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 …
Parenting Q&A
What’s your opinion of babies sleeping with their parents? A friend of mine believes that the so-called “Family Bed” is beneficial for every member of the household. She even claims that this practice can prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and provide other health benefits. Is she right?
When it comes to parenting children effectively, are there any truly meaningful distinctions between the contributions of the mother and those of the father? As a dad, I’m actively involved with my kids on the weekends and evenings, and I even go to school meetings when I can. Is there something special I’m supposed to …
Can the nightly news reports about war, murder, rape, and urban gang activity have a negative effect on kids? I try not to let my children watch too much of this, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Am I right to be concerned?
Should I raise my kids under a philosophy of law or grace? Since the Gospel is all about grace, doesn’t this suggest that it’s a mistake for Christian parents to raise their children according to a lot of rules and regulations? Paul even tells us, in Galatians 3:24, that the law was nothing but a …
As a Christian father, should I give my daughter away at the wedding if she’s marrying a non-believer? Over the more than twenty years of our marriage we’ve worked hard to raise her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Her decision has come as a great disappointment to us. We love our daughter, …
At what point does a child become personally responsible for his or her actions before God? This is not just an academic question; as I see it, your answer will affect how I choose to discipline my children. I know that we’re all born with an inherited sin nature, but I’m not sure what the …
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 …
What is your opinion about overnight group activities for elementary grade children? We want our kids to have fun and participate with their friends, but we’re concerned about exposing them to inappropriate influences. Are we overreacting?
How do we keep our child from becoming a “quitter”? Several months ago our 5-year-old son asked to be enrolled in a Tae Kwon Do program. He’s enjoyed it and usually has a good time once he gets to class. But lately we’ve run into problems with him not wanting to go. We don’t want …
Do you have any advice for a woman who is about to leave a high-profile career in order to devote all her time to parenting and homemaking? My wife is on the verge of taking this momentous step. How can we make it a smooth transition? We’ve reached this decision together after hours and hours …
What exactly is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and what are its causes? Is there anything I can do to reduce the risk of losing my baby to this mysterious killer?
What should I give my baby when he’s ready to start eating solid food? How can I know when he’s reached that stage of development?
How can we help our four-year-old overcome her fears about going to sleep in the dark? We’ve tried everything – an established bed-time, a night-light in the bedroom, books, prayers, songs – but nothing seems to help. Can we doing anything to address these night-time fears?
What should we do about our teen’s sudden academic struggles? He’s always been an excellent student, but since entering high school his grades have dropped significantly. When we ask him what’s going on, he just shrugs his shoulders and says, “My teachers don’t like me.” How can we get to the bottom of this?