by Sara Bean, M.Ed., Parental Support Line Advisor

What causes bad child behavior? James Lehman says it happens because children don’t yet know how to solve problems effectively. To put it another way, they’re trying to handle many of the situations that life throws at them by acting out. They do this, frankly, because it’s working for them. But here’s the truth: If you don’t find out what problem your child is trying to solve with his Read more »

by Debbie Pincus, MS LMHC

It’s a truth we don’t often admit, even to ourselves: we don’t always like our kids. I can hear the guilt in parents’ voices when they say, “Sometimes I really don’t like my child. He’s a pain, he argues with me all the time and he’s just not fun to be around.” Or maybe your child just isn’t the person you thought he would be: perhaps he’s not Read more »

Elden will turn three in November and his behavior is getting better each day. Believe me or not, terrible two is over! Whew! Either that or the Reward Chart is working pretty well for him. For this month, I have a superhero theme (oh boys!) Reward Chart. Close to end of September and he is getting most of his reward stickers everyday. My criteria of reward stickers are like ‘No Whining, Listens, Independent and Brushing Teeth. Read more »

Author: Dr Anshu Kulkarni

Defiance in children: how to deal with it?

“My baby really gives me a tough time”; “he is becoming stubborn as a mule”- are common reactions from mothers of children in the age group of 3-5 years.

Think before labeling your child as being stubborn or throwing tantrums Read more »

by Janet Lehman, MSW

I’ve talked with a lot of parents who feel out of control in the face of their child’s anger and aggression. In fact, I can’t tell you how many moms and dads have said, “I feel like I’m failing at parenting.” In my opinion, it’s not so important why you as a parent aren’t effective at times—what’s more important is what you do about it. The very first step is to be aware of the patterns Read more »

Happy Boy

Author: Eve Smart

The Happy Child Guide is one of the most unique and in depth parenting guides you’ll ever read.

This downloadable ebook delivers an easy to follow, step-by-step guide that teaches you the rock-solid tools you need to effectively communicate with your child at any age, including:

* How to communicate well with your toddler to avoid the triggers for tantrums an inappropriate outbursts

* How to get a hard-to-manage child to listen and cooperate more easily Read more »

Award-Winning Total Transformation Audio Parenting Program

Author: Smantha Watson

Like any parents of the children who tend to act out, having no other option left might have resorted to family therapy. When that did not work out, the helplessness was overwhelming. Conventional counseling and therapy focused more on getting the child to talk about his ‘feelings’ and building his self-esteem rather than changing his behavior pattern. Read more »

by Carole Banks, MSW, Parental Support Line Advisor

Mikayla, age 13, has just been told she can’t go to her friend’s house. “You need to clean your room first,” says her mom, “You promised to do that, remember?”

Mikayla gets in her mother’s face and screams, “You’re the meanest mom in the world! I hate you!” She turns and runs into her bedroom, slamming the door.

“That’s it! You’re grounded, young lady,” her mom shouts back. She’s left feeling exhausted and defeated, and unsure if she’s done the right thing. Read more »

by Debbie Pincus, MS LMHC, Member of
The Total Transformation Advisory Board

Why are temper tantrums so difficult for parents to handle? Besides the fact that they’re loud, annoying and embarrassing, we often feel it’s our job requirement to make our kids act the way we feel they should behave. If we can’t do that, we feel ineffective. We also don’t like the judgments that we imagine others are making of us when our kids are out of control. We don’t know what to do, but feel we must do something—after all, we are the parents. Read more »

by James Lehman, MSW

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 a dynamic where they’re over-explaining thin gs to their children. I personally think that once you’ve given your child a reasonable amount of input, any further explanation defeats the purpose. Read more »

by Elisabeth Wilkins, EP Editor

Next week: Read the Excerpt from James’ new book, Transform Your Child.

This week, James Lehman, MSW sits down with EP Editor Elisabeth Wilkins to talk about his life, his new book, and the hard-won lessons he discovered growing up as a defiant, acting-out child. From being abandoned in a basement as an infant to a life of crime and drug addiction in his teens and young adulthood, learn how James transformed his life—and how he’s teaching parents across North America to do the same thing with their own children. Read more »