Tips of the Month — Families

According to a study published in the American Journal of Family Therapy (September, 2011), researchers have identified a syndrome of daytime behaviors that imitate Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but seem linked instead to a lack of consistent bedtime routines and not to a child's brain chemistry.

Many of us have it backwards. With our kids, we emphasize talking rather than listening. We believe that good parenting means explaining, reminding, correcting, admonishing, instructing — it's no wonder a lot more words come out of our mouths than theirs. In time, all our gab tends to turn them off. By adolescence, many tune us out.

Mistakes? It's an inevitable part of the learning process — errors on homework, on tests, on the answers kids give when called on in class.

Research published in the Journal of Developmental Psychology (December, 2009) reveals that kids who spent more time doing household jobs reported greater levels of happiness than kids who spent less.

If you're living with a spouse (and kids) under one roof, you're co-parenting. If you're divorced and both you and your ex are involved in the children's lives, you're co-parenting. IIf you're raising a child together with someone you may never have been married to — whether you're living together or apart — you're co-parenting. Research out of Ohio State University found that supportive co-parenting contributed to children being better able to regulate their behavior…

A study published in the March/April 2010 journal Child Development reported that sibling conflict involving older teens tends to erupt primarily around personal boundary issues. Here are some steps you can take to help minimize conflict between your teen and his or her siblings.