Can you give me any ideas for helping children celebrate Valentine’s Day in a healthy and uplifting way? I always loved February 14 when I was a kid, and I’d like my kids to have the same experience. But I don’t want to reinforce our culture’s misguided ideas about romance. Any suggestions?
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How can our family establish some workable media standards? I understand the need for thoughtful discernment in this area as opposed to mindless rules, but sometimes I feel the need for more solid guidelines in order to gauge the merits of movies and music and to weigh specific decisions about appropriate family entertainment. Can you …
How do I handle my children’s questions about God in the midst of disaster and trauma? Over the past month our community has been devastated by a terrible flood. The physical impact of this disaster has been overwhelming, of course. But I’m also deeply concerned about what it may be doing to my children’s faith …
How should parents approach an adolescent who is involved in sexual self-gratification? Without going into details, I can tell you that I have good reason to suppose that my teenager has been masturbating. Needless to say, this is extremely upsetting to me. I’m worried about my child’s spiritual condition, and I have no idea what …
Is it wrong for me as a parent to feel proud of my child and to tell him so? I understand that, from a human perspective, it’s normal and natural to feel this way. But as a Christian I know that the Bible has some very severe things to say about the sin of pride. …
What should I do if my elementary school child is getting so much homework that family time hardly exists and he has little energy for anything else? He spends hours on his assignments every night. As far as I can see, he isn’t slow at completing his tasks. There’s just too much to do! Is …
Can a toddler with Down syndrome be taught to use the toilet? Given my son’s special developmental and mental challenges, I’m not sure whether he has the capacity to understand what I’m asking of him. I’d really appreciate any practical advice you might be able to offer.
How can our family make time to eat together when we’re so busy? I’d really like to achieve this goal, but we face so many obstacles in making it happen, I’m almost afraid to try. Busy schedules are the rule in our household, and mine is no exception. By the time I get off work, …
How can I have a better relationship with my stepchild? She resists my attempts at friendship and even screams, “You’re not my dad! Leave me alone!” Have I done something wrong? How do I get past this barrier?
As a single mom with three young children, is it okay for me to want another person around to help carry the load? I used to feel pretty self-sufficient, but the burden of doing it all by myself is getting heavier. I work full time, take online college courses, and I’m active in church. Do …
How do we deal with a defiant teenager? For some reason, our son has recently gone off the deep end. He’s skipping out on school, drinking, smoking, and making all kinds of dangerously bad decisions. Nothing we say makes any difference in his behavior. The last straw came when we had to bail him out …
How can I teach my children good manners? It seems etiquette has become a thing of the past, both for children and adults. This is something I’m determined to instill in my kids, but I can see that it won’t be easy. How do I teach them to treat people respectfully when the rest of …
Does a pattern of persistent depression indicate that my adolescent son may be in danger of taking his own life? I’ve been hearing a great deal about the rising problem of teenage suicide, and I’m wondering whether my son might be at risk. What exactly is the connection between depression and suicide? Where can I …
When it comes to parenting children effectively, are there any truly meaningful distinctions between the contributions of the mother and those of the father? As a dad, I’m actively involved with my kids on the weekends and evenings, and I even go to school meetings when I can. Is there something special I’m supposed to …
Are there times, occasions, and situations when I should simply “chill out” and refrain from “getting tough” with a kid who misbehaves? I’m fairly new at the parenting game, and I need all the help and advice I can get in this area. When should I not discipline my child?
Is there a connection between birth control and abortion? My wife and I would like to have a family someday, but for a number of reasons we don’t feel ready yet. During our two years of marriage we’ve sought the Lord’s guidance and have never questioned our decision to postpone childbearing through the responsible use …
Is it possible to be pro-life and pro-war at the same time? I’m a Christian and a strong pro-lifer, and I’ve wrestled with this issue many times in my mind over the past several years. The biblical commandment is clear: “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). As I see it, killing is killing, no matter …
How can I overcome the bitterness I have about the way my parents treated me growing up? I don’t want these memories to affect my relationship with my own kids. After all these years, I continue to struggle with negative feelings about my mother and father. When I think of them, I remember only their …
As a Christian, how do I sort out the difference between my obligation to family on the one hand and to the work of the gospel on the other? And what’s my responsibility to my extended family as compared with my obligation to my immediate, nuclear family? Is there any distinction between the two? My …
How can my spouse and I resolve our disagreement about starting a family? I’m anxious to be a mother, but he says he isn’t ready to have children yet. My biological clock is ticking away, and the tension between us is growing. What should I do?