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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Too Much Pressure On Young Kids
December 31, 2007, 12:00 am
We have a six-year-old and an eight-year-old. Since both of them have started elementary school, my husband and I have become aware of the pressure that other parents are putting on their kids. We don’t want our kids to fall behind, but we also don’t think it’s good to put so much pressure on them at this early age. What should we do? From Fran D. Read More
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Body Image At Age Ten
December 24, 2007, 12:00 am
I have a 10-year-daughter. I noticed that she has been making comments here and there about how she doesn’t like her body, or that she is getting fat. It’s not a serious problem, but I feel that she is experiencing issues with her body at a much younger age than I did, so I’m worried that it’s only going to get worse in the next few years. Read More
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Six-Year-Old Stealing
December 17, 2007, 12:00 am
Dear Dr. Medoff, I am worried that my six-year-old son has a problem with stealing. I sometimes find little toys, candy, or other small objects in his pockets. Read More
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Sleepwalking Six-Year-Old
December 10, 2007, 12:00 am
Brenda posted a question on the discussion forum for this column asking for help with her 6-year-old son. She is worried about his tendency to sleepwalk during the night and settle in different places throughout the house. Read More
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Trouble With Older Brother
December 3, 2007, 12:00 am
Michelle R. posted a question on the discussion forum for this column asking for help dealing with her 7-year-old son. Michelle worries that her son is always fighting and wrestling with her 3-year-old daughter, perhaps even with the intent to hurt her. Michelle is concerned that her son truly does not like her daughter, and she feels that he doesn’t listen when she tells him to stop fighting. Read More
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Helping A Grandchild With The Death of A Sibling
November 26, 2007, 12:00 am
Dear Readers, Susan C. asked about how she could help her daughter. Susan’s granddaughter recently passed away from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), and her 4-year-old grandson is experiencing many difficulties. Read More
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Making Friends
November 19, 2007, 12:00 am
My son is in 5th grade. He has always been on the shy side, but as he gets older, it worries me more and more that he does not seem to have many friends. What can I do to help him make more friends? Read More
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Wetting the Bed
November 12, 2007, 12:00 am
Dear Dr. Medoff, Our son is in first grade, and he has been bed-wetting a few nights a week for the last few weeks. He gets very upset about this, and we are quite worried. What can we do? Read More
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Pressure to Achieve
October 29, 2007, 12:00 am
Dear Readers, Alex K. posted a question on the discussion forum for this column asking about how he could help his daughter, who puts too much pressure on herself to achieve in school. Read More
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Careers
October 22, 2007, 12:00 am
Dear Readers, Uma posted a question on the discussion forum for this column asking about how she could help her son know what kind of careers are available to him. Kids are often limited in their knowledge of what career choices are out there by what their family members do, as well as the small handful of careers that are portrayed on television. Read More
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