Dear Miss Faith, My daughter has a hard time dealing with frustration, and has a real perfectionist streak that has me worried. For example, when she works with the art supplies I leave out in the living room, she often becomes very frustrated, crumpling her work and throwing it in the trash. I try to make her feel better, but usually my advice has the opposite effect. She … [Read more...]
Easily Frustrated Child
March 19, 2014 · by · Leave a Comment
Dear Miss Faith, My 2yo son is a joy when he's happy, but he gets frustrated really easily and shrieks out of frustration. It is ear piercing! I find myself jumping to do whatever it is he wants, all the time, just to avoid that shriek. I'd like to teach him more patience, but I have no idea how to go about it. Help! Dear Mama, I'm right there with you on how frustrating … [Read more...]
Baking with Toddlers
November 16, 2013 · by · Leave a Comment
Dear Miss Faith, I am working on slowing down and letting my almost-3yo daughter be involved in my tasks, but I'm struggling. Not just because I have trouble slowing down, but also because my daughter has trouble with it too! She often wants to do the next step, but we hadn’t even finished the step we were on, and so i start trying to work faster and faster to stay ahead of … [Read more...]
Sharing & Taking Turns
September 2, 2013 · by · 5 Comments
Dear Miss Faith, My daughter and I participate in a toddler play-group and some mothers are very insistent that their children practice sharing, while I tend to think that sharing will come with time. What are your thoughts? Dear Mama, I think that our adult idea of sharing (I’ll use it for a little while, then I’ll give it to you even if I’m not done, and you’ll use it for … [Read more...]
Couch Time for Mom
April 15, 2013 · by · 6 Comments
Dear Miss Faith, I’ve been feeling extra tired lately because I’m pregnant with #2. I've been working on taking more time for myself and am taking two breaks a day where I drink a glass of water and knit while my daughter (age 2.75) plays. This used to work fine, but lately every time I sit down with my little cup of water she has a meltdown, often throwing her toys angrily on … [Read more...]
Demanding Tone of Voice
August 5, 2012 · by · 8 Comments
Dear Miss Faith, My daughter is four years old. She never went through the terrible 2's and the 3's have been fun until now. Lately everything she says is in a demanding tone of voice. It has been a real struggle. I've been helping her speak in an acceptable tone of voice by rephrasing everything she says for her, as you've suggested on your blog, and this has been working … [Read more...]
New Sibling on the Way
July 26, 2012 · by · 7 Comments
Dear Mama,Dear Miss Faith, My daughter (age 3) is very close to me and I her. She really is a miracle because we tried for 10 years before she came. I am so blessed that she is here and I find myself a bit over protective of her and less authoritive because of this. However…we are soon to be expecting our second child (October) which was kind of a surprise since we were … [Read more...]
Sharing and Taking Turns
July 18, 2012 · by · Leave a Comment
Dear Miss Faith, My son and I participate in a toddler play-group and some mothers are very insistent that their children practice sharing, while I tend to think that sharing will come with time. What are your thoughts? … [Read more...]
When they Can’t Have what they Want
March 27, 2012 · by · 7 Comments
Dear Miss Faith, I'm a nanny of two boys, and I'd love your advice on situations like this: The other morning, Joey came down for breakfast and he saw that his dad had put the little brother's food on a plate that Joey thinks is "his," and the sight of that triggered a total meltdown. His parents were home (as they often are when I am there) and they assured him that the little … [Read more...]
Independent Play, Part II
January 1, 2012 · by · 3 Comments
This is the second segment of a post that got too long. A mom wrote in asking how to help her son play independently, when he's used to having her as his main playmate. I suggested that she alternate times when she pays direct attention to him, with times of 'being busy.' I wrote about the types of direct attention in the first blog, which you can find here: … [Read more...]
