How can we help our adolescent son find biblical answers to his deep questions about social justice, the meaning of life, the existence of God, and his own purpose as an individual? We want to point him in the right direction on these important issues and equip him with a solid Christian worldview. Can you …
Parenting Q&As
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?
How can we help our 6-year-old son, who we adopted, overcome his fears? He recently fell off a raft into the shallow water of the lake where he and his brother were playing. Now he says that he’ll never go in the water again. Part of me thinks we need to get him back in …
How can I instill a solid Christian character into my child? Most of the parenting materials I’ve seen have a great deal to say about discipline, mental and emotional health, obedience and order in the home. Unfortunately, there isn’t much out there on the subject of character development, especially from a Christian perspective. Do you …
How can I stop feeling guilty and resist the temptation to be “Superwoman”? I’m a working mother with a preschooler and a couple of school-age kids who are also involved in lots of extra-curricular activities. I have to admit that I feel bad whenever I’m not doing something “productive.” My family’s schedule is so tight, …
Should we keep firearms in the house while raising young children? I’ve always considered this a wise security measure. So did my father and grandfather. From my perspective, it’s a question of protecting my family against intruders and other dangers. My wife disagrees. She says it’s unsafe to have kids and guns in the same …
How do I handle conflicts over clothes and fashion with my teen daughter? This is becoming a real battleground at our house. She insists on wearing outfits that are inappropriate, immodest, and revealing. I won’t even begin to tell you what we go through when it’s time to shop for bathing suits. What can I …
Do you have any ideas for helping a pre-teen child who is seriously overweight? He loves food and gets extremely disappointed when we turn down his requests for snacks and treats. He also becomes depressed after several days of healthy eating. How can we reverse this trend?
Do you have any advice for handling an elementary school-age child whose life is dominated by, in my opinion, senseless rituals?
How can we help our grown son choose better girlfriends? He’s still living with us, and we’re anxious to see him “grow up,” move out on his own and get married. He’s brought several girls home to meet us over the past few years, but so far he’s shown very poor judgment and we haven’t …
How can we help our son have a successful prom night? He’s excited about this event, but I’m afraid he may also be a bit naive, both about the cost and the potential moral pitfalls. Any suggestions for some helpful tips and basic ground rules?
What can I do to “drug-proof” my home? I’m aware that drug abuse is a huge problem among adolescents, and I want to educate myself about this issue so that I can protect my own kids and prevent them from falling into this trap. How can I make sure that they’re safe?
How important is same-sex socialization for toddlers? When we put our two-year-old son in daycare, the provider had oversight of eight kids-seven girls and one boy. Since then the other boy’s parents have made different arrangements, leaving our son as the only male child in the facility. As his dad, I’m worried that this situation …
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 …
Would you recommend that we take our three young children, ages three, four, and six, to their grandfather’s funeral? My father-in-law is terminally ill and is not expected to live for more than a few weeks. As my husband and I begin preparing ourselves, both practically and emotionally, for his passing, I’m wondering what arrangements …
How do I instill an attitude of gratitude in my young daughter? I’m concerned about her selfish outlook on life. She recently had a birthday, and as soon as she was finished unwrapping her gifts she started looking around for more! What can I do to correct this?
How can we persuade our son and his girlfriend to think more seriously about what they’re going to do with the baby they’ve conceived?
What should I expect when my child starts teething? Can you help me recognize the signs that this process is about to begin? How about suggesting some simple strategies for making it as easy and as painless as possible?
How can we make our grown child’s move back home a smooth and easy transition? Just as we were looking forward to the freedom of an “empty nest,” our daughter decided that she needs to come back and “get her life together” before “moving on to the next step.” The problem is that we don’t …
What do we need to know before adopting a child who’s been abused? We’re considering adopting a 2-year-old who was removed from his birth home due to abuse. He’s been in the foster care system for the past year. What risks are we facing?