Parenting Playbook

Adolescence . . .

Adolescence is a tough developmental stage because during this part of their life kids are pulled in opposite directions. They have one foot still in childhood, with all the dependence of that age, and the other foot in adulthood, stepping toward independence....

Clingy at bedtime . . .

Some children go to sleep easily. They are happy to be tucked in their own bed, feeling a sense of comfort and security that all is well in the world as they drift off. For many other children, bedtime and falling asleep do not come easily because bedtime activates...

Understand the adolescent brain . . .

Parents and teachers can get frustrated by behaviors that seem to be characteristic of the teen years—behaviors such as using bad judgment, having trouble foreseeing consequences, and acting impulsively. These “juvenile” behaviors in teens are the result of an...

Look underneath behaviors . . .

Children often communicate through behaviors, so parents, to be effective, need to look underneath a child’s behavior before responding with disciplinary action. What need does your child have that is not being met? What feeling does your child have that he or she...

Advocate for recess . . .

The beginning of the school year has arrived for many children, so taking a look at the importance of recess seems timely. Recess is defined as a break in the school day that offers children a chance to engage in free, unstructured, active play. Research about recess...

Some stress is necessary . . .

In From Neurons to Neighborhoods, a book about early childhood development, scientists refer to three basic kinds of stress: toxic stress, tolerable stress, and positive stress. Exposure to toxic or tolerable stresses can be damaging to a child’s developing brain, but...

Taking the middle ground with tantrums . . .

Children’s temper tantrums seem to invite one of two responses: caving in or never budging—neither of which leads children to becoming tantrum-less. In the case of caving in, the problem may not actually be the tantrum. It may more likely be a habit of saying “no”...

Needing contact or only wanting attention . . .

At times, a child’s challenging behaviors are fueled by his or her need for emotional contact with you, rather than a desire for attention. The need for emotional contact is genetically programmed, so if a child feels that connection is lost, he or she may act...

Trying times with toys . . .

Children can be passionately possessive of a toy, and a couple brain-based reasons are behind their feelings of ownership. First, emotional attachment releases opioids in the brain—even if the attachment is to a toy. A child gets a sense of well-being when playing...

Help bullyproof your child . . .

As parents, you can help protect your child both from becoming a bully and being bullied by others by nurturing your child’s self-defenses. You do this by helping your child develop emotional strength, empathy, and friendship skills. At home, give lots of praise...

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