Q. My 13-year-old daughter has lost interest in things she used to love to do. She doesn’t seem to have much energy. She’s irritable much of the time. Could she be depressed, or is this some sort of phase that girls go through at this age? Should I take her to see a...

Q. We’re expecting our first child, and I’m curious about pacifiers. My wife plans to breastfeed our baby. Will we still need or want to use a pacifier? And if we do, when is a good time to get the child to give up the pacifier? A. Sometimes when mothers breastfeed,...

Q. My daughter and I got into a heated argument the other day. My husband was there, and he took my daughter’s side. It’s been bothering me ever since, and my relationships with both my husband and daughter have been affected. How can I make things right? A. I think...

Q.  When my middle school daughter cried because she wasn’t put in the same English class as her best friend, I called the principal to request she be moved. I told my sister about it, and she called me a “lawnmower” parent. She said I make excuses for my daughter and...

Q. We have two boys, ages 13 and 16. My husband leaves early for work, so it’s my job to get the boys up, ready for school and out to the car for the drive to school. I have to call them several times before they finally get up. By then I’m frantic, because we barely...

Q.  My 2-year-old son is having trouble giving up playtime. A while ago, I noticed when I ask him to stop playing so we can leave the house or eat or go to bed, he throws a tantrum. So, I was just letting him tire himself out. But recently, he started banging his head...

Q. Our son is 3 years old and an only child. Lately, my husband has been talking a lot about having another baby. I know he gets pressure from his parents, because our son is their only grandchild. My mother-in-law has made it clear she’d love to buy cute little girl...

Q.  I’m in a bad situation. My husband yells at me in front of our children (2 and 7 years old). He says I’m fat and lazy. He says he hates me. Once in a while, he hits me, but not where anyone could see. I’m staying with him for now because I have nowhere to go and...

Q. We were eating in a restaurant when my 16-year-old son blurted out “You’re bad parents!” This presumably because we took away his cell phone during the meal. He said he was expecting an important text from his girlfriend. He and his sister left and started walking...

Q. My son is 14 and often refuses to go to school. Sometimes, I can convince him to get in the car, but then he’ll refuse to go inside. If I walk him into the school, later he’ll have a physical complaint such as a stomachache or headache, and I’ll get a call from the...

Q. This summer, all my kids want to do is have fun. They ask to swim and play all day. They ask to eat junk food while skipping vegetables and fruit. I enjoy the summer break too, but when do I need to get them ready for the next school year? A. I’m all in for summer...

Q. My husband and I have two boys (3 and 6), and both their teachers tell me they can’t sit still. The younger one won’t stay on the rug during story time. His older brother is often in trouble for not staying in his seat. I know the teachers are frustrated, and I...