How can I keep my 2-year-old daughter from “beating up” on her 10-month-old brother? She kicks him, punches him, bites him, screams at him, and whacks him with toys. It all began when he started crawling. This kind of thing goes on every day, several times a day. We’ve done everything we can think of …
Parenting Q&As
How do I talk to my elementary grade children about a young boy in our community – grade-school age himself – who recently took his own life? I have a hard time understanding how a child that age has the maturity level to contemplate suicide. I’m not sure how to explain this to my own …
Am I right to be concerned about my 16-year-old daughter’s obsession with texting? In the past two weeks she has sent or received over 3,000 text messages. So far it hasn’t affected her school grades, but I worry that this much texting is excessive and unhealthy. What should we do?
Do you think it’s a good idea for our son to wait a year after graduating from high school before enrolling at the university? He’s very responsible in a number of ways, but we’re concerned about him losing momentum. What should we do?
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 …
How can I know if my teenager is developing suicidal tendencies or a self-destructive mindset? I’m asking because I’m afraid that my teenager may be moving in this direction. Are there any warning signs to be aware of? Does depression always include a risk of suicide?
How do we come alongside our daughter now that she’s in the hospital after trying to take her own life? We’re wrestling with feelings of guilt, shame, confusion, and fear. We can’t understand how something like this could have happened to one of our own children. Do you have any advice for us?
How do I know when my disciplinary methods have crossed an inappropriate line? I was disciplining my five-year-old last night and feel that I got out of control in the way I handled the situation. I’m terrified this morning that I may have gone too far. How can I know for sure? What should I …
How can we help our preschooler overcome his fears and get to sleep at night after watching a disturbing “kids’ movie” we got from the library? He’s been hysterical at bedtime ever since viewing this film and keeps us up half the night because he won’t go to sleep alone. What can we do about …
How can I stop my child from swearing and using “dirty words?” It’s a bad habit he’s developed, and I’ve confronted him about this several times. But the problem only seems to be getting worse. I’m frustrated. Do you have any advice for me?
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 teenager when he claims that we don’t care about what he has to say? We do try to give him our full attention whenever he talks to us, but he still complains that we’re not listening. We don’t think his accusations are fair, but we also want him to …
What are some things I can do to help develop a healthy self-image in my children? I don’t want them to grow up thinking the world revolves around them, but I do want to instill in them a proper sense of self-respect and of their own value as persons. How should I go about it?
How do we smooth the adjustment process for a child who’s newly adopted (internationally)? Our daughter is nearly 10 months old, but she still isn’t sleeping through the night. When she’s awake, she’s cranky and cries all the time. This makes it difficult to feel connected to her, and we’re frustrated and tired. How can …
How do we explain our marital troubles to our three-year-old son? My husband and I are temporarily separated and are attempting to work through our differences with the help of a counselor. We both feel it’s important to remain apart for the time being because we’re concerned that our constant fighting may have a negative …
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?
Should we allow our struggling grown child to move back in with us? Our son recently got divorced. Then he lost his job and started drinking heavily again. He seems to have no sense of direction and now he wants to move back in with us. We’re not sure if this would be the best …
Should money play a role in our decision on where to send our kids to school? We don’t feel that the public schools are an option for our children’s education, so we’re left with a choice between home schooling and a private Christian school. Can you help us find our way?
How can I tell to what extent my adopted child’s erratic behavior and moods might be based on neurochemical issues? I’m not sure about the details of his background before we adopted him, but I have a hunch there was some kind of neglect or abuse. It’s been more challenging to raise him than we …
Should my husband and I spend Christmas morning together with the kids at his parents’ house in spite of the fact that we’ve been separated for four months? He said he wants me to come because he’s hoping to be present next year when it’s my turn to have the kids on Christmas morning. Although …
