Table of Contents
THE PARENTS LEAD PARENTING GUIDE
Assessing Your Child’s Adjustment:
TOUCHING AND PHYSICAL CONTACT:
EATING TOO FAST OR TOO SLOWLY:
LEARNING ABOUT BOUNDARIES AND LIMITS:
HOW TO GET YOUR CHILD TO STAY IN BED:
THE EXPANDING WORLD OF EXPERIENCES AND ACTIVITIES:
LEARNING ABOUT RESPONSIBILITIES:
FIGHTING AND FENDING FOR ONESELF:
FEAR OF THUNDER, SNAKES, AND SPIDERS:
LEARNED VALUES VERSUS EXPERIENCED VALUES:
CUSTOMARY VALUES VERSUS MORAL VALUES:
MEMORIZED VALUES VERSUS SELF-COMPUTED VALUES:
RESOLVING VALUE-CONFLICTED SITUATIONS:
GETTING ALONG WITH TEACHERS AND SCHOOLMATES:
GROUPS AND COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES:
EXTRACURRICULAR AND OTHER ACTIVITIES:
LEARNING THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR:
LEARNING ABOUT THINGS AND RELATIONSHIPS:
LEARNING ABOUT PEOPLE AND SITUATIONS:
SANTA CLAUS AND THE TOOTH FAIRY:
PIANO LESSONS AND OTHER EXTRACURRICULAR INSTRUCTION:
LEARNING TO THINK INDEPENDENTLY:
Restlessness and trouble calming down:
Trouble concentrating and paying attention:
Trouble going to sleep or awakening during the night:
Trouble with an upset stomach:
Cries easily or has crying spells:
Loses his temper easily and quickly:
Eight: Your Child And Depression
Not getting up-and-over the loss of an important relationship:
Not getting over a serious loss or disappointment:
Thinks he cannot do anything about what happens to him:
Nine: Your Child And School Adjustment Problems
Signs of learning and school difficulty
Trouble making good choices and decisions:
Problems expressing his thoughts and ideas:
Trouble doing things most children his age do easily:
Difficulty understanding school assignments and what teachers expect:
Trouble understanding what he reads:
Confused about what he is doing, what people expect or what people are saying:
Trying harder does not lead to his homework and other assignments getting better and easier:
Does some assignments very well and others very badly:
Forgets to do homework or has trouble remembering what was assigned:
Difficulty following instructions and directions:
Problems paying attention to time or managing time:
Trouble asking for help or letting anyone help:
Difficulty accepting or dealing with criticism:
Always has excuses for not doing well:
Thinks his not doing well is someone else’s fault:
Has to have an adult standing over him to get him to do his school work:
Feels teachers and other adults at school have it in for him:
Disrupts the classroom or the activities of other children:
Makes no effort to cooperate and get along:
Skips school or misses school a lot:
Ten: Your Child And Behavior Problems
Signs of serious behavior problems:
Pouts and becomes very difficult to live with:
Gets extremely angry when things do not go his way:
Intentionally hits and hurts people (or animals):
Refuses to follow the rules or behave like you or other adults expect:
Refuses to accept the authority of parents, teachers, or others in charge:
Often behaves in socially inappropriate ways:
Has friends who often get into trouble:
Has a reputation for not being someone others can depend on or trust:
Does not care if he upsets or hurts people:
Gets into trouble with the police or courts:
Eleven: Your Child And Relationship Problems
Signs of relationship problems:
Tries to keep his friends all to himself:
Often becomes the brunt of teasing and put-downs:
Gets up-tight and nervous when anyone is angry or upset:
Refuses to stick up for himself:
Tries to please everyone and keep everyone happy:
Feels like most people do not like him:
Is rejected or ignored by most people his age:
Worries and frets about not doing things well enough and about failing:
Resists starting things because he is afraid they will turn out badly anyway:
Gives up too quickly and too easily:
Persistently feels very unhappy about his physical and sexual development:
Dislikes himself or puts himself down:
Feels he does not fit in or belong anywhere:
Losing interest in most people and activities:
Trouble making and keeping friends:
Avoids people and social activities:
Only likes activities he can do alone:
Refuses to talk to anyone about his feelings and thoughts:
Twelve: Your Child And Mental Illness
Mood jumps from one extreme to the other and he cannot control it:
Vomits after eating or uses laxatives to control his weight:
Goes on extreme eating binges:
Mistrusts everyone and thinks people are out to get him:
Very strange thoughts and feelings he cannot understand or control:
Extreme fears that keep him from doing things most children his age do easily:
Trouble having people close or touching him:
Urinates or defecates in his clothes:
Cuts and hurts himself on purpose:
A persistent interest in fire, watching fires, setting fires, and doing things with fire:
Hears voices and sees things others do not hear and cannot see: