 years my nephew's mother has been telling us that he is ADHD and was on various medications. She is now telling us that they think he is bi-polar (or mainc depressive. His mother has admitted that sh...

I have a three and a half month old who was sleeping through the night. He weighs 14.5 lbs and is on soy formula. For the past week and a half he wakes up around three o'clock in the morning and acts like he is hungry. We usually feed him two ounces (that'...

My daughter is 14 weeks old and weighs 14 pounds. She is still not sleeping through the night(she sleeps about 5-5 1/2 hours at night). She eats more than 32 ounces of formula a day(8 ounces every 4 hours). Should I put her on cereal now? Thank you. ...

My family will be driving from Florida to NY this summer with a four year old and an 11 month old. Any tips for making this long trip enjoyable for everyone?...

I have a 3 1/2 month old baby who was 9 lbs 10 ozs when he was born. He now weighs 17 lbs. He usually eats 12-18 ozs of formula during the day and then goes to bed around 8:30 or 9:00. He is up at least 4 (usually 5 to 7) times during the night to eat. Las...

My daughter is 2 and still hooked on the pacifier. I know I should take the pacifier away, but what is the reason why? ...

My 3 year old daughter was potty trained at 2- 1/2. She had it down perfectly. She would not even wet at night. She would get up in the middle of the night to use the toilet if she needed to. Now in the last few weeks it seems she has stopped even trying t...

My husband and I have two daughters, ages 4 and 1. We both bork and have a terrible time with our 4 year old leaving her at our church playschool. She becomes hysterical. This has been going on for about a month. We have tried everything Is this just a pha...

My two and 1/2 year old has gained about 8-10 pounds in 8 months. He is getting very chubby. Should I be concerned? ...

My husband and I are thinking about putting our 3 year old son into karate lessons thinking this might help control his temper tantrums which there are many of. Is this too early of an age to do this? Also, he is in daycare and does things there (i.e. goes...

My 2 1/2 year old son is still not talking much. He can say some words that we can clearly understand but most we cannot. He constantly talks we just dont know what he is saying. He gets really frustrated that we cant understand him. I was wondering if we ...

I have a little girl who is 4yrs3months old. She is having a problem with wetting her pants while playing. How do I get her to stop and take the time to go the bathroom? I've tried "time outs" and taking away favorite toys. She can tell me exactly what she...

My daughter, who is about to turn 8 in 2 weeks, has suddenly started crying before school each day, complains her stomach hurts and does not want to go to school or for me to go to work. At night she is very clingy to me, and wants me to do everything with...

I have a 41/2 year old boy. Over the last few weeks he has been having fecal incontinence. He rushes to the toilet in a hurry but wets his pants before itself and also sometimes passes stools in his pants. What is the reason for this. He has no problems pa...

It just recently came to my attention that my 3 year old daughter does nothing to defend herself at day care. I went to pick her up and one of the younger kids was poking at her jacket. I was then informed she will stand there and cry silently. I know she ...

We are having trouble getting our 6 month old to sleep. She seems to be fighting sleep and screams and cries until she finally gives up. The only way to get her to sleep is rock her and she is starting to fight that as well. Do you have any suggestions on ...

What is appropriate sexual behavior for 6 yr old boys? I am getting contradictory information on this. I have a 6 yr old grandson who exhibits overt sexual behavior towards his mother. I have recently read some information that would suggest that this is b...

I have a 2 month old baby. My 41/2 year old older son sometimes gets so excited seeing his baby brother that he presses his hands on the baby's head with great force and shakes him. Will this cause any damage to the baby's brain. We have told my older son ...

What is the best way to handle a 2 year old who constantly screams whenever she does not get what she wants? ...

Our 11 month old grandson does not like to eat solid food, which was introduced at six months. He will eat small amounts of some finger food (cheerios, bananas), but cries as soon as he is put in his high chair, or a spoonful of anything is presented. His ...

My grandson is not talking and everyone is telling his mother that "all boys talk late." While this may be true, could you tell me what are some of the medical reasons that children are slow in talking? ...

have a 4 yr. old who refuses to make a bowel movement on the toilet or the potty chair. I have tried everything and nothing works. All he wants is a diaper on. What should I do?? ...

I have a 12-month-old son (he has an older sister who is almost 4) who wants to bite down on my shoulder or other body parts (face, arm). He has been doing this the past few months. We thought it was due to teething, but lately he has done this when he is ...

My daughter is 7 years old and very shy. I currently reading the book "A SHY CHILD". I was wondering how would I know if and when my daughter needs professional help. ...

My husband and I would like advice on our situation. We were married in February. We are a young couple-in our early twenties, we have two children ages 3 1/2 and 10 months. The 3 year old is his child from a previous relationship, and he has full custody....

How do I know when my child is ready to be toilet trained?...

We have 28 month old baby that has been sleeping in our bed for the past 7 months and we cannot get him to sleep in his own bed. What is the best way to go about getting him to sleep in his own bed so my wife and I can have our nights back?Also he will not...

My 17 month old daughter is not saying many words yet. She is bright, sings, babbles, can follow directions, and makes animal sounds. All she says is "ma" and "da". Should I be concerned? ...

I have a 21-month-old son and another baby due in September. I would like to move my son into a "big boy bed" sometime before the baby is born. He does a wonderful job of going to sleep by himself every night in his crib and I felt he was ready to make the...

My 21-month-old daughter used to be a great sleeper. Now, there are times when she refuses to go down for her afternoon nap. She throws a major temper tantrum as soon as I lay her down. Her night time sleep pattern has not been affected, but I miss her old...

My son seems to cry all the time lately when I put him down. Last week he was fine playling with his toys while I was in the same room doing other things and talking to him. This week it seems every time I try to put him down he cries. He doesn't want anyo...

I have a 3 1/2 yr old boy who refuses to use his potty chair for Bowel movements. He will hold it in until we put a diaper on him. He still needs to wear diapers at night so he usually finds a quite spot to make his poop every night. We have talked and exp...

Our 6 year old daughter weighs only 42 pounds. She is 46 inches tall. Sometimes she will go 3 or 4 days without eating a thing and we have also caught her throwing her food out when we are not looking. It has gotten to the point that we sometimes have to...

I have a son who recently turned 3. He often throws temper tantrums (kicking and screaming) to get his way. For example if he does not want to get his hair cut or go to the nursery at the gym or leave a fun place, I don't know what else to do except not ge...

My son (an only child) who will be 6 in August, and is just finishing up his second year of preschool, (he did not make the age/date cutoff to attend kindergarten last year, he'll attend this fall) is all of a sudden going through some emotional changes. H...

My daughter will be six years old in july and she is scared of everything. She is especially afraid of dogs and other animals, however, we go through phases where the "object" of her fear is something completely different. Recently, she had a virus and had...

My daughter will be 6 in September. She is terrified to sleep by herself, she says there are monstere in her room. I have tried letting her cry her self to sleep, but that doesn't seem to work, she will sit in there for hours crying and yelling like someon...

My baby is 1 month old and my daughter is three. She has been potty trained for about 9 months and doing fine. Every now and then since the baby she has been having lots of accidents and temper tantrums. I know this is due to the new baby and the fact tha...

I have a 21 month old female who was potty trained for approximately three weeks. She made the transition beautifully and was using the adult toilet with modifications for all eliminations. Yesterday, she began to pee her pants and defacate on the floor. S...

My 2 1/2 year old son has been biting off his fingernails and eating them for the last three months. I have not had to cut them at all!! I do not know why he started and neither I or my husband bite our nails. Does this pose any medical problems? Should I ...

My nearly five year old son is terrified of clowns. He has been afraid of clowns since before he was two and the fear seems to be growing rather than abating. We have explained to him that clowns are people wearing funny makeup. He says he understands b...

If a child has slept with an adult since infancy, at which age should they begin sleeping alone? Could emotional or developmental problems arise if a child continues to sleep with an adult regularly after the age of five? ...

At what age(s) is it no longer appropriate for a brother & sister to take a bath together. My son & daughter always ask to take a bath together & enjoy playing together in the tub. ...

My three year old is restless and very active. Whenever we go any place he touches everything in sight and will not sit in one spot. A friend of mine, who is a neurologist, thinks he is hyperkinetic. I would like to know more about it....

My daughter is almost two years old. Both my husband and I enjoy showering with her. When should we stop doing so? She has touched my husband several times, in an inquisitive way, and we are not sure how to react? We certainly don't want to do anything tha...

My daughter will be 4 in September. She has been daytime toilet trained since 2 1/2 and about 2.5 months ago felt strongly that she could give up diapers at night. She originally had no problem at night, but over the past 3 weeks has wet her bed (profusely...

I was wondering if any of you can help me on ways to get my 3 year son potty trained. he doesn't really talk all that much but he understands you very well . He knows the whole process of going potty but he wont do that yet...n a lot of child care places w...

I have a 4-yr old son. He'll be 5 in December. He is constantly picking his nose - in public, at the dinner table, etc. - his finger is always in his nose. We've explained to him how unclean it is and that he should clean his nose in private (like in the b...

Can stress in the family affect a child’s growth? ...

My daughter is 32 months old. She has been out of diapers for about a month now, but in the past week she has been having a lot of accidents. She doesnt even try sometimes. What is the best way to handle this? Could putting her in a pull up at night be enc...

My two and a half year old daughter never listens to me when I ask her to do something. I usually count to three but Im tired of doing that. I feel like Im threatening some kind of punishment all the time. What is the best way to hadle this problem? ...

Twice in the last two months, my 15 month old son has held his breath until he has passed out. Both occurances took place around supper/bath time, right before he goes to bed at night. (Note : One of my brothers also did this as a toddler.) How should my w...

My daughter is 19 mos. old. We began teaching her to use the potty about a week ago. We let her run around naked from the waist down. She caught on to the idea fairly quick and was doing very well. We bought underpants recently and put them on her. Now, sh...

My son has been diagnosed with ADHD and is on Ritalin. Over the past 6 months he has become obsessed with washing his hands, even if he touches the smallest thing such as a piece of paper. Is this related to his ADHD, a stage he is going through, or an obs...

I have a 12-month-old son (he has an older sister who is almost 4) who wants to bite down on my shoulder or other body parts (face, arm, . . . ). He has been doing this the past few months. We thought it was due to teething, but lately he has done this whe...

Could an 11 year old girl be anorexic at such a young age? What behaviors would be a red-flag? If she says she's not hungry in the morning and doesn't want to have breakfast would you let her go to school without eating anything? She talks about being f...

My 13 month old daughter has recently started smacking herself in the head. She also hits her head against the wall. I do not think she is hurting herself, but yet I am concerned. Developmentally she is ahead of schedule and has had no health problems. She...

My son is 6 and has trouble going to sleep. We have a regular routine that gets him in bed by 8:30, but it usually after 10:30 before he falls asleep. This has been going on for about a year and does not seem to be affected by how much activity he had duri...

I have a child that is 4 years old and very hyper. We have tried different things in the past and have seen our regular peditrician about this problem. His doctor says that he will out grow this problem and if by the time he starts school there is still a ...

My 6 year old son was daytime potty trained at 3, night time potty trained by 4. He will wake up in the night and make it to the bathroom but cannot make it to the bathroom during the day. He had the same problem in kindergarten. I know some of it is not w...

Our healthy 28-month old son screams the whole time every time we give him a bath. We put toys in the water, keep soap out of his eyes, and make sure it is not too hot or too cold. He likes water fountains and swimming pools. He has never had a fall in the...

My 20 month old grandaughter is the grand champion of temper tantrums. Whenever she doesn't get what she wants, she screams at the top of her lungs for several minutes. We have tried all the "tricks" we know: time-outs, ignoring the behavior, removing her ...

My 9 1/2 year old son has lost a few pounds over the last few months and is five pounds less than he was 10 months ago (at his last exam). He's not a good eater and does not sit well at meals. However, he has always grown despite similar eating patterns. H...

My daughter is turning 3 this week. She has very limited interest in the potty except when her friends are around who do use the potty. When she does try to go on the potty she can't seem to control her muscles enough for anything to happen . She has only ...

I am a single father, recently divorced and raising two kids on my own. Their mother sees them infrequently and only for short periods of time. What can I do to ease this rough transition for my kids? Sometimes my son will act out, and he seems to go throu...

My son (28 mos old) has been having nightmares for four months. The first one started the same night he had a low grade fever. He gets up 3 - 4 times a night screaming. Once we go in his room and he sees us, he goes right back to sleep. My husband is no...

Our son is 6. He is 47" tall and weighs 65 pounds. Our concern is to get some of his weight off without actually putting him on a "diet". 3 months ago he weighed 57 pounds, so we think he has put on too much weight in a short amount of time. We would like ...

I am desperatly searching for information on seperation anxiety. My 5 year old continues to struggle when I drop him off at Kindergarten, however once I am out of sight he has a great day! What else can I do to encourage him to not hang all over me each mo...

I have a 7 year old that sucks her thumb, and I would like to know how can I make her stop. or any suggustion. ...

My son is scheduled to receive 3 shots at his 5-yr. old checkup next week. How do I best prepare him for this without unduly upsetting him? (He has already heard about the painful shots from his classmates who have already had their 5-yr checkup.) Do I jus...

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My three year old son is potty trained at home but refuses to use the bathroom in public. What should I do?...

My 16 month old makes a mess every time we sit down to eat. Now he has a new trick.... he takes food, throws it on the floor, and then looks up at us with a big smile. What is the best way to handle this? ...

My 14 year old daughter suddenly started to bite at day care and has become clingy to her blanket and doll (something she has never done). She even found an old paicifer and has not let it out of her mouth in three days. Is she overly stressed?...

My son just turned 6 years old. He weighs 69 pounds and is 4 ft tall. My husbands family, (Mom, Dad, Brother and sister) are all extremely over weight. My husband is a big man but not overly fat like the rest of his family. Do you think my son is on the ro...

BITING AT DAY CARE My 20-month old son has been biting children in his school two or three times a week. I have been working with the daycare to stop this behavior. He does not bite at home so it is hard to discipline him. The daycare has issued a new Repe...

11-MONTH OLD HITS HIMSELF We have an eleven month old son, who will either hit himself on the head with his hand or will bang his head on the floor or what ever is closest. It started a couple months ago usually when he was very tired. It seems that lately...

We use the time out method of discipline with our three year old daughter. She often will urinate on the floor when placed in time out. We have taken away toys and television privileges, which worked for awhile. We have also made her help clean up the mess...

Our child is almost 4years old. He wakes every night after midnight. When he first wakens he will softly cry. Then more loudly cry for mommy or daddy. Then start saying, "I'm scared." Finally he may or may not come to our bed, climb in and immediately f...

STARTED USING PACIFIER AT 14 MONTHS. At 14-months my daughter suddenly started using a pacifier -- all the time! I've heard this is bad for the teeth, verbal development, etc. She has almost a full set of teeth and was very verbal before the pacifier. She ...

My 2 month old shows a very high temper at times. Is there anything I can do to calm her?...

My son is 2 months old and can't fall asleep without his pacifier. When it falls out he cries until we put it back. His sleep is constantly interupted because he's up every 2 hours during the night. Should I try and get him to sleep with out it, or is he t...

I have a 6 year old son who is worrying hiself sick about death. There has not been any deaths in the family so I dont understand where this is coming from. When I try to explain some things to him he just seems to get more upset about it. Is there any boo...

TODDLER CAR SEAT BEHAVIOR I seem to be having an on going behavior problem with my 2 1/2 yr old boy. Every time I have to put him in his car seat, he pinches and bites. I am just about at my wits end with this never changing behavior. Please help with some...

POTTY TRAINING REGRESSION My 30-month old daughter has been potty trained for about 5 months, but now is having one accident after the other. I took her to the doctor thinking she might have a bladder infection but everything checked out okay. She refuses ...

NEW STEPSON I have recently became the mother of a six year old step son. He was recently taken from his mother due to missing school and her lack of care for him. She wasn’t cruel, she just didn’t teach him anything. His father is not the best i...

My three years old daughter has just started to attend nursery class; I have two questions: She has little or no appetite. Is there anything I can suggest to the nursery school to improve her appetite? My second question is that, whenever she go...

My 20 month old daughter has always been a great sleeper. Over the past month or so, however, she has been waking during the night and screaming uncontrollably. As soon as we go to her and pick her up, she is fine. When we try to put her back in her crib, ...

My son is 17 mo. old and for the first time has begun to bite. He seems to bite when we are giving hugs. I know he doesn't know it is hurting and I'm not sure exactly how to respond. What kind of response should we give or should we ignore and hope he will...

SEPARATION ANXIETY My 6 month old son has been content to play by himself up until about 2 weeks ago. I can hardly take 3 steps away from him and he starts crying hard. I have tried letting him cry for a while but he ends up crying so hard that he breaks i...

My 2 1/2 year old son is extremely sensitive. He is very shy and sometimes will not even speak to my husband when he first sees him. Sometimes he cries whenever someone touches him, even a baby, and it is obvious that he isn't hurt. What can I do to help h...

We recently adopted a newborn from a Guatemalan woman and then, a few months later, my husband left me. I have two questions: (1) What resources can I find for telling my daughter about her birth circumstances (her mother was involved in an extra-marital a...

I have a 7yr.old daughter who has just started 2nd grade, and every morning is a struggle to get her to school. She says she hates school that she doesn't like her teacher. She constantly complains about her stomach hurting which I feel is just nerves. The...

I am a single mother who works full-time during the day and part-time 3 nights a week. My son is 9 months old and my question is how can I make this situation as comfortable as possible for him? I know that infants his age need the stability of a routine a...

I have a 4 1/2 year old boy and he fights at school and is rough with the other kids he plays with. He also has a yearning to play with guns and swords and plays so rough it scares me. Otherwise he is a nice kid. ...

My son, who is 4 years old has a hard time having a bowel movement. This has been the case ever since potty training started two years ago. He will go for days without having one, and when he finally does, it is so huge it clogs the toilet and I quite hone...

My daughter is 10. She has had behavior problems and weight problems since she was 3. We have been to multiple physicians including endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, mental health professionals etc. I have no more help now than I did when she was 3. She...

Can a child that tends to throw fits by head banging into walls floors doors or anything else close by cause himself a speech or hearing impairment?...

My best friend and husband have different punishment styles with their18 month old. He spanks the child when she touches something she is not suppose to. The mom removes the object and diverts her daughter's attention to something else. How can they dea...

My friends were out to dinner with their 18 month old daughter. The daughter was waving to everyone and when a lady approached her, their daughter slapped the lady in the face. My friends did not know what to do. They didn't know if they should say sorry t...

My 11 month old son has only slept through the night 3 nights since he was born. Recently, he began going to sleep great around 8 or 9, but then wakes up at 2 or 3 and cries until we go to him. We have tried letting him cry it out - even up to 2 hours! He'...

I've looked everywhere for information about trichatillmania..not sure of the spelling. My son has begun pulling out his hair to the extent that he has bald spots and I'm very worried. We have a lot of changes in our lives here recently and he just started...

I now have custody of my 4 year old grandson which we want to tell him that my son is his natural father and not the dad who is in prison which he loves very much. His step father will be getting out son and there is a chance the natural mother and step...

My daughter is 9 months old and for about the last month or more she has been showing signs of having a bad temper. She actually will throw a fit if we tell her "no" or if she wants to do something that we wont let her do. Not only does she go in...

My 11 year old daughter has suddenly started crying every morning about going to school and leaving me. She says she misses me and can not control her feelings. She is miserable. What can we do?...

My 21 month old daughter speaks very few words. She uses her hands to comunicate and has developed her own system to make her wishes known. Her hearing and sight are perfect. She understands when she is spoken to and is a very bright child. ...

My son, who will be turning four in February has trouble with bedweting. He was potty trained before he was two and loves to use the potty. Wearing boxer shorts and cartoon underwear made it very easy to train him. However, sometimes when he takes naps at ...

My 9 year old son who was completely potty trained by 2 1/2 is now having bowel movement accidents. My concern is the bm is very pasty, it also is extremely large and appears to be the full length of his colon. He gives me several reasons from it hurts, to...

Our 4 year old daughter has gone from sleeping in her own bed, to coming to our room @ 4:00 am and getting into our bed to continue sleeping. She isn't crying and doesn't appear as if she had a nightmare. After she falls back asleep, we put her back in her...

My six-year-old is stealing from his first-grade teacher. This behavior just developed. Prior to this, he was in a top-notch pre-school and never stole anything. However, he has always been a hoarder. He has loved bags and purses since he was a toddler and...

My 4½ month-old son wakes up screaming every night between 2 and 5 times. If I give him his pacifier, he goes right back to sleep but if I let him cry, he wakes up completely and will cry hard for at least 30 minutes. He has been doing this for at least 4 ...

My son is 6 1/2 years old and for at least the last year and an half has had no problems with bed wetting. A month ago, he started having accidents at night on a regular basis. I have read your articles and, yes, he is an extremely heavy sleeper but is it ...

How can I get my 4 month old to sleep through the night? (5-7 hours) I breat feed her during the day and my husband and I decided to give her formula at her last feeding of the day to help her sleep longer. Do you have any other suggestions? ...

I am having a hard time disciplining my son. He is three years old and I do not believe in scolding, so I have been taking toys away from him when he is bad and not giving him a treat after dinner. This worked for a while but now it is not working. He has ...

Can I have more information about the treatment of bedwetting?...

What are some different parenting strategies to use when dealing with two 6-year-old boys getting naked and laying on top of one another pretending to have sex? ...

My son is almost 8 months old. He will screech in frustration and cry for no reason. When you pick him up he is fine for a few minutes and then he tries to get away and screeches. What do I do? ...

Our daughter is nearly 18 months old and was breastfed until 11 months. She was a very good eater until now. For the past three weeks we have been having problems feeding her. She doesn’t want to eat by herself (she was never good at it, but she tried) and...

My 12 month old has horrible "separation anxiety." It has become increasingly worse since he was 9 months old. It has gotten so bad that I cannot even walk around the house without him crying horribly and following me around. He will venture off my lap to ...

When my 3-year-old son is having a fit - he screams, spits and lets his nose run all down his face. He looks like he's crazy when he’s acting this way. It actually scares my husband and me. Do you think this could be a mental problem? He is also really int...

Shortly after my daughter turned 3, she became potty trained for wetting and rarely has accidents in that regard. Unfortunately, she has no interest in using the potty for bowel. A few times I’ve been able to catch her in the act and move her to the potty ...

My 17-month old son has suddenly having out of control temper tantrums. They have literally developed overnight. When he doesn't get what he wants he not only cries, but screams, flails all over the floor and has a hard time getting his breathing under con...

Can you please advise me of the milestones and problems to expect in an 8 year old girl. When is the best time to start on the subject of sex and periods. Can you recommed any books for children on this subject?...

How would I know whether my child is hyperactive?...

What is the best age to start time outs? I have a 15 month old little girl. I have tried time outs once or twice and it doesn't really seem to grasp her attention. What would be the best discipline at this age? Thanks, Tara....

I have a 17-month old child who for the past month insists on being carried inseatd of walking beside me, Any suggestions?...

My 10-year-old daughter was diagnosed at three and re-evaluated at age six for ADHD. While she was "hyper" at one time, her symptoms began to gravitate toward problems with concentration, following directions, and forgetfulness. She began exhibit...

My 6-month-old is very energetic and happy, but I am finding it difficult for her to take her naps. She nurses four times a day (7, 11, 3, 7)and eats around 4-5 ounces of solids three times a day (9, 1, 5). Whenever I put her down for either nap ...

I have a three year old and a ten year old son. Recently, I caught the ten year old holding a pillow down over the baby's face. The baby was kicking and flailing with very muffled screaming. How worried should I be about this behavior? My husband thinks th...

My 15 month old son has been hitting himself on the head with his hands for no reason at all. Also, when we are in public (ex. a restaraunt) he will scream as loud as he can for no reason. We give him lots of praise and attention....

My 2 year old daughter has been pulling her hari since she was approximately 18 months. She has no empty patches, just very short stubbly hair. I've noticed she does it when she's bored, tired, and frustrated. However she also does it while in he...

I have reviewed your Q&A site about sleeping problems. I tried to use some of the suggestions on my 25mth old daughter to no avail. She still wakes up about every 3 hours all night. She only ask for milk when she awakes a 4 a.m. (sometimes a little ...

Sometimes my 3 year old son will not listen to me unless my husband is there to back it up.What can I do to change this?...

I need help with my 3 1/2 yr.old. daughter. We are expecting a new baby in a few months and I was hoping that her behavior would improve long before that but I see it is not. She doesn't listen at all, she spits, says bad words, I always have a fight to...

My 2 month old is both breastfed and supplemented with formula. He took to the bottle with no problem; however, there are times he refuses the bottle and cries for my breast. When I return to work in less than 2 months, my husband will be caring for our so...

Our son turned 4 in August. He was a preemie (24 weeker) and does have some developmental delays. In October we started toilet-training (again) and finally saw success using rewards as motivation. By the middle of November, he was initiating going on his o...

My 10 month old daughter had been sleeping through the night since she was 3 weeks old. All of a sudden she is up ever hour and will not sleep in her crib. If I sit up and hold her she will sleep all night..if I put her down she wakes up before I even leav...

My 8 month old son is a terrible sleeper/napper. At 3 months he sleep through the night. Then at 4 months his sleep habit developed. If I am lucky he will nap 2 times a day for 30 minutes only. However,most of the time he will only take 1 nap in the mornin...

After browsing through your Q & A site, I haven't seen any information specifically related to anxiety disorders. My 8 yr. old son was just diagnosed with anxiety disorder by a psychiatrist. He was prescribed buspar and along with the medication has to see...

I need information on preschoolers spitting...

My 8 month old girl is a very happy baby. Recently, she has started to do a very high pitched shrill. She is not unhappy or crying, but she shrills loud enough to break glass. We have determined that it is for attention, especially if you leave her alone t...

My 5 year old son urinates on our floors. I asked him why and he says that he is too busy playing and does not want to stop. Our house smells bad and I've tried everything. He only does this at home. I am 5 months pregnant and would like to get him to stop...

My 3 and a half has just recently been saying that he hate or does not like me when he does not get his way. What should I do when he does this? Should I act like I did not hear him, or should I tell him that that is not nice and it really hurts my feelngs...