How can fathers help their girls learn about modesty? I want my daughter to get a handle on this concept before she becomes a teen, but I feel awkward about raising this subject with her. I realize that as a dad I can either be a big asset to her in this area or embarrass …
Parenting Q&As
Should I allow my three-year-old son to play dress-up with his older sisters? He not only enjoys putting on the same frilly dresses they wear, but the costume jewelry as well. This doesn’t seem like healthy behavior to me. What can I do to stop it?
How can I motivate my two lazy teenagers? They won’t help me around the house, and they consistently wait until the last minute to do their homework. As a single parent, I usually don’t have the energy to make them get down to work. Is there a way to break this negative pattern?
How can I make peace between my husband and our teenage daughter? Every day when he picks her up from school he either starts a fight or delivers a lecture about how she’s not measuring up academically. Then she calls me, angry or in tears. Grades have always been a problem for our daughter, and …
Could “night terrors” be demonic in origin? I have serious concerns about some of the advice your ministry and certain other Christian organizations are giving on this subject. We’ve confronted this problem in our family. Our son used to wake up screaming and go wandering through the house in the middle of the night. Experience …
Do you have any advice for parents who are dealing with the challenge of raising a teenager who struggles with depression and bipolar disorder? We’ve tried everything we can think of to help our daughter, but so far our efforts haven’t had much of an impact. Can you offer us some hope?
A lesbian couple with young children recently moved in a couple of houses down the block. Our kids have struck up a friendship with their kids, and I’m at a bit of a loss as to how to handle the situation. I want to teach my kids to be loving and accepting of the children. …
There are many overwhelming moments in your parenting. Even when it feels challenging, one of the best gifts you can give your child is to pray he or she will follow God. John and Danny encourage you to keep being a godly influence for your kids, even when it’s hard. Featuring Heidi St. John.
Psychologist Dr. Bill Maier says that imaginary friends are a totally normal part of life for preschoolers. Parents shouldn’t be concerned about imaginary friends unless a child is so focused on the relationship with the “friend” that he or she seems to be losing touch with reality. And of course, you should never let your …
Do I really have any influence over how my kids turn out?
I’m six months into my pregnancy. For the first few months I avoided alcohol. But about three months ago my friends convinced me that a drink now and then wouldn’t create any troubles with my unborn baby’s health, and I started having a glass of wine once or twice a week. Now I’m worried that …
What are some meaningful ways our church can help and support a family of a child with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)? This young family attends our church regularly but struggles to connect with most of the people in our congregation. I’m ashamed to say that we’re largely to blame for their feelings because we’ve …
How do we prepare for and manage the expenses that come with having a baby? My wife and I were ecstatic when we discovered we were pregnant, but now reality has set in. I’m feeling very anxious about the challenge of supporting and caring for a child. Can you help?
Should we provide financial assistance to our middle-aged adult children? Our son-in-law just lost his job. He’s always made a good living but has struggled with serious health issues that have placed a burden on their finances. Our daughter has never once offered to help with their income by seeking work of any kind. I’m …
How can I deal with the effects of sleep deprivation that come with a newborn? Our little girl has been home for two weeks, and already my job performance is suffering. My wife and I take turns getting up with her in the night, but unlike my wife, I can’t go back to sleep again …
Do you have any practical help for the adoptive parents of a child who comes from very difficult circumstances? We recently brought into our family a 7-year-old girl who’s been in and out of five different foster homes over the past three years. She was abused emotionally and physically by her birth parents, both of …
How should I handle my adolescent’s emotional instability? In particular, how can I tell the difference between ‘normal’ teenage moodiness and serious clinical depression? My teen seems to have more “downs” than “ups.” Is this a normal part of adolescence, or should I be concerned?
How can I get my daughter to stop lying? I catch her inventing “tall tales” all the time at home, and now she’s complaining that the kids at school don’t believe anything she says. Does she simply have a great imagination, or is this a serious problem?
Are ongoing nervous habits potentially harmful to children? My child has one, and I’ve done everything I can think of to put a stop to it, but so far nothing has worked. It’s driving me crazy. What should I do?
Should I get my adolescent daughter started on birth control now that I know she’s been having sex with her boyfriend? Needless to say, I’m extremely upset about this. They’re both Christian believers, and they understand that pre-marital sex is wrong – they’re just unable to control themselves. I don’t want to appear to be …