Your child says his teacher is bullying him. What should you do? Ask him to walk you through what happened and make sure he is not misinterpreting the situation, says Dr. Elizabeth Englander, author of “Understanding Violence.” Many parents think asking their child questions, rather than instantly agreeing with them, is a rejection. But it’s […]
Mary O’Donohue’s “aha” moment occurred not during her work hours as an editing supervisor at the Oprah Show, but at home, when her then 5-year-old son received a birthday gift. The blue shirt, carefully chosen for him by a family friend, received not more than a cursory glance from her son before it was […]
Sports and music are great ways to develop self-discipline and a strong work ethic that can help children succeed later in life. But in a world of instant gratification, it’s often hard for children to understand that mastering a skill takes time and effort. “I think most kids don’t have the inclination to pick […]
“I just want to be friends.” Devastating words to hear in any romantic relationship, but especially tough for a teen who’s hearing it for the first time. When her son and his girlfriend went to different colleges, he expected that they would keep dating, reports a mom in Deerfield we’ll call Brianna, but unfortunately […]
School burnout is much more common then you think. Joan Almon, Executive director of the U.S. Alliance for Childhood, calls it, “the dirty little secret of education.” Most kids enter Kindergarten inherently curious and ready to learn, but by the time they hit 10, 11 or 12 years of age, they’ve lost their love […]
Who wouldn’t be afraid of monsters under the bed? Or the boogey man? Or menacing noises on a dark night? Many youngsters experience age-appropriate fears, needing closet doors completely closed and bedroom doors open “just so” at nighttime. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that 45 percent of kids ages six to […]
“The Happiest Time of the Year.” Whoever came up with this slogan was trying to sell a lot of something. For many of us, the month of December brings too much to do with too little time. Add to that an ailing parent, a child with special needs, teenagers (need I say more), and […]
In August, you sent your son or daughter off to college. Since you’ve sacrificed, scrimped and saved for your smarty pants to sit in lecture halls, you’re probably expecting that he or she will return home this winter break, excited to engage in late night bonding sessions with you over cocoa. We hate to ruin […]
There are days when running a minefield seems less daunting than raising your kids. Thankfully there are experts out there who provide a healthy perspective and get us back on track to sane parenting. Dr. Wendy Mogel is one of those experts. Internationally acclaimed clinical psychologist and the author of bestselling parenting books “The […]
For the choosy parent of young kids, Deerfield’s Wonder! will be a destination. The new store, with its grand opening on October 29, will be the largest children’s retailer in the country, offering baby gear, furniture, bedding, apparel, unique toys and other items. And they’re not joking with the exclamation point: The store will offer […]
