You hoped the lessons and classes would be fun, but instead, your child is scared at extracurricular activities. Here's how to help kids cope. You don't get it. Your child is a champ with daycare drop-offs and has no problem saying goodbye to you every morning. But in every structured activity you've enrolled her in—soccer, swimming, ballet class—she clings to you for dear life. You want her to enjoy after-school activities, grow independent, and build her confidence. Instead, she's getting discouraged, hysterical, and unwilling to part from you with every activity you sign her up … [Read more...]

Do your kids miss you or your partner when you're out of town or working long hours? Here's how to comfort a child who misses a parent. My toddler asked, "Where's Daddy?" throughout the day, and I kept responding with the truth: "He's at the office." I wondered where the sudden questions came from when I realized that he may have been noticing his dad's irregular schedule. Unlike my set hours, my husband had been working on a project at odd hours. Sometimes he'd be home early, but many nights he wouldn't return until after our son was asleep. At one point, he only saw him for five … [Read more...]