Interpersonal Skills Stack Exchange
Interpersonal Skills Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [children]

When one has to interact with kids, whether they are yours or someone else's.

This tag can be used for questions about interacting with children, whether they are your children or someone else's children.

For children ages 13-19, you can also consider using the tag for more age-appropriate advice.

62 questions
103
votes
6 answers

How do I deal with other people's screaming children in restaurants?

I want to start off by saying that I'm not referring to "family friendly" restaurants or other venues where a loud, informal atmosphere might be expected. I'm specifically asking about dining establishments where, under normal circumstances, a…
Beofett
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102
votes
5 answers

How do I protest my child's suspension without "poisoning the well"?

My high-functioning autistic daughter was suspended from summer camp for hitting a smaller child (my daughter's in the oldest grade; everyone is smaller than she is). I agreed at the time to placate the teachers and parents of the other…
SnappingShrimp
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75
votes
11 answers

Should I have my child apologize to someone after he called them fat?

I was accompanying my 4-year-old son into the bathroom where there happened to be a very large individual. At the sight of him, my son proceeded to say (very loudly), "Daddy, that man is really fat!" as the man was closing the door of the stall.…
T James
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63
votes
4 answers

How can I explain to a friend's child that I don't like sleepovers without parents?

I have a female friend, whom I've been friends with for over 20 years. Her 12 year old boy (I'm his godfather) is very fascinated by my virtual reality gaming setup at home, and very often and very insistently asks me if he can come play and spend…
Gertsen
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56
votes
11 answers

Can I correct other people's children in front of them?

I am a childless female 20-something who occasionally comes in to contact with other people's children. This happens anywhere really, at work, stores, museums, movie theatres, just around the neighborhood. And sometimes these children are being…
km678
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56
votes
16 answers

How to act when people bring a baby to work?

I am uncomfortable interacting with babies because I personally don't find them cute or interesting to interact with. I also am not good at faking positive interactions with babies, because I really just don't know how to act with them. I'm not good…
Slow loris
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47
votes
20 answers

How can I tell people that my girlfriend and I don't want children of our own?

Every time there's a baby involved in any sort of conversation (new parent, talking about kids, etc.), if I'm involved the question inevitably turns to me and my girlfriend, and when we plan to have children. We're not married yet and have talked…
Anoplexian
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46
votes
10 answers

How can I invite my daughter's friends over without being odd?

My daughter is turning 4 years old in August. She has been going to preschool since September. Her class is pretty small, with only 6 kids. She's good friends with most of them. She'll be joining them again in the next school year. The school year…
user1261710
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37
votes
5 answers

How to tell friends that they are welcome without their kids?

My SO and I are part of a group of people, and we often spend time together. While all people in the group have partners and all the couples attend to the dinners, we are the only one without kids. Last time we hosted a dinner at our place, we felt…
nonameisneeded
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34
votes
15 answers

How to encourage a child with autism to practice reading?

I'm asking on behalf of friends of mine who have a daughter who is diagnosed with "high functioning" autism. Let's call her Jane. Jane went to a regular primary school but couldn't learn in this rather chaotic environment and had to repeat her first…
Elmy
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33
votes
2 answers

How to get my wife to accept bisexuality before our daughter comes out of the closet?

My oldest daughter is 19 and told me last halloween that she's bi. My daughter is amazingly high functioning (mentally, socially, even professionally) but is living at home at the moment because her college is local. After she came out to me I…
Dark Matter
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30
votes
4 answers

Is there a polite way to ask a kid to "move along"?

Another dog-related question, sorry. I read this question but I'm not sure it applies. My two Border Collies need/want a lot of exercise. One of the reasons I chose this neighborhood is that about 700 feet from my house is a mowed, 26 acre area (a…
anongoodnurse
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26
votes
3 answers

Help my mother to understand my choice when it comes to having children

While my mother is usually extremely understanding of my choices in life, there is one choice on which she cannot agree, and it is my decision not to have children. Each time the subject comes to the table, it leads to an argument as she loves…
user3399
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25
votes
9 answers

Should I join others in raising the pitch of my voice when talking to babies?

In The Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, I have noticed that when some people talk to babies, they raise the pitch of their voice. Apparently it's the same in other cultures. Apparently this serves some purpose but it may not be entirely…
gerrit
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22
votes
6 answers

How to deal with unruly children that aren't yours?

I'm a 21 year old college student living with my girlfriend, her mother, and her mother's boyfriend. We've lived here, on and off, between my house and hers for the past 5 years. I don't consider this to be my house, but her room, at the very least…
Tyg13
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