ArcaMax

“What have I done to cause my 18-month-old son to reject me?” asks a new dad. Whenever he tries to hold his son, feed, dress or change him, the child puts up great resistance and screams hysterically for his mother.

Actually, dad is describing behavior that is not at all unusual for this age. It has its roots in the fact that with rare ...Read more

Our Question of the Week is, “Pray tell, what is ‘outdated’ about obedience, respect, proper manners, and humility?”

Said QOTW is prompted by numerous grandparents who have informed me that they are not qualified, apparently, to care for their grandchildren because they are not hip to the most up-to-date parenting methods. They ...Read more

Q: I recently read an article by a parenting expert who said adults need to earn the respect of children. That seems like one more progressive attempt to undermine parental authority. I believe children should respect adults no matter what. Don’t you agree?

A: No, I don’t agree. You’re saying, in effect, that respect is an entitlement due...Read more

My wife and I were enjoying an evening out in one of our favorite restaurants when a family of three — mother, father, girl of perhaps 4 — were shown to a table next to ours. Immediately, the parents began asking the little one where she wanted to sit. They both stood while she went about trying each chair until she finally settled on one. ...Read more

Q: When we reprimand our 34-month-old daughter for something, anything, she begins to wail like we’re beating her. Whether we firmly redirect or simply say, "No,” she begins to wail like a banshee. The wail is piercingly loud, like a full-blown tantrum. She has now started screaming if one of us even looks disapprovingly at her. Shouldn’t ...Read more

“What went wrong, John?” asked a fellow boomer who, like many folks my age, are dismayed at what has happened within the American family over our lifetimes. Specifically, we have seen the end of mere childrearing and the consequences to all concerned of this new and harmful thing called “parenting.”

In the 1960s, the forces of cultural ...Read more

Regular readers of this column are no doubt familiar with my imaginary friend, The Doctor. I often call upon him to solve behavior problems of various sorts concerning young children. Well, The Doctor has done it again! This time with what many mental health professionals would call separation anxiety.

The child in question is a boy, age 5. His...Read more

Q: I’m a single mom who works from home. At noon, I pick up my 5-year-old from half-day kindergarten. Because I’m unable to pay attention to her while I’m working, she wants to watch television for the rest of the afternoon. We have a no-TV rule on school days, but I find myself unable to enforce it. If she isn’t watching TV, she’s at ...Read more

Q: Getting my daughters, 15 and 13, to pick up their clothes from the floors of their rooms requires constant nagging from me. I’m at my wits' end. Please help me out with this. It’s driving me slowly insane.

A: Speaking as your therapist du jour, it is my responsibility to inform you that you may already have crossed the line. Remember the...Read more

Q: My grandmother maintains that her children – my mother and her two siblings, all born in the 1950s – were completely toilet-trained at 18 months. Her terse explanation: “I just gave them proper instruction.” My pediatrician says 18 months is rushing things. What do you think?

A: Your pediatrician is repeating the post-1960s toilet-...Read more