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How to handle sibling rivalry
Here’s why it’s worth listening when your kids fight.
Feature
Sibling rivalry — lifelong relationships, lifelong effects
The rivalry between brothers and sisters can be a positive training ground for life — or a negative relationship that escalates to abuse.
Listicle
10 ways to help siblings grow up to like each other
Dream of your children being close — even best friends — as adults? Here's how to nurture that bond.
Advice
When sibling rivalry becomes sibling abuse
6 things to look for that suggest the relationship is off the rails.
Learning disabilities and sibling issues
Siblings of kids with learning disabilities sometimes feel pushed into the background at home. Here's how to balance the needs of your child with LD and your other kids.
More about sibling rivalry
Personal essay
Josh’s story: getting bullied at school
As parents, we wrestled with what to say and do when our son started coming home wounded by bullies.
What to tell your daughter about mean girls
If your daughter feels like her friends aren't treating her well, here's what Robin Stern says you should do.
12 bullying myths
What do parents really need to know about bullying? It's not necessarily what you think.
When the teacher is the bully
Bullying has become a national issue. But what do you do if the school bully is your child's teacher?
6 things to do when your child says, “Nobody likes me!”
Experts weigh in on how to respond when your child feels disliked, excluded, or friendless.
More about bullying ...
How a parent used the Meta-Moment
Instead of blowing up when they get her order wrong, a mom uses the meta-moment tool from Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
Angry daddy can’t get no respect
Being a father today means I get no respect. None. Is it because I'm the only male in the house? Raised by a military dad? From a bygone era?
Ever feel like you’re going to lose your cool with your kid?
Parenting expert and a TV supernanny, Deborah Tillman says it happens to every parent. It's a matter of knowing how to turn off the switch and stop yourself before things turn ugly.
6 myths about respect
Adopting a new view of respect could help you rid your kids of rudeness
Teach your children respect
It's up to parents to teach children to treat others with courtesy, says Harvard psychologist Richard Weissbourd.
Parenting challenge
Parenting challenge: My child has a lot of attitude and doesn’t treat me with respect
It could be time to reconsider both respect and empathy in your household. Here’s what to keep in mind.
Controlling your emotions and behavior when your child is disrespectful
Learn how to stay cool and maintain a steady course when your child is pushing your buttons.
When parenting styles clash
Whether you're right or wrong, call a cease-fire and find a way to build a united front for the kids’ sake.
Why I yell at my kids
Parenting expert Christine Carter admits she knows better ... but still she cops to yelling at her kids — and getting caught.
Spanking: discipline or abuse?
It's common, it's cultural, it's legal in all states in the nation. But does spanking work?
Is it me? Life lessons from failed parenting
My son’s out-of-control, unpredictable behavior caused my husband and me to re-examine how we dish out discipline.
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Navigating the rocky road of girls’ friendships
Parents feel anguish, too, as their daughters negotiate the social minefield of popular girls and other cliques.
Girl friendships | Through a child’s eyes
Friendships are a huge part of children’s lives and one of the hardest things for parents to manage. How can you help your child navigate this murky terrain?
Debunking the myth of the BFF
Tips about friendship to ground girls in reality and encourage self-confidence.
Unpopular … in elementary school?
'Unpopular' wasn't a word I expected to hear, so young, and from my own son. I felt less equipped to handle the struggle over popularity than any parental challenge so far.
More about making friends ...
Bet you it’s good to be competitive
Can you make a child’s natural inclination work to his (or her) advantage?
Help the competitive child win more than the game
5 tips for positive and healthy outcomes that don’t squash their competitive nature
Teaching kids when to be competitive
Studies of kids around the world show a remarkable pattern in how girls and boys respond to competition in school. Where girls succeed, boys often don't. Here's how parents can help their boys.
Homework battles | Through a child’s eyes
Does your child ever struggle with homework? Many do. And there’s actually a lot you can do to help. Start by watching this video with your child.
Does homework really work?
After decades spent trying to assess the value of homework, researchers still argue over the simplest findings.
When parents feel frustrated by homework
Dread dealing with homework? Try using this expert's tip.
More about homework ...
How can I tear my tween away from that screen?
When your child's life revolves around screen time, how do you raise an emotionally intelligent , yet tech-savvy, kid?
Is there a TV in your child’s room?
Research shows having a boob tube in your kiddo's bedroom can be far more damaging than we ever knew.
Feature-video
Can kids game their way into emotional smarts?
Scientists, education professionals, and others see the potential for video games to teach good behaviors — instead of bad.
Your child’s brain on technology: video games
Our kids are awash in technology 24/7 — should we worry about the effects on their developing brains?
Your child’s brain on technology: social media
Social media isn't going anywhere, so parents must consider how it affects kids' development and determine its role in their lives.
More on screen time
How to beat the morning rush
Are crazed mornings stressing out your family? Here are a few strategies to help start the day off happier, calmer - and on time.
How to help a disorganized child
Parenting expert John Duffy reveals how you can help transform even the most scattered child into a master of organization.
Get your child to do their chores — without the nagging
Parenting coach Christine Carter says her secret for getting kids to take more responsibility
The instant guide to time management for kids
Teaching children organizational skills is key to helping them succeed in school and life.
5 tips to teach kids to keep track of their time
Kids who manage their own time do better in school.
Expert interview
Is your child resilient?
Resilience is a skill that serves kids throughout their lives. Robin Stern of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence explains how parents can foster this quality in their child.
Teaching kids to be resilient
Does your child tackle obstacles optimistically, or do pitfalls stop him in his tracks? Here's how changing your child's self-talk can make all the difference.
Parent tip
Why “yet” is one of the most important words to say to your child
According to world-renowned Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, this one little word has the power to inspire your child to achieve incredible things.
To teach resilience, hold the automatic reassurance
If you're too quick to jump in and comfort your children when they don't do well, you may miss the chance to teach an important life lesson.
A look at the research
Stressful times are an opportunity to teach children resilience
Chronic stress in childhood can have lifelong effects. But the antidote may be teaching kids how to be resilient and cope with adversity.
More about building resilience
Are American children ungrateful?
Research suggests that we may be raising a generation that is missing out on the benefits of gratitude.
Gratitude: the cure for entitlement and materialism
10 tips from experts on promoting gratitude in our kids
Podcast
Like a Sponge podcast: How about a little gratitude?
Grateful kids are happier, more engaged in school, and more satisfied with their lives.
The grateful child
Are children who learn how to count their blessings healthier and happier?
Raising grateful teens
Research points to lots of reasons to teach kids gratitude. But the biggest reason may be that gratitude is a unique balm for the teenage experience.
More about building gratitude
Is that love or fear?
Parenting choices were once respected as private. Now, judgment from other parents, nosy neighbors, and a bogeyman-fearing society often influences — and overrules — parents' decisions.
Parent tips
How to raise an independent child
Curious how you can raise independent kids without putting them at risk? See what the experts have to say.
The push and pull of fostering teen independence
Learn how to strike a balance between being overly protective and giving your teen too much freedom.
14 must-have life skills for teens
Don't let your child leave for college without mastering these key life skills!
Parenting your (nearly) adult child
Now that your kid has turned 18 — you need a new parenting mindset. Here's how to get it.
Raise confident kids by speaking their love language
Knowing how your child interprets love — and that it may be different than how you do — can make a world of difference in parenting.
4 steps to boost your child’s confidence
This 4-step formula can help adults instill healthy self-assurance in kids.
Do boys and girls react to criticism differently?
Absolutely! Stanford psychologist and 'Mindset' author Carol Dweck says it’s night and day – and linked to the self-esteem gender gap.
8 tips to boost your kid’s confidence
Tips to help you teach your child how to stick with it and not give up.
Celebrating children’s achievements great and small
Kids say their self-esteem gets a boost when adults reward their small, everyday achievements. Read what they have to say!
More about building confidence
Cracking the code on curiosity
One father dives into curiosity research to help spark his daughter’s passion for distant sciences — and finds a link to intelligence development.
Help your child find his passion
Kids who seem bored and disengaged may just need help identifying their strengths and skills, says psychologist Madeline Levine.
9 curiosity killers
Are you unintentionally stifling your child’s drive to learn?
The destructive, instructive power of teen curiosity
Teenagers are irresistibly drawn to explore the unknown, which can get them into trouble. But don’t stamp out your teen’s curious streak — there’s a bright side.
Fueling your little curiosity machine
Here's how nurturing your child's curiosity helps them become a better learner.
More about nurturing curiosity
Empathy's poster child
Touched by an image of child slaves, a little girl pledges to do something about it — and turns her family upside down.
Vivienne Harr: teaching empathy by example
Vivienne's only 11, but she's trying to end child slavery. It's not always easy to keep going. Here's how she stays positive.
7 do’s and don’ts to help your family build empathy skills
Help your child develop empathy by fostering an emotionally intelligent environment.
A crafty way to teach little ones empathy
Making friendship treasure boxes is a fun (and easy) way for the preschool set to practice listening and learn empathy — skills they'll need in kindergarten.
How emotions affect your child’s education
Science is revealing how children's feelings help and harm learning. Here's how adults can support kids so they feel, and learn, better.
More about developing empathy
What would your child do? | Hidden Camera | Caught being kind
Kids are learning emotional intelligence skills at school. But how will they act when no adults are around? It's not always easy to do the kind thing.
Teaching kids to say sorry (and mean it)
Genuine apologies facilitate forgiveness and reconciliation. But you can’t force them. Here’s how to teach kids to say
How to not raise a jerk
With little eyes watching and learning from your every move, what behaviors should parents reconsider to set a better example?
Do you feel me? (pinwheels)
In our guessing game, a generous girl shares a story of spontaneous kindness.
Raising middle schoolers’ EQ and IQ
Think tweens and teens don't listen and don't care? Think again. If this seventh grade math teacher can get kids to be kind and work hard, you can, too.
Infographic
Surprising truths about honest kids
The research on kids and lying offers some great insights for raising kids who tell the truth.
Little white lies
Has your child heard you tell any of these “harmless” fibs? Experts say you may be teaching your child that lying is okay.
When teens lie (because they all do!)
Teenage lying is nearly universal — and developmentally appropriate. So how can you build a trusting relationship with your adolescent child?
3 surprising tips for raising honest kids
Want your child to tell the truth? Here's what research shows really works — and a common mistake that actually encourages lying.
12 tips for raising truthful kids
Parents rate honesty as the quality they most want to teach their children. We asked the experts for their best advice for raising honest kids.
More about encouraging honesty
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