Practical Parenting Solutions by Dr. Polly Dunn
One of the most common questions parents have when contemplating divorce is “How can I make this divorce as easy as possible on my children?” Well, anyone who has gone through a divorce can tell you that it’s usually not easy on anyone, the parents or the children! My parents divorced when I was eight years old, and thirty(ish) years later that event is still one of the defining moments of my ... read more
Dear Polly, My seven year old daughter is very confident and outgoing around us and when meeting new kids (for example, even new children at restaurants). At her parent-teacher conference, her teacher told me that she would really like to see her become more confident with her peers in the classroom. I was really surprised, as this is not at all what we typically see out of her. Do you have ... read more
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mom and a child psychologist, it’s that no two children are alike, even especially when they are from the same family! And learning how to read is no exception. Each of my three oldest children has taken to reading in a different way. Here I’m going to tell you about some of the tools we’ve used in our home and ones that I’ve found to work with my ... read more
Dear Polly, I know a 4 year old who just became a big sister. Any ideas for a gift for her? When a baby is added to the family, it’s always important for friends and family to pay special attention to the big brother or sister. With so much time and energy devoted to the new baby, it’s easy for the older siblings to get lost in the shuffle. One way to help is when you’re bringing a gift for ... read more
Do you have a topic or question that you'd like to see covered here? I'm always looking for new ideas for my posts and would love to hear from you. Just visit my contact page and submit your question or topic idea. If I use your question on my blog, don't worry, I won't include your name or your child's name! Of course, asking me a question on my blog is not the same as receiving services from ... read more
