PARENTING : Finding the best school for your child

I do not remember how old I was when I joined school because admission was pegged on a pupil’s ability to touch his/her opposite ear with the hand across the head. I do not understand the wisdom behind this, but irrespective of height, it is said that only a child at six years and above was capable of achieving this feat.

Sometime when you’re feeling close and connected to your child (maybe after reading a story together, or while you’re playing quietly), ask her to tell you a little bit about what’s wrong with school. She may be able to tell you directly, or you may need to set up particular conditions first. Feeling safe, loved, and close is what enables a child to talk to you about difficulties she’s having. You can give her that sense of closeness either by playing with her,...

Intelligence Quotient” (IQ) is a score that reflects how “smart” a person is as compared to others when measured by a particular test or set of challenges. As long as you do not over-interpret IQ, well-designed and standardized intelligence tests are among the most accurate of all psychological tests and assessments.

The following IQ test was designed by Dr. Phil’s former professor and mentor, Dr. Frank Lawlis. It was created to evaluate children between the ages of 5 and 16 who are...

>On several occasions, I have had parents bring me their children because they were concerned that they were being abused.

A child does not truly understand the concept of sharing until about age 5, says Sara Lise Raff, an educational consultant and mom of three.

Children don’t have the cognitive skills to truly understand the concept of empathy until they’re 8 or 9. But 5-year-olds, usually highly preoccupied with fairness, are concerned about being treated well, and they want others — friends, strangers, even characters in books — to be treated well too. Here’s how to nurture these budding displays of empathy.

When you catch your preschooler weaving a tall tale or denying something you know she’s done, she isn’t purposefully trying to deceive you. At this age, the line between reality and fantasy is still a bit fuzzy. So rather than being mischievous, her fibs may stem from:

During the early grade-school years, children’s natural interest in their own bodies starts to give way — at least some of the time — to an increasingly compelling interest in their social world. They’re busy trying to make and keep friends and develop their social and physical skills on the playground and ball field. Their interest in sex at this age can vary widely.

Parents sometimes think they’re protecting a child by not telling him someone’s sick, but 5- to 8-year-olds will pick up on it if family members are sad or whispering or the usual routines are disrupted.