Kids Who Ignore Consequences: 10 Ways to Make Them Stick

March 2nd, 2010

Does your child ignore every consequence you give him? This week, James Lehman gives you 10 specific ways to make consequences work—even for the most resistant child.
 
When kids are faced with something unpleasant, they’ll often act like it doesn’t matter to them. When your child says, “I don’t care” or seems unaffected when you [...]

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Is It an Adolescent Phase or Out-of-Control Behavior? 8 Ways to Manage Acting-out Kids

February 26th, 2010

I think it’s important for parents of acting-out teens to ask themselves this question: If your teenager is abusing you verbally, calling you disgusting names and punching holes in the walls, what kind of husband or father do you think he’s going to make? Unless something dramatic happens, people stay on the course of the [...]

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No Means No: How to Teach Your Child That You Mean Business

February 19th, 2010

I think a lot of parents feel it’s important to explain their reasoning to their children in an attempt to get them to understand. Realize that along the way, wanting your child to understand can easily shift into wanting their approval, or their acceptance of your reasons. When this happens, parents can get stuck in [...]

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Is It an Adolescent Phase—or Out-of-Control Behavior?

February 17th, 2010

Why do parents often say, “Oh, it’s just a phase; my teenager will grow out of it”? I think there is often a sense of denial that parents have when it comes to their teens’ acting-out or destructive behavior. When you’re a parent, it’s very troubling and sad to think that your son or daughter [...]

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“I Love My Child…But Sometimes I Can’t Stand Him!”

January 19th, 2010

You’d do anything for your child, but you feel guilty about admitting the truth, even to yourself—sometimes you don’t like him very much. It’s a secret that many parents of acting-out kids share, but rarely confess to anyone. James Lehman explains how dealing with a difficult child can take its toll on the parent-child relationship, [...]

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