How do I handle my children’s questions about God in the midst of disaster and trauma? Over the past month our community has been devastated by a terrible flood. The physical impact of this disaster has been overwhelming, of course. But I’m also deeply concerned about what it may be doing to my children’s faith …
Parenting
What tools does Focus on the Family make available for use in passing the Christian faith along to our kids?
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?
How do we stop our two teenage sons from fighting over a girl? What should we do? The sixteen-year-old, who has always been more outgoing than his brother, has struck up a “friendship” with a girl our seventeen-year-old has liked for over a year. This kind of thing has happened before, though it’s always been …
How do we help a child who seems to have no sense of humor? Except for our oldest son, who will soon be entering middle school, our entire family has always enjoyed the lighter side of things. Our younger kids are full of fun, and laughter regularly fills our home. By way of contrast, their …
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.
How can my wife and I come to an agreement about child discipline? I’ve tried to teach my son a strong sense of discipline, but my wife often disagrees with my approach and methods. She says I’m “too hard on the boy.” As you can imagine, this can sometimes become a sore spot in our …
How can my spouse and I get a break from the kids once in a while? During the early days of our marriage my spouse and I used to enjoy long, quiet evenings together at home — candlelight dinners, movie nights, etc. Since our children were born we can’t even find two minutes to sit …
Are kids happier when they’re closer in age, or is it better to plan them farther apart? What are your thoughts on the spacing of children?
Is it unhealthy to poke fun at ourselves and tease other family members? We’ve always enjoyed laughing together at our house, and sometimes that includes what some people refer to as “teasing.” Friends of ours have expressed concern that we may be fostering an “unsafe” environment that doesn’t promote respectful relationships. Do you think there’s …
Can you share any ideas for getting a newborn to sleep? For some reason, our baby fights to stay awake, especially when we put her in the crib or bassinet. The only place that isn’t problematic is the cradle swing, and the only time things go smoothly is after a late-night feeding. How should we …
How can we tell if a babysitter has acted inappropriately with our kids? It’s painful even to think about this, but we have reasons for suspecting that our babysitter may have abused our young child. What would you suggest we do in such a case? Are there “red flags” or tell-tale signs that we should …
How can I encourage my bashful preschooler to open up and break out of his shell? He’s soft-spoken, reserved, and afraid of walking into a room full of people. He used to cry when we’d take him to the church nursery, and now he resists being left at his daycare center. Is there something we …
How can we possibly get past the guilt, shame, confusion, fear, and pain that have overtaken us in the wake of our teenage son’s suicide? Not only are we blaming ourselves and wondering where we went wrong. We’re also dealing with the toxic effect this is having on our entire family. Can you help us?
How can I play an active and positive role in my grandchild’s life while still respecting appropriate boundaries with my son and daughter-in-law? I’m excited to help, but I realize how easy it can be for new grandparents to wear out their welcome. Any tips or advice?
How should I respond to my son’s questions about his dad, a convicted felon who is serving a long prison sentence? We’re living with my parents until I can raise enough money to move out. He has some great role models in my father and my brothers, but I’m worried that he will somehow end …
Are “pro-ana” websites helpful for those with anorexia and other eating disorders? I recently discovered that my teenage daughter, who has struggled with an eating disorder (anorexia), has been visiting one of these sites on a regular basis. When I questioned her about it, she said that it’s designed to provide girls in her situation …
Could my child’s struggles in math be linked to some kind of learning disability? She gets straight A’s in every other subject, but when it comes to working with numbers she really has problems keeping her head above water. We’re having a hard time understanding why this is the case.
As a new Christian who is in the process of kicking a lifelong drinking habit, how can I restore my relationship with my children? A number of years ago my struggles with alcoholism finally destroyed my marriage and family. I really regret the mess I’ve made, but I’ve recently found the Lord and am currently …
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 …