How can we help our four-year-old overcome her fears about going to sleep in the dark? We’ve tried everything – an established bed-time, a night-light in the bedroom, books, prayers, songs – but nothing seems to help. Can we doing anything to address these night-time fears?
Parenting Q&As
Should we allow our unmarried adult daughter to share a room with her boyfriend in our house? She lives out of town, and she plans to bring this man home with her for Christmas. To our disappointment, they have been sexually active for some time, and I know they’ll expect to sleep in the same …
What should we do about paying for college? This is our son’s senior year in high school. We have yet to discuss specifics, but he obviously assumes that we’ll be footing the entire bill. Though he’s only an average student, he seems to be making some pretty big plans and entertaining some extremely high hopes …
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 …
How useful are rules as guidelines for adolescents? As our children move into the teen years it’s becoming more difficult and confusing to govern their behavior by this method. It certainly doesn’t work the way it did when they were younger. For example, I can’t get my middle son to keep his room clean no …
As parents of a 2- to 3-year-old, how do we begin placing healthy limits on our child’s exposure to television, video games, and the Internet? We’ve heard a lot about the negative impact of electronic media on adolescents and pre-teens, and we want to start encouraging good habits in this area as early as we …
How can I make the transition from breast to bottle as smooth as possible for my baby and me? What’s the best way to wean a child, and when should I begin the process?
Should I be worried when my preschooler talks about having a boyfriend? I wasn’t too concerned until recently when she and a boy of the same age kept going off into a corner of the yard “to be alone” as they played with other neighborhood kids. What do you think about this?
Should we let our 16-year-old girl spend time with an older guy? He’s 25 and very involved in our church praise band. For the last year he and my daughter have had a fun brother-sister type relationship. He’s very likeable and held in high esteem at our church, but for some reason my mother’s intuition …
How do I avoid toddler-care burnout? I’m a young stay-at-home mom with two children under the age of five. I love my kids, and I’ve willingly given up a career and other pursuits to devote myself to them full-time. Still, I have to admit that the stress, the strain, and the tedium all wear on …
As a divorced woman, what can I do about my young child’s resistance to my efforts to develop relationships with men and to have a social life outside the home? My son simply doesn’t like to “share” me with anyone else. How can I best explain to him my reasons for desiring adult male companionship? …
As a working mother, should I be worried about placing my child in a daycare facility? Personally, I have some serious misgivings about this option, but my husband thinks it’s fine. Are you aware of any research on this subject or other choices we might consider?
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 …
Where can we turn for help with the challenge of confronting our adolescent son’s problem with substance abuse? It might even be fair to say his abuse has escalated into a full-blown addiction. We’re devastated and don’t know what to do. Any suggestions?
Is a gluten-free/casein-free diet helpful in treating autism? Our son was diagnosed as autistic several years ago. We’ve been using behavioral therapies with him, but a friend suggested that this kind of diet might also be helpful.
How can we encourage and promote our young child’s love for learning when we don’t have the money for preschool? She already knows how to read and she’s curious about everything. I’m not sure that I’m equipped to homeschool a child of her ability. What do you suggest we do?
How can we prepare our toddler for the upcoming birth of a new baby? What’s the best way to explain the birthing process so that he can understand it? I’d like to be as honest as possible with him, but I also want to be careful not to give him more information than he needs. …
What’s the best way to handle grandparents who play favorites? For many years my parents have been partial to our oldest child. At first their favoritism showed itself in small ways, but now our youngest child has noticed and is beginning to ask questions. How can we best address this situation?
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 …
Is it a good idea to try to educate a child with a developmental or potential learning disability at home? I want my son to have every possible advantage and to progress as he should, but I’m not sure I’m qualified to help him with his special needs.