Here are some ideas for reading books with your preschool child. Consider time, place, and how. • As to time and place, grab odd moments to give both yourself and your child the pleasure of a reading break. Always keep a couple of books in the car. If you’re waiting a few minutes while someone […]
Migraine headaches occur in 5% of school aged children and 8% of adolescents. If your child has two or more of the following features, he probably has migraines: • First, the headache is excruciating and incapacitating. During it, your child doesn’t want to watch TV or talk to anyone. • Second, many children have an
Acne occurs in 90% of teenagers. It’s due to overactivity and plugging of the oil glands. It’s not caused by dirt, fried foods, or chocolate. Acne usually lasts until about age 25, so your teenager needs to understand how to manage it. • First, wash the face with a mild soap twice a day, but
It’s a good idea to think in terms of the four basic food groups when planning your family diet. Ideally, you should be getting 20% of your calories from the milk, meat, and eggs food groups, and 80% of your diet from the fruit, vegetable, and grain food groups. Obviously, we eat excessive amounts of
If you’re going through a divorce, I’m sure you’re trying to keep your child’s life as constant as possible with his friends, at school, and on teams, and I’m also sure you’re helping him talk about his many hurtful feelings, but are you addressing the issue that will have the greatest impact on his long-term
Halloween is one of the favorite holidays of all children. Help your child enjoy it. First, young children need you to buy or put together their costume. Try to get it ready in advance. If you attend one Halloween party or parade at school you’ll have more costume ideas that you can ever use. Second,
“Growing pains” is a term we use for low grade muscle pains that we can’t otherwise explain. They occur in about 10% of school age children. They occur in the muscles of the thigh or the lower leg, not the joints. They tend to be worse in the evening, but don’t awaken a child from
When young children are angry, they scream or throw a tantrum. As they get older they say hurtful things like “I hate you!”. When they’re mad, they go right for the jugular. How should you respond? First, respect your child’s need to express angry feelings. Don’t take these exaggerated comments personally. You can reply, “Well,
If your child awakens before you do, you can be sure he’ll come and wake you up. He’s excited about the new day and he wants to share it with you. If you’d like to add a few precious minutes of sleep to your morning, here are some steps you can take: • First, be
Children should not be allowed to interrupt brief visits by your friends. After an initial greeting and some brief attention, your child should not be allowed to crawl on guests, or to interrupt the adult conversation. Your friends will appreciate your taking a stand about this. • First, clarify your expectation for your child. “Please
