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Parenting

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Worried That Son-in-Law Isn’t Caring for His Family

As a parent and grandparent, should I step in to help if I feel that my son-in-law is not caring properly for my daughter and my grandchildren? What makes this especially difficult is that his actions (or lack thereof) could put his family’s safety at risk. For example, he constantly forgets to put oil in …

Person talking to annoyed young man

Teens and Mandatory Church Attendance

Should we force our adolescent son to attend church with us? He used to enjoy it, but now has no interest in going at all. We want to respect his independence and give him the freedom to make age-appropriate decisions for himself, but it also worries us to think that he may be drifting away …

Man and woman lying on bed eating pizza

Adult Child Living at Home Disregards Parents’ Standards

What kind of standards of conduct and behavior should parents impose upon an adult child living in their home? Our single 29-year-old daughter lives with us in separate quarters off of the main house. She knows how deeply we feel about marriage as the only appropriate context for sexual expression, but she’s made a habit …

boy lying on the floor playing

Concerned about Young Son’s Masculinity

Should we be worried about our little boy’s sexual identity? He’s still very young, but he likes to play store and draw pictures all day long, and he can’t throw a ball three feet. Is he turning into a “sissy?” What can we do to help him develop a healthy sense of his masculinity?

gloved hand holding a tattoo pen

What Does the Bible Say About Tattoos?: Advice for Parenting Teens

Does the Bible forbid tattoos?

Tired and sad husband and wife embracing

Asking a Grown Child to Move Out of the House

How do I know when it’s time to ask my adult child to leave?

Toddler crying on bed near parent's hand

“Night Terrors” and Satanic Strongholds

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 …

young boy reading a book

Concerns About a Boy Developing Healthy Masculine Traits

How can we be sure that our young son will grow up to be a healthy, fully masculine man? He’s only five years old, but his mother and I are already concerned about certain aspects of his behavior and temperament. He avoids loud, rough-and-tumble play, and so far he hasn’t shown much interest in team …

back of child's head staring at screen

Violent Toys and TV Programs

Should I be concerned that my young son has been spending a lot of time watching violent cartoons and playing with the “spin-off” action figures marketed by the shows’ producers? How do you think these programs and products affect the attitudes and behavior of children?

mother and adult daughter

Dealing With a Grown Child Who Is Unemployed and Living at Home

How do we deal with an adult child who has no job, is living in our basement, and drawing heavily on our financial resources? My husband and I can’t agree on the best way to handle this situation, and it’s becoming a real strain on our relationship. What should we do?

Mom and daughter having fun at festival

Helping a Teen Girl Become a Woman

What can my husband and I do to help our teenage girl become the woman God wants her to be? In this gender-bending society, we’re especially concerned to make sure that she retains her femininity while also growing up to be a strong, well-adjusted, self-sufficient adult. Any suggestions?

mom talking to young son on bed

Talking to a Young Child About Sex

At what age should I begin teaching my child about the “facts of life?” He’s still small —in fact, I would have assumed that he’s not old enough for “the talk” yet. The problem is that he’s already been hearing a lot about the subject. It’s obvious that he has picked up certain words from …

teen girl behind glass words love hate sad

Parenting a Bipolar Teen

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?

man walking away over bridge

What Does Proverbs 22:6 Mean? Is It a Promise or Just a Hope?

Does Proverbs 22:6 promise that kids raised in a godly home will turn out OK?

teen lying on the couch

Dealing With Lazy Teenagers

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?

Child lying on bed looking at camera with defiance

Strong-Willed Child Won’t Stay in Bed

How can we get our defiant toddler to lie down and go to sleep at night?

Dad and young son reading by flashlight

Divorced Dad: Child Doesn’t Like New Girlfriend

How can I overcome my child’s aversion to my girlfriend? I’m the father of a wonderful six-year-old boy. His mother divorced me when he was about three, and has since remarried. At present, she has primary custody and I have visitation rights. My son doesn’t like to “share” me with anyone else and this has …

Dad and daughter posing in sunglasses

How Dads Teach Daughters About Modesty

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 …

wide-eyed baby lying down

Baby Suddenly Afraid of Strangers

Can you explain why my infant daughter started screaming when my great-aunt dropped by last weekend and wanted to hold her? In the past she’s always had a ready smile for everyone, but on this occasion she simply went ballistic! What do you think has happened?

girl leaning over unhappy

Father-Daughter Conflict

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 …