The Age of Independence:

Parents usually wonder if it is okay to have that lag time between the child returning from school and the parent returning from work being unsupervised. In some cases, parents would like to know if it is okay to once again go out in the evenings and leave the children behind unsupervised. At the same time, these times are then marred by parental nervousness and worst case scenario thinking, causing the parent to cut short meetings or dates and rush home, only to find junior happily munching on some chips.

Here are some things to consider when deciding if your child is old enough to be home alone without a sitter:

How to Nip Your Child Arguing and Back Talking In the Bud:

If conversations with your child turn into arguments and you suddenly find yourself in the unenviable position of being cross examined and caught in your words, you might realize that the child whom you raised to become a future lawyer is already practicing his skills on you. This miniature Perry Mason debates when he should obey, argues when compliance would take less than a minute, and present compelling evidence when you forbid something. In small doses this might be endearing, but on a day to day basis it is draining, frustrating and disrupts a family.

Back to school? You can't buy your child self-esteem at the mall

The first day of school is quickly approaching and, if you're like most parents, you are going to take your child to the mall and buy the latest fashions, worried that she won't fit in. But be careful, encouraging your child to think "I am what I can buy" may hurt your child and undermine her ability to develop real self-esteem. Read more

Arguing with your adolescent

Adolescence is a disputatious age. Dispute about what? For the adolescent, any issue will often do when the point of the dispute is argument itself. Read more