What should we say to our children about the suicide of my father-in-law (their grandfather)? It happened about four years ago. At the time our kids were very young and my wife and I simply told them that Grandpa died because he was sick and elderly without providing any further details. Our two oldest are …
Parenting
What can my husband and I do to help our teenage son become the man God wants him to be? In some ways he seems to be afraid of adulthood, manhood, and everything that goes along with it, and we’d like to get him over that hump. At the same time, we don’t want him …
What’s your perspective on high school proms? They sure have changed since my day, and I’m a little nervous about allowing my teenager to go. Can you offer me any practical guidance?
Should our son be encouraged to marry his pregnant girlfriend? It’s a regrettable situation, but at least she’s planning to keep and raise the baby. Both of them are emotionally immature, financially dependent, and basically ill-equipped to establish themselves as a family. In spite of this, some of our Christian friends have suggested that he …
Can the nightly news reports about war, murder, rape, and urban gang activity have a negative effect on kids? I try not to let my children watch too much of this, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Am I right to be concerned?
Should Christians participate in Halloween by allowing their kids to attend costume parties and go trick-or-treating? We have serious problems with this, but all the other families in our neighborhood go all out in celebrating the holiday. Our kids feel left out if we don’t allow them to join in. What do you think we …
How can I help my son hold on to his faith in college? He’s a junior at the university, and I’m very concerned about the state of his relationship – or lack thereof – with the Lord. His faith doesn’t seem to mean as much to him as it did during his high school years. …
How can we help our daughter adjust to the stress and strain associated with my husband’s new job in another city? We only see him on weekends, which makes her very angry and depressed. Despite our reassurances, she insists that her Daddy doesn’t love her anymore. What should we do?
How can we prevent our seven-year-old son from becoming a bully? I’ve noticed that he can be very pushy and often tries to dominate other kids. He always wants to be the “winner” — it’s as if he has a need to prove himself. When provoked, he retaliates fiercely and has hurt other kids in …
Do you have any advice for a young, recently married couple who are thinking seriously about having children? When should we start? How many kids should we plan on having? How far apart should they be spaced?
As a dad, what are some of the key roles that I play in the life of my son? What areas in his life should I focus on and what are some things I can do to cultivate a healthy relationship between us?
Do you have any suggestions for things families can do together while the kids are out of school on Spring Break? We don’t have a lot of money to spend, but we would like to take advantage of the time off to strengthen our relationships and have some good old fashioned fun. Any ideas?
Is it acceptable for parents to read their teenage daughter’s journal or diary or to go through things in her room if they have reasons to suspect that she might be involved in some kind of unhealthy or immoral activity? If so, how should we handle the situation if we do find evidence that something …
Can you suggest some basic, general guidelines on how to discipline children? We’ve just become parents and neither of us had positive role models growing up. We want to do a good job raising our child. What principles should we keep in mind when it comes to discipline?
Is it a good idea to expose children to the reality of death, disease, and mortality by taking them to visit terminally ill relatives? My grandmother is in the final stages of cancer and her illness has dramatically altered her physical appearance. Recently she expressed a desire to see my two young children. Should I …
Is there a way to get concerned friends and family members to back off and stop telling us how to raise our child? My spouse and I are new parents and are overwhelmed by all the tips we’ve been receiving. Sometimes people even contradict each other. I feel like telling them to mind their own …
How can I make sure that my three-year-old daughter won’t slip away from me when we’re in public places? I have to watch her like a hawk because she continually wanders off. It doesn’t matter where we are – playground, pool, beach, grocery store, or mall. She simply will not stay with me. I recently …
What are some of the most common medical problems to watch out for during the first three months of my baby’s life?
What should we do when our toddler explodes in a fit so violent that it’s just about impossible to calm her down? She has always been strong-willed and prone to tantrums, but just recently there have been occasions when she has become so frustrated that her behavior has spiraled completely out of control. At such …
What factors do we need to consider – what should we look for and what should we avoid – when selecting a daycare facility for our child? Some of our friends and family have had bad experiences in this area. Naturally, we’d like to avoid that if at all possible. Do you have any suggestions?