Search

Parenting

woman writing in a journal hands

Teen Attitudes Toward Intercourse and Oral Sex

Is oral sex really sex? We stumbled upon an entry in our daughter’s journal and discovered that she’s been involved in oral sex. That was disconcerting enough, but when we confronted her she argued that oral sex isn’t really sex at all, and that it’s “safer” than vaginal intercourse. She even claims that she’s still …

role play game dice

Parental Concerns About “Dungeons and Dragons”

Should I allow my teenage son to continue his involvement with the role-playing game “Dungeons and Dragons?” I don’t know a great deal about it, but I do know that it’s beginning to eat up more and more of his time, and that concerns me. Am I worrying too much?

teen guy walking down railroad track

Grown Child Living at Home Doesn’t Want to Attend Church

Should we force our 18-year-old son to worship with us? He’s a Christian but recently decided to stop going to church. Since he lives in our home and we still support him, we think he should follow the rules we establish. But we don’t want to drive him away from the Lord.

boy in bed reading Bible

Religious “Indoctrination” of Children

Is it wrong to tell children what they should believe about God? Isn’t that a form of “indoctrination?” I’m thinking it’s better to allow kids to make up their own minds.

dad talking to teen son plugging ears

Dad Frustrated Because Son Wants to “Do It Himself”

Why doesn’t my son want me to teach him things? From the moment he was born I’ve been looking forward to the time when I could teach him how to do all kinds of fun “guy” stuff. But now that he’s old enough, he doesn’t want me to teach him anything. When I try, he …

boy running away into mountains forest

Disciplining a Child Who “Runs Away”

How do we deal with a small child who takes off and has to be chased down every time he misbehaves and suspects that he’s about to be punished? He tends to run away whenever any kind of problem surfaces, and we have to run after him just to talk to him, let alone correct …

boys playing outside

Handling Conflicts With Neighbor Kids

How can we stop our son, age six, from fighting with the boy next door? The neighbor kid gets mad if our son won’t play with him. If he does agree to play, the neighbor and his friends often reject him and drive him away. This boy has been extremely aggressive towards my son, pushing …

mom baking with boy and girl

Leaving Job to Become a Stay-at-Home Mom

Do you have any advice or suggestions for a mother who wants to make the transition from full-time career woman to stay-at-home mom? What can I do to make this change as smooth as possible for the entire family?

toddler with blocks mouth open

Parental Influence on a Child’s Language Development

We have a toddler who is just learning to talk – is there anything important we should know about the respective ways in which moms and dads influence speech development? I understand that word use is one of the key areas in which men and women differ, and I’m interested to know what this implies …

Dad and little girl walking on beach

“Quality Time” vs. “Quantity Time” in Parenting

Is the quality of time I spend with my family more important than the quantity?

boy with fake moustache

Teaching a Boy About Marriage and Fatherhood

When should parents start talking with their sons about what it means to be a God-honoring husband and father? Our boy isn’t even in his teens yet, but we want to be sure to lay a strong foundation before it’s too late. Should we wait until after puberty? Or would it be better to hold …

sad preschool girl holding teddy bear

When Not to Discipline a Child

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?

baby on training potty

Eliminating the Stress of Potty Training

Is potty training a child always such a difficult and challenging experience? We’ve been trying to potty-train our son since he turned two years old. So far we haven’t had much success, and the stress level in our household is at an all-time high. After several months, we’re still not making any progress. Is this …

teens on their phones

Guiding Teens Into Adulthood in the Modern World

Why is it so difficult raising adolescents nowadays? I understand that it’s supposed to be a process of gradually letting go, granting them more independence, and setting them free to become the adults God wants them to be. But while I know all this in my head, there are days when I just can’t put …

back of boy's head with baseball cap driving car

Teenage Drivers

Now that my adolescent son has his learner’s permit, how can I adequately prepare him to drive? I have to admit that I’m more than a little apprehensive about him becoming a driver at such a young age. Can you offer any pointers or advice?

Dads are heroes

Dads Are Heroes to Their Kids

Learn how dads can take back the role they have been given to become a hero to their children.

Two teen girls sit on swings and look longingly into the distance

13 Reasons Why Not

Help your teen see that hope is always there.

Young adult considering career path options

Careers After High School

Does your teens need guidance for the future? Prepare them for successful careers after high school, even when they don’t want to go to college.

Smiling boy with a baseball bat about to swing at a pitch while his dad is playing catcher in the background

Are Your Parenting Fears Hurting Your Kids?

Avoid three common parenting fears so you can provide the emotional safety your kids need to be who God created them to be.

Parental Gratitude

Gratitude rescues us from the trap of negative thinking and helps us enjoy life more. Learn how gratitude is one of the seven traits of effective parenting.