Most children need to be given consistent, clear rules and expectations about behavior. Discipline needs to begin as soon as the child is mobile—pulling up and crawling.

few mothers- and fathers-to-be receive training for the much more challenging and long-term tasks: becoming good parents and remaining close and loving partners in the face of new stresses and strains as their family grows.

Peer pressure can get the best of children and push them to do things that they don't really want to do. Parents can counter it, if they're ready to help.

Preventing teen turmoil starts at birth. Parents set examples in the way they interact, express anger, and treat substance abuse.

Don't argue about cost. Do talk with your children about money management and media messages.

As children grow older, risks get more complex and restrictions harder to enforce.

Kids must cope with all the issues, such as violence or global warming, that stress out adults. But they must also handle stresses added by their parents and the media.

As difficult as it is being a teenager, being a parent of one is even harder.

In the United States, 78 percent of all mothers with kids ages 6 to 17 work in paid jobs. Most—including married working moms—also are responsible for child care and housework.

As the parent of an adopted biracial/bicultural child, it's important to acknowledge that your child is different. The goal is to help your child feel a sense of pride about his or her culture and race so it becomes a positive part of his or her identity.

You want to keep your children safe, yet not make them virtual prisoners in their own home.

Giving sweets, chips, or soda as a reward often leads to children’s overeating foods that are high in sugar, fat, and empty calories. Worse, it interferes with kids’ natural ability to regulate their eating, and it encourages them to eat when they’re not hungry to reward themselves.

Parents who take their child to the doctor frequently, let their child stay home from school, or pamper them with special attention when they are sick tend to produce kids who, as adults, go to the doctor frequently, stay home from work, and take longer to recover from illness.

Anger management not only helps you deal with your child or grandchild in a kind and constructive way, but it also sets a good example of how to handle challenging situations and work out conflicts.

Alcohol isn’t just illegal for teenagers to consume—it can be deadly if they drink and drive. In fact, drunk driving is one of the most frequent causes of death among teens.