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/…

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Many parents write in to EP about homework battles with their kids. They want to know what to do about a child who procrastinates or who just can"t seem to stay focused on the task at hand. This week James Lehman shares tried and true methods to get kids to sit/…

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Has homework time become the seventh circle of hell in your house, with you nagging your kids to do their assignments and fighting with them over each math problem? If you and your child are battling nightly over schoolwork, read on to hear the real solutions James Lehman offers to this/…

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My husband Kemuel (another EP parent blogger) and I have co-raised three children, who are now in their mid-20s and successfully living on their own in careers and lives they have chosen for themselves.  I remember how useful the advice of parents who had gone ahead of me was while I/… Read full post »

Last week, I blogged about some things homeschoolers can do to manage their kids’ behavior. This week, I want to talk a little more about consequences, and how to use structure — and a reward system — to keep your kids on track.

What about Consequences?
We often hear from parents/… Read full post »

I have just been inspired by Jon Gosselin.

Jon Gosselin is of course the other half of Kate Plus 8, the popular reality show that has lately seen ratings plummet as the real life antics of Jon’s infidelities cause his marriage to disintegrate.

Admittedly, Jon doesn’t have a good track r… Read full post »

“Is Santa Claus real?”

This question came this morning in the middle of the get-to-school rush, right over instant oatmeal and right after an unfinished homework assignment was discovered. I did what most parents do. I hedged. And then I lied.

“Um, what do you think, Honey?”… Read full post »

Do you homeschool your kids? Recently, a reader wrote in with this question about her 13-year-old daughter, who thinks being homeschooled means she can do work whenever she wants to:

“I know James has written about how to get kids to do their homework, but we have a unique situation. We… Read full post »

We knew our son needed some help in school, but I was nervous about how to tell him about it.

To prepare, I talked with a friend about the problems he was having in school. She recommended that I check into the ARD program at our school.  In our state, an/… Read full post »

The great homework battle comes and goes in our house. Sometimes, my daughter sits down and dutifully pulls out the workbooks and sharpens her pencil and gets it done. Sometimes, she wants me sitting at her elbow and will do silly things to keep me engaged in her homework routine. For… Read full post »

When I was younger my mother would regularly take to me to a nearby beach.  We would normally spend some of that time walking along the beach, picking and choosing some things to inspect more closely as we went.  One day I found a piece of seashell buried in the sand.… Read full post »

Are we creating a generation of social misfits?

Inappropriate or risky behavior around texting has been widely reported (sexting, anyone?) but some experts are saying that texting can also rob our kids of the ability to interact socially.  Seems all the texts that are being sent back and forth each/… Read full post »

This week, EP Blogger and counselor Scott Wardell shares his thoughts about how to build character in kids. We think you’ll get a lot out of what he has to say! And please chime in if you have some good tips of your own to share.  — Elisabeth Wilkins, EP Editor
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