Self-help Articles

by Richard B. Patterson, Ph.D.

If what you are asking is about good parenting, then the combination I usually recommend is James Dobson's Dare to Discipline and Haim Ginott's Between Parent and Child.

However, I sense that your concerns run a little deeper. At age 7, unless there is some serious developmental problem, a child should be able to settle down to sleep by themselves.

Further, they should be able to bathe themselves and handle bathroom functions alone. The child should also be acquiring a sense of privacy at this age.

You may need to approach your fiance with your concerns in hopes that he might be open to seeking professional assistance on child development so that his style of parenting is more appropriate to the child's age.

About the Author:

Richard B. Patterson, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice in El Paso, TX. He is the author of three books on psychology and spirituality.