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?
Parenting
How should I help my unwed pregnant daughter?
What’s the best way to confront our teenage daughter with our discovery that she has become sexually involved with her boyfriend? We found an entry in her journal describing a sexual encounter. We can’t allow this behavior to go unaddressed, but we don’t want to create a wedge and close the door to future communication. …
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?
What is your opinion of boarding school for children? I’ve always thought that they were destructive to families. But recently my spouse and I have received a call to serve as missionaries overseas, and apparently this arrangement is part of the deal. I’m not sure this is best for our children and our family, but …
As Christian parents, should we attend our son’s wedding if he’s marrying an non-believer? Over the more than twenty years of our marriage we’ve worked hard to raise him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Now, to our great disappointment, he has made a decision to marry a non-Christian. We love our child, …
Do you have any suggestions for a new dad struggling to get used to the lifestyle changes that accompany the birth of an infant? I love our child very much, but whenever my wife asks me to help with the baby I become frustrated and angry, especially when I’m in the middle of something else. …
Is it appropriate to pay our school-aged children for doing household tasks? When I was growing up I always received an allowance, but my spouse says that kids need to work without being paid because that’s part of being a family. What do you think?
How should I discipline a pre-teen whose behavior is characterized by a serious lack of maturity? He’s not disobedient or defiant – just irresponsible. For example, he doesn’t put things away. He leaves his bike out in the front yard where it could easily be stolen, and I’m constantly tripping over his clothes, shoes, and …
How can we assess whether or not our child is ready to start school? Can you suggest any basic guidelines?
How can my husband and I make sure that we don’t overindulge our cute little girl? She has a wonderful sweet personality and everyone in the family has been doting on her since she was born. But now that she’s four years old, I’m wondering if she’ll ever grow out of this “cute baby” phase. …
When it comes to parenting roles, aren’t moms and dads interchangeable? I understand that there are some basic and very important differences between males and females, and I can even see how these sex distinctions might come into play in the parenting process. But it seems to me that one can go too far with …
What are the theological and ethical implications of a woman carrying a preborn child for another woman? I’ve been thinking about doing this for an infertile couple I know. But I’m a Christian and want to be sure I consider any biblical issues about surrogacy.
What do you do about a kid who attacks other people with his teeth? Our strong-willed toddler has been displaying this negative behavior with increasing frequency over the past couple of months. How do we put a stop to it?
Is it important for families to eat together? Everyone in our household is busy with outside activities – school sports, church youth group outings, committee meetings, late nights at the office, ballet lessons, band practice, etc., etc. We rarely have time to sit down at the dinner table together. Meals are usually squeezed into the brief …
How can I have a better relationship with my stepchild? She resists my attempts at friendship and even screams, “You’re not my dad! Leave me alone!” Have I done something wrong? How do I get past this barrier?
Is there some way to work breastfeeding into my schedule once my maternity leave ends and I return to the office? I’ve heard that I might be able to manage it by pumping and saving my own milk, but this sounds like a lot of work and trouble. What would you suggest?
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?
Do you think it’s a good idea to take a small child out of the home and place him in an institutional setting for a number of hours every week? We’ve been considering preschool for our little boy, but we’re not sure if the pros outweigh the cons. What’s your perspective?
How do I give my teenager the respect he deserves? I’ll admit that we butt heads pretty often – he’s the type that requires a lot of correction and guidance, and as a result ours isn’t the most peaceful household on the block. But I honestly don’t believe that I’ve ever done anything to denigrate him …