Can you help me cope with the practical, day-to-day aspects of my spouse’s death? I’m already seeing a therapist, and close friends are helping me work through the grief. Where I really need some guidance is in the area of business details, daily responsibilities, house repairs, car maintenance, paying bills – that sort of thing. …
Family Q&A
Are non-believers more likely than believers to commit suicide? I’m asking because our son walked away from his faith soon after starting college. Lately he has become increasingly moody and withdrawn. Is he at risk for suicide? What’s the relationship between a young person’s faith or worldview and his outlook on life?
How can I help a friend who was recently raped? So far, I’m the only person she’s told. She’s paralyzed with feelings of shame and guilt. She’s also afraid that she’ll only make a bad situation worse if she reports the incident or goes to the police. What should I do?
Why is it important to identify specific financial objectives? How does this fit in with what Jesus said about letting tomorrow “worry about itself” (Matthew 6:34)? If I make plans and set monetary goals of my own, doesn’t this rule out the necessity of trusting God on a day-by-day basis?
How do I say “no” to someone in my family who has been forcing me to engage in sexual acts? I can hardly bear to think about this! I feel ugly, dirty, worthless, wretched, and used. I don’t want this to continue, but I’m afraid to tell anyone what’s going on, and without help there’s …
Do you have any suggestions for a new dad struggling to get used to the lifestyle changes that accompany the birth of an infant? I love our child very much, but whenever my wife asks me to help with the baby I become frustrated and angry, especially when I’m in the middle of something else. …
Can a one-time viewing of a violent or sexually explicit film or TV show have negative long-term effects on children? I just learned my grade-schooler saw an inappropriate cable movie while spending the day at a friend’s house. What should I do and how can I prevent this happening in the future?
How can we implement a more consistent bedtime schedule for our children, ages 8, 6, and 4? We haven’t been very successful in this area. How many hours do kids this age need to sleep? Do you have any tips for ways to improve bedtime and make it more pleasant?
Do you have any advice for dealing with a teenage daughter who’s recently gotten involved in premarital sex and other destructive activities? While hunting for an extra set of car keys in my daughter’s purse I came across a condom and a cigarette lighter. Needless to say, I was devastated. Should I confront her about …
How can I reconnect with my children after divorcing their mother and abandoning them? I regret to say that I walked out on my wife and family several years ago. Since then, I’ve found the Lord and realized my mistake. Now I’d like to get back in touch with my kids, but they don’t want …
How can I bond with a disconnected child? Our daughter is newly adopted, and we’re excited to have her home. But she’s struggling with attachment issues. We don’t know all the details of her history, but some of her behavior indicates she may have been abused. Can we reverse the damage and move in a …
Can you suggest some disciplinary methods that might be effective in dealing with a fussy baby? My child cries a great deal of the time, and I’m finding it difficult to get anything else done. What can I do to change this behavior?
Should we have kids if my spouse is emotionally unstable and has been physically abusive with me? We’ve been married for four years and are in our mid-thirties. My wife has become physically and verbally abusive with me on several occasions. We’ve seen counselors about this and other issues, but the problem persists. A trusted …
Do you have any advice for older couples who are thinking about having children? My husband and I are both in our early forties and are newly married. It’s a second marriage for both of us, but neither one of us have children. We’d like to start a family of our own and we’re giving …
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.
How can I make sure that my children will recover from the emotional impact of disaster and trauma? I’m especially concerned about the long-term effects. Over the past month our community has been devastated by a terrible flood. The impact to my family has included the loss of our home, interruption of work and school, …
What’s the best way to teach young children the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, and appropriate and inappropriate behavior? We understand the importance of early spiritual training, and we’ve been praying with our child and reading her Bible stories ever since she was old enough to listen and understand. But the challenge …
How can we get the most out of our family dinner times? Our family recently committed to sharing mealtimes together at least three times a week. It was an adjustment in the beginning. There were a lot of rough spots, but I’m pleased to say that we’re already seeing some positive results. At this point …
My husband has never physically harmed me or the kids, but he constantly subjects our children to mean-spirited put-downs. For example, he tells them that they’re stupid and lazy. He demeans my son’s athletic abilities. He tells my daughter that she’s ugly and needs to lose weight. The children try to ignore him and put …
Do you think there’s any danger of my kids becoming victims of sexual exploitation? I’ve never been a big believer in overly tight controls for my teenagers. My feeling has always been that they should have an increasing amount of independence at this stage of their development. I don’t enforce strict curfews or ask a …