Scott Ervin, Tribune News Service

Dear Kid Whisperer,

I feel like I’m losing my mind, and this question feels like a stupid and embarrassing one that I should have an answer to. I have a 2-and-a-half-year-old who is starting to sort of do whatever he wants. I’m exhausted from telling him to not have a stick that he brought from outside, to not hit his brother with the ruler, to not use the scissors to cut the tassels on the pillow, etc. What do I do with a kid who refuses to follow the rules?

Answer: This is not a stupid or embarrassing question, it’s just a simple one, and the great thing about simple questions is that they have simple answers.

First, here’s a simple assessment: You don’t appear to have any rules since you are not enforcing any rules.

Rules that are not enforced are

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