Search

Family Q&A

man walking away over bridge

What Does Proverbs 22:6 Mean? Is It a Promise or Just a Hope?

Does Proverbs 22:6 promise that kids raised in a godly home will turn out OK?

baby with pacifier

What are the Pros and Cons of Pacifiers?

What should I do when my baby wants to go on sucking after I’ve finished nursing him? He screams something awful when I try to remove him from the breast. I’ve thought about resorting to a pacifier, but I get conflicting opinions on this subject from family and friends. How do you understand the pros …

boy and girl walking

Child Is Afraid of Being Alone

How should we handle our eight-year-old son’s strong aversion to being by himself? He sleeps in the same room with his younger sister because he doesn’t want to be alone. He won’t play in his room or in the basement unless someone else is there. The last time he tried, he suffered a panic attack …

sad couple woman leaning on man's shoulder on bench

Coping With Infertility

Do you have any advice or words of encouragement for couples who are having difficulty conceiving a child? My spouse and I are both in our mid-thirties. We waited to have children until our careers were established. We’ve been trying for nearly a year to get pregnant, still without result. Are we doing something wrong? …

mom talking to young son on bed

Talking to a Young Child About Sex

At what age should I begin teaching my child about the “facts of life?” He’s still small —in fact, I would have assumed that he’s not old enough for “the talk” yet. The problem is that he’s already been hearing a lot about the subject. It’s obvious that he has picked up certain words from …

Mom hugging young adult daughter at event

Distance In Relationship With Grown Child

Is it normal for married adult children to become disconnected from their parents? There’s a coldness, distance, and separation that’s crept into my relationship with my adult daughter, and I think her spouse may have something to do with it. What have I done wrong? How do I show my concern and let her know …

Teen boy holding a pregnancy test and looking uncertain.

Parenting a Son Whose Girlfriend Is Pregnant

How should we respond to our teenage son who has gotten his girlfriend pregnant?

nervous looking child in pool

Child Is Overly Cautious

Should we be concerned about a child who doesn’t like to take risks? By way of example, he consistently avoids scary roller coasters. My husband thinks he should be pushed harder and forced to face his fears. I feel we should give him time to develop confidence at his own pace. What’s your perspective?

Person talking to annoyed young man

Teens and Mandatory Church Attendance

Should we force our adolescent son to attend church with us? He used to enjoy it, but now has no interest in going at all. We want to respect his independence and give him the freedom to make age-appropriate decisions for himself, but it also worries us to think that he may be drifting away …

Dad and young son reading by flashlight

Divorced Dad: Child Doesn’t Like New Girlfriend

How can I overcome my child’s aversion to my girlfriend? I’m the father of a wonderful six-year-old boy. His mother divorced me when he was about three, and has since remarried. At present, she has primary custody and I have visitation rights. My son doesn’t like to “share” me with anyone else and this has …

scared boy in dark with teddy bear

Toddler Restless at Night

Do you have any suggestions for getting a 2-year-old to go to bed and stay there? It’s a miserable struggle at our house because our son fights us every step of the way. When he does finally get to sleep, it’s not unusual for him to be up several times during the night, requesting water …

back of child's head staring at screen

Violent Toys and TV Programs

Should I be concerned that my young son has been spending a lot of time watching violent cartoons and playing with the “spin-off” action figures marketed by the shows’ producers? How do you think these programs and products affect the attitudes and behavior of children?

concerned older woman on phone, younger man in background

Worried That Son-in-Law Isn’t Caring for His Family

As a parent and grandparent, should I step in to help if I feel that my son-in-law is not caring properly for my daughter and my grandchildren? What makes this especially difficult is that his actions (or lack thereof) could put his family’s safety at risk. For example, he constantly forgets to put oil in …

mother and adult daughter

Dealing With a Grown Child Who Is Unemployed and Living at Home

How do we deal with an adult child who has no job, is living in our basement, and drawing heavily on our financial resources? My husband and I can’t agree on the best way to handle this situation, and it’s becoming a real strain on our relationship. What should we do?

kids lying with heads in the middle on carpet

Setting Boundaries With Neighborhood Kids

What can I do when I feel like our house is being overrun by neighbor children? It seems every kid on the block plays in our yard these days. We seem to have stricter rules than most parents on our street about where our grade-school children are allowed to go, so all the kids end …

back of young boy standing on beach looking at water

Young Child Fondles Genitals

Is it unusual, abnormal or immoral for my child to be touching or playing with his genitals? I’ve caught him at it several times at home, and once it even happened in public. What should I do?

Man and woman lying on bed eating pizza

Adult Child Living at Home Disregards Parents’ Standards

What kind of standards of conduct and behavior should parents impose upon an adult child living in their home? Our single 29-year-old daughter lives with us in separate quarters off of the main house. She knows how deeply we feel about marriage as the only appropriate context for sexual expression, but she’s made a habit …

gloved hand holding a tattoo pen

What Does the Bible Say About Tattoos?: Advice for Parenting Teens

Does the Bible forbid tattoos?

sad little boy lying on couch

Child Says He Wants to Die

What should I do when my 6-year-old son tells me he wishes he were dead?

father and son are watching something in the distance

Parental Authority Over a Grown Child

Now that our son is over 18, should he still obey us?