How to Shift Your Parenting Paradigm in Order to Achieve Balance in Your Life

Dear Kid Whisperer,

My son is nine. He plays baseball and hockey. He also takes guitar lessons. Now he wants to play soccer next season. He also is in plays. His father is usually out of town. I want my child to be able to do everything he wants to do, but I am so stressed from running him from place to place, cleaning and packing his hockey equipment, etc., and I am trying to figure out how I can do all of these things (and pay for them) so that he doesn’t have to go without these activities. Please help. – Janine, Columbus, Ohio

How Teachers Can Deal with a First Day Meltdown

Dear Kid Whisperer,
This will be my second year teaching Kindergarten after fifteen years teaching 3rd grade. Last year I had a student on the first day cause a huge scene when his mom tried to leave. I could only think about how I wanted to go back to third grade. What do I do if it happens this fall? –Keiera, St. Louis, Missouri

How to Deal with Your Kid’s First Day of School Meltdown

Dear Kid Whisperer,
My youngest child will be entering kindergarten in August. He has two older sisters. Both times that I dropped his sisters off for kindergarten, they threw huge tantrums. It was really embarrassing and I want to avoid this situation with my youngest. He, too had a screaming, crying fit last year when I dropped him off for the first day of pre-kindergarten. I know it’s coming. How do I avoid it?
Selena, Los Angeles, CA

How to Train Your Child to Not Be a Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Dear Kid Whisperer,

My son is seven and he lies whenever he can in order to get what he wants, to get his big brother in trouble, etc. I am kind of panicking because nothing works. We have tried grounding, yelling, etc. Any ideas? –Kelly, Springfield, Ohio

How to Train Your Kid at Home to Not Melt Down While On Vacation, Part II

Dear Kid Whisperer,

I’m curious if you have any tips for preventing/combating meltdowns while traveling this summer? I’m thinking about on-location strategies for the airport, beach, or family outings when dealing with my 6 year old. Thanks for all the wisdom! – Callie, Newark, Ohio

How to Train Your Kid at Home to Not Melt Down While On Vacation

Dear Kid Whisperer,

How to Get Your Kid to Eat Breakfast in a Timely Manner

Dear Kid Whisperer,

I follow your advice when raising my three children, so I know what I am doing in the mornings with my kindergartener isn’t the right thing to do, but I’m not sure what will work. I spend a lot of time encouraging her to eat her breakfast in the mornings before school, but no matter what I say or do, she eats so slowly. I know I shouldn’t be getting angry about it, but I still yell. What do I do? –Brook, Troy, Ohio

How to Avoid Being Monopolized and Annoyed

Dear Kid Whisperer,

I recently married and now have a 14 year old step daughter. She’s a good kid. We get along, and she seems to like to me. The problem is that she continually tries to monopolize my time and attention. If she is in the room with me, she is all about trying to continually talk to me to the point where it makes it difficult to interact with anyone else around me. She will follow me around the house as well. I am not sure how to respond in a way that will be good for the both of us. My mom, who is a big fan of yours, keeps telling me to contact you. Can you help? –Rachel, Dayton, Ohio

How to Teach Responsibility Using Consequences Instead of Words

Dear Kid Whisperer,

I have a generally well-behaved 12 year old son, but I feel like I have to say everything fifteen times to get him to do anything. I don’t know if this is because he is purposely disobeying me or just absent-minded, but I am exhausted by the amount of times I have to repeat myself. – Mary, Dayton Ohio

How to Guide Your Kids to Own and Create Their Own Happiness

Dear Kid Whisperer,

I’m at loss. My four year old is either emotionally damaged, a pessimist, or I’m doing something wrong. Every now and then he says things like “Nobody loves me”, “I’m a bad boy”, and “Nobody wants to play with me”. I don’t know what to do or say. I’ve tried reasoning with him and explaining things. I’ve tried telling him how many people love him. I tell him that he isn’t a bad boy, and that sometimes other kids like to play by themselves or with other kids. I even tried ignoring or saying something along the lines that it was his problem and/or he needs to figure out himself. It makes me either so sad or so mad when he says things like that. Please help. –Carol, New York, New York