How can I give my kids the chance to try different activities and programs when we don’t have much money? I’m a stay-at-home mom and my husband works hard to support our family, but we’re living on a shoestring budget. I don’t want my children to miss out on life-enriching opportunities.
Parenting Q&A
Would you recommend that we take our three young children, ages three, four, and six, to their grandfather’s funeral? My father-in-law is terminally ill and is not expected to live for more than a few weeks. As my husband and I begin preparing ourselves, both practically and emotionally, for his passing, I’m wondering what arrangements …
Is there a way to get concerned friends and family members to back off and stop telling us how to raise our child? My spouse and I are new parents and are overwhelmed by all the tips we’ve been receiving. Sometimes people even contradict each other. I feel like telling them to mind their own …
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 …
What are some of the most common medical problems to watch out for during the first three months of my baby’s life?
What should we do when our toddler explodes in a fit so violent that it’s just about impossible to calm her down? She has always been strong-willed and prone to tantrums, but just recently there have been occasions when she has become so frustrated that her behavior has spiraled completely out of control. At such …
Can you help me figure out if my five-year-old son is overly attached to his mother? There are some days when it seems almost impossible to separate him from her. When we ride in the car, he insists that she sit in the back seat with him. Only mama can clean him up when he …
How should we respond to our teenage daughter who doesn’t want to be part of our family after becoming pregnant?
What can I do to bolster the self-esteem of my teenage daughter who is feeling crushed after not being asked to the prom? I’ve never seen her this low before, and I’m feeling like I need to take steps to build her back up again. Can you help me?
What’s the best way to handle grandparents who play favorites? For many years my parents have been partial to our oldest child. At first their favoritism showed itself in small ways, but now our youngest child has noticed and is beginning to ask questions. How can we best address this situation?
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 …
Should I insist on being in the exam room when my child visits a doctor? Recently I took my 14-year-old daughter to our family doctor for a check-up and was told by the office staff that I would need to stay out. To be honest, my husband and I are concerned about messages my daughter …
When should my husband and I stop showering with our toddler-age children and changing clothes in front of them? Can you give us some guidelines for modesty in the home?
How do we deal with an unhappy and contrary pubescent boy? Our ten-year-old son has just hit puberty, and it seems to have drastically altered his personality. He went from a generally happy little boy who laughed all the time to a miserable pre-teen who is always fighting with someone – my wife and me, his …
Why are so many teens making bad sexual choices? This worries me because I have teenage kids of my own and I’m anxious to help them avoid serious mistakes in this area. Can you help me get a better handle on teenage attitudes about sex?
How can I know for sure whether my child has become a target of intimidating text messages or cruel rumors on social media? Are there any tell-tale signs? If it turns out my child is being cyber-bullied, what can I do to help?