Preschool Developmental Milestones The preschool years are ripe with opportunities to develop social skills especially as children begin spending time with other kids their age. Play allows them to practice taking turns, winning and losing, sharing and negotiating. The preschool years are also heavily influenced by parents and caregivers. In … Read more
Q: My son used to be a fun, lighthearted and very active kid. But lately, he’s been negative about everything. He lashed out at his sister for eating the last cookie. His angry behavior ruined a family night out because we didn’t choose his favorite restaurant. And he’s no longer … Read more
Q: My daughter was really upset when she came home from school today. At the beginning of the day, one of her classmates’ mothers distributed birthday party invitations to many of the students in the class. My daughter was left out. She has played with the other child before at … Read more
Q: My son’s teacher has raised some concerns about his behavior in class and suggests that we test him for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She tells us that he interrupts her a lot, has trouble finishing tasks, never waits his turn and fidgets all the time. We see some of … Read more
Q: My son is an intelligent kid. He does well in school, loves playing on his basketball team and has a great group of friends, but he can’t follow a direction to save his life. Every day it’s a struggle to get him to do anything—whether it’s picking up his … Read more
Q: School mornings are a real struggle in my house. My kids have to do just six things each morning: Get up, get dressed, brush their teeth, comb their hair, eat some breakfast and get their shoes on. But, every single morning, I find them dawdling over breakfast or having … Read more
Q: My daughter is so impulsive. She’s constantly getting into trouble for things like grabbing toys away from friends at school or during playdates and interrupting her older sister even after we’ve told her to leave her alone. When she gets angry, her emotions quickly ramp up and she often … Read more
Q: My son is a smart, capable boy, but he is lacking self-confidence in just about anything he does. A missed shot in hockey means he’s no good at the sport. A few questions wrong on a reading comprehension test means he’s no good at reading. I tell him he’s … Read more
Q: I think my child is being bullied at school. In the last couple of weeks, she’s started complaining about a particular girl, who, she says, makes fun of her appearance and tells others to not be her friend. I’m not sure how long it’s been going on, but, a … Read more
Q: I thought we were done with meltdowns when my daughter graduated from preschool. But, these days, as a first grader, she regularly breaks down. It often happens after school when we’re running an errand or even just hanging out at home. It’s putting a damper on our afternoons. How … Read more