Parenting Articles
Evidence-based parenting and child psychology from Dr. Michael Zakalik.
A Child Psychologist's Toolbox
Twenty two guides across six core skills, each with a parent's guide and simple activities by age. Start with emotional intelligence and work through at your own pace.
Explore the seriesMore from Dr. Z
Bedtime Battles: Why They Happen and How to End Them Calmly
Why bedtime becomes a nightly struggle and how to create calm, connected bedtimes that help your child feel safe enough to let go.
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How to Help Your Child Make Friends
Why some kids struggle socially and how to help your child make friends by building social skills through connection at home.
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How to Build Confidence and Self-Esteem in Children
Where real confidence comes from and how to build genuine self-esteem through connection, mastery, and the right kind of praise.
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Helping Your Child Cope With Divorce
How divorce affects children at different ages and how to help your child feel safe, loved, and steady through the change.
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Potty Training: Signs Your Child Is Ready (and How to Start Calmly)
The real signs of potty training readiness and how to start calmly, following your child's cues instead of the calendar.
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How to Handle Power Struggles With Your Child
Why power struggles happen and how to step out of them by meeting your child's need for autonomy with calm and connection.
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How to Stop Whining: Why Kids Whine and What Helps
Why children whine, what the whining is really communicating, and how to respond with calm and connection instead of frustration.
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How to Teach Your Child Emotional Regulation
What emotional regulation is, how children actually learn it, and practical ways to help your child manage big feelings.
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Signs of ADHD in Children: What to Look For
The signs of ADHD in children, how it shows up differently across kids, and when to seek an evaluation.
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How to Help a Picky Eater: A Calm, Pressure-Free Guide
Why kids get picky about food and how to help a picky eater with a calm, pressure-free approach that protects mealtime connection.
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Why Does My Child Lie? Understanding and Responding to Lying
Why children lie, what the lying is really communicating, and how to respond in a way that makes honesty feel safe.
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How to Stop a Toddler From Biting (and Why It Happens)
Why toddlers bite, what the behavior is communicating, and how to respond with calm and connection to help it fade.
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How to Set Screen Time Limits Without a Battle
How to set healthy limits, end the fights over devices, and stay connected to your child in a screen-filled world.
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When Your Child Won't Go to School: Understanding School Refusal
Why a child suddenly will not go to school, what school refusal really is, and how to respond with calm and connection to get them back through the door.
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Signs of Anxiety in Teenagers: What Parents Should Know
Why teen anxiety often looks like irritability or withdrawal, the signs to watch for, and how to support your teen through connection.
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Why Won't My Child Listen? A Psychologist's Guide
Why kids do not listen and how to get cooperation through connection, instead of repeating yourself or raising your voice.
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How to Reduce Sibling Rivalry: A Psychologist's Guide
What sibling rivalry is really about and how to reduce the fighting by helping each child feel uniquely loved and secure.
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Separation Anxiety in Toddlers: Why It Happens and How to Help
Why toddlers get separation anxiety, what the clinginess is communicating, and how to ease goodbyes by strengthening the bond.
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Why Does My Toddler Hit? What It Means and How to Respond
Why toddlers hit, what the behavior is communicating, and how to respond with calm and connection, plus when safety means getting help.
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Signs of Anxiety in Children: What to Look For and How to Help
The physical, emotional, and behavioral signs of anxiety in children, how to help your child feel safe, and when to seek support.
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How to Discipline Without Yelling: A Psychologist's Guide
How to set firm, loving limits and discipline your child effectively without yelling, threats, or losing your cool.
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How to Stop Toddler Tantrums: A Psychologist's Calm-Down Guide
Why tantrums happen and exactly how to respond, calm the storm, and help your child build real emotional control.
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The Worry Portfolio: How to Manage Worry for a Healthier Mind
A simple way to balance and diversify your worries so stress does not take over your mind.
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