Ask the Child Psychologist
School Avoidance
by Lisa Medoff
February 23, 2009
Dear Dr. Medoff,
It is becoming more and more difficult to get my eleven-year-old son to school in the morning. He will hide under the covers or throw a tantrum, and he even threw up last week when I was trying to get him dressed. What can I do? From, K.
Dear K.,
You and your son are definitely not alone in your struggle about getting to school; most parents will agree that getting their children out of bed and out the door in the morning is not the most pleasant part ...
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Lisa Medoff, Ph.D holds a B.A. in psychology, a master's degree in school counseling, and a Ph.D. in child and adolescent development. Although she’s worked with all types of children, for the past eight years, she has worked with students with special needs, such as ADHD, learning disabilities, depression and anxiety. She has taught courses in psychology and child/adolescent development at Stanford University, Santa Clara University, San Jose State University, and DeAnza College. She currently works as a resilience consultant for the non-profit Cleo Eulau Center, helping teachers at a low-performing elementary school understand issues of connectedness, special needs, and cultural sensitivity in order to build resilience in their students.
Column Archive
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Cyberbullying
by Lisa Medoff
February 16, 2009, 12:00 amDear Dr. Medoff, I was picking up my sixth-grade daughter at school and heard the teacher talking to another parent about something called "cyberbullying." I never heard that term before, but I guess it means bullying over the internet. Is this another problem that I have to worry about? From, Carol Read More
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Adoption and Attachment
by Lisa Medoff
February 9, 2009, 12:00 amDear Dr. Medoff, We adopted our daughter from another country when she was two years old, and she started kindergarten at a small private school this year. She has such a hard time â crying and grabbing me - when I drop her off that I usually end up staying in the classroom, or just outside, for most of the day. I know that she has attachment issues, and I donât want to make them worse. I can tell the teacher is getting frustrated with us. Should I pull her out of school this year and wait until next year for her to start kindergarten? Read More
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Valentine's Day Woes
by Lisa Medoff
February 2, 2009, 12:00 amDear Dr. Medoff, Last year on Valentine's Day, my daughter spent a lot of time making Valentine's Day cards for her friends. She was very upset when she did not receive cards from kids that she thought were her friends. She was so hurt that she ended up staying home from school the next day to calm down. What can I do to prevent this problem from happening again? Read More
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Teen Pregnancy
by Lisa Medoff
January 26, 2009, 12:00 amDear Dr. Medoff, I read that the teen pregnancy rate is rising again. My daughter is in her early teens. What can I do to prevent her from getting pregnant? Read More
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Being Left Out
by Lisa Medoff
January 19, 2009, 12:00 amMy eight-year-old son has been coming home lately and saying that the other boys won't play with him. I can't get much more of a description than that about what is going on. What should I do? Read More
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Fearful Child
by Lisa Medoff
January 12, 2009, 12:00 amDear Dr. Medoff, My daughter is afraid of a lot of things. How can I get her to be braver? From, Greta Read More
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Parent Lost Job
by Lisa Medoff
January 5, 2009, 12:00 amMy husband just lost his job, and I have been working only part-time for the last few years. We are going to have to have to really cut back on spending, which is going to be very hard. What do I tell my kids? Read More
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Dealing With A Difficult Teacher
by Lisa Medoff
December 29, 2008, 12:00 amMy daughter is a freshman in high school. She is having a lot of trouble with her math teacher. She thinks the teacher is mean and unfair to my daughter and her friends. She complains about this teacher all the time, and doesnât want to do her homework or study in this class. What should I do? Read More
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Telling Your Children About Your Past
by Lisa Medoff
December 22, 2008, 12:00 amDear Dr. Medoff, Should I tell my kids about trying drugs in the past? I don't want them to think it is okay for them to do it just because I did, but I also don't want to lie to them. Read More
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I Can't!
by Lisa Medoff
December 15, 2008, 12:00 amDear Dr. Medoff, I have noticed that my seven-year-old daughter has automatically started saying that she can't do something when she is asked to. It doesn't seem to matter what it is, from homework to simple things around the house. How can I put a stop to this behavior? Read More
