Hudson Valley Parent

HVP March 2015

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hvparent.com ■ Hudson Valley Parent 25 after a short wait. The researchers found that children who were able to delay gratification had more success later in life. "Asking a young child to sit still for a few minutes so you can talk to the doctor is age-ap- propriate and builds those waiting skills," says Deerwester. Elementary Years: 6-10 School Rules Often, the first clues of over-enti- tled behavior in school-aged chil- dren come via a phone call from the child's teacher or school. "Parents will hear from their child's teacher that the child has dif- ficulty following directions or chal- lenges authority a lot," says Barbara Lowe-Greenlee, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist. These red flags can be signs of a child used to getting things her own way — now. While it's healthy for children to be assertive, challenging authority on a regular basis signals a problem. Parents can encourage children to question authority in appropriate ways, like asking questions of a doc- tor at a well-child checkup. "But sometimes we need to tell children that they need to simply follow the rules, as long as the authority figure isn't asking them to do anything wrong or illegal," says Lowe-Greenlee. Tween and Teen Years: 11-18 Giving Back It's not too late to dial down entitled behavior in a posses- sions-obsessed teen or older child. But adolescents will feel rightfully jilted if parents implement too many changes, too quickly. If parents have always given in to a child's wants instead of teaching them to deal with conflicts and mistakes, they need to help teens build those skills, says Deerwester. "It's about starting where you are." One way to encourage a less self-centered worldview? Encourage teens' natural altruism by asking (Continued on Page 26) CAMPS.HVParent.com WHAT IS YOUR CHILD DOING THIS SUMMER? Over 175 camps to choose from including: Day Camps, Overnight Camps, Sports Camps, Equestrian Camps, Arts Camps, Academic Camps, Faith-Based Camps, Science Camps, and so many more! PRESENTED BY S U M M E R C A M P V I R T U A L F A I R

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