As a parent of a teenager, is “sexting” something that I need to be concerned about? I’ve heard a few stories about this on the news, but I’ve never felt that my daughter would be susceptible to temptations of this kind. We haven’t talked about it because I’m really not up to speed on the …
Parenting Q&As
When should I tell my children that we’re having a baby? We have two daughters, ages 2 and 4, and my husband and I are anxious to share the news with them. At the same time, we have reasons for being concerned about the possibility of another miscarriage (I had one about six months ago). …
How can I help my 15-year-old son feel more confident around girls his age? He’s still very shy and nervous in mixed company, and I’m looking for ways to give him a boost in this area. Any suggestions?
How can we stop our child from wetting the bed? What do we need to know about the causes of this behavior? Our son is well past the age of potty-training, yet I still have to change his bedding several times a week. I’ve lost my patience with him more than once, and I can …
How can we encourage our child to cooperate and follow his preschool teacher’s instructions? He becomes defiant when there’s a change in the schedule or when the teacher asks him to switch activities. He wants to do things his own way and on his own time. How do we break him of this?
Should I be nervous about letting my elementary-school-age daughter visit a friend’s house? Normally I wouldn’t hesitate to say “yes” since her friend is a sweet and respectful girl. Her father, however, seems overly eager for our daughter to come over. How should we evaluate and respond to this situation? Do you have any advice
How can I make sure that my three-year-old daughter won’t slip away from me when we’re in public places? I have to watch her like a hawk because she continually wanders off. It doesn’t matter where we are – playground, pool, beach, grocery store, or mall. She simply will not stay with me. I recently …
How do I talk to my pre-teen daughter about the danger of date rape? I’ve heard date rape is becoming more common, and this worries me as a parent. My daughter is approaching adolescence, and I want to know what I can do to prevent her from becoming a victim. How should I bring this …
Is there anything my husband and I can do to undo or minimize the devastation our teenage daughter has experienced because of her involvement with “sexting”? Her life – and our entire family’s – was turned upside-down when nude images of her were electronically circulated around her school. As you can imagine, the resulting emotional trauma has …
Do you have any advice for disciplining and training strong-willed teenagers? I hear a lot about dealing with strong-willed toddlers, but if you think it’s tough managing a defiant two-year-old, imagine what it’s like when the kid is seventeen and six feet tall! I need help.
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 …
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 …