Is “Attachment Parenting” Bad for the Child?

Dear Dr. Heather, Does breastfeeding past 2 years of age encourage dependency? I know a child who is still breastfeeding and has become very whiny and attached to her mother. The mother is making no effort to wean the child. Is this type of emotional attachment healthy for the child? She still wakes up to more »

Is My Little Kid a Controlling Bully?

Hi Dr. Heather, My almost-4-year-old is extremely controlling. She tries to control everything, including telling us to stop whistling or singing, and trying to control the other children at her preschool. She has always had an outgoing personality, and is very determined. We have tried ignoring the situation when she tries to control us, which more »

More Postpartum Depression/Postpartum Anxiety Support

Julie Malone of CoolMomGuide launched a support forum for moms with postpartum depression and anxiety. She’s also hooked it up to play my podcast on PPD/PPA. If you haven’t listened to it yet, hit my podcast button to the right, or listen to it over at Julie’s place! A new mom has about a 10% more »

Do We Overprotect Our Kids?

Dear Dr. Heather, I have a daycare question about my 7-year-old twins; they go there on school breaks. My question is whether we are overprotecting them. How do you balance between teaching kids to stand up for themselves — and protecting them? Their provider’s eight-year-old son is very big and plays rough. Without tormenting or more »

Help! How Can I Stop My Toddler from Whacking our Pets?!

Dear Dr. Heather, My 15 -month-old terrorizes animals. We have a small dog and a few cats, and any time the child sees one of them she goes running over with her arm cranked back to whack it. If she has anything in her hands she will use it as a club. If the animal more »