How to Help Your Child Through a Loss
Q. My father is in hospice care and isn’t expected to live much longer. It’s been emotionally hard on me, but I also have two children, ages 5 and 8. What suggestions do you have for helping them get through this loss? A. You’re going through a difficult time. You’re...
My Teen Is Not Eager to Drive
Q. Our son recently celebrated his 16th birthday, and we gave him our old family car. We thought he’d be excited to take his driver’s license test, but instead he’s dragging his feet. He seems happy having everyone else in the family give him rides, which isn’t always...
A Mother-in-Law Becomes a Grandma
Q. My daughter-in-law and son are expecting their first child. I’ve raised five children so I try to help them with advice, but they don’t seem to want to listen. For example, I looked at the ingredients in the pre-natal vitamins my daughter-in-law chose, and they...
Our Kids Need More Exercise
Q. Our kids seldom go outside to play. I think they need more exercise, but my husband seems very anxious when they are outside. He worries that they’re going to run into the street or something bad will happen to them. (They are 3, 7 and 13, by the way.) Do you have...
She’s a Slob, I’m a Neatnik and It’s Making Us All Crazy!
Q. Yesterday, I came home to a messy house, which is typical. There were dirty dishes all over the kitchen, toys everywhere and piles of undone laundry. I lost my self-control and yelled at my wife and kids. When we married, I didn’t realize my wife would be so messy....
Do We Have to Choose Between Tiger Parenting and Free-Range Parenting?
Q. My wife and I differ on how our children—ages 9, 11 and 14—will spend their summer. I am all for plenty of free time playing, but my wife wants to schedule their days with activities like learning a new language, music lessons, team sports, theater lessons and...
A Loner or Lonely? How to Tell the Difference, and Why It’s Important
Q. My wife and I are both extroverts. We love to socialize. We have two girls who are much like us—and then there is our 8 year old, Jacob. He’s a real “loner,” spending as much time alone as he can get away with. When we send him to camp or a week with his...
At My Age? Some of the Best Parents Are Older Parents
Q. My husband and I have two energetic boys, ages 5 and 7. I’ve just gotten them both in school and am enjoying some “me” time, but I find I desperately want another baby. My husband is ok with the idea; however, I just turned 40, and he is 46. We both hear scary...
Letting It Go – Escape the Icy Grip of “Frozen” and Other Childhood Obsessions
Q. Our 4-year-old daughter Lucy is obsessed with princesses and everything about them. She has princess dolls, a play castle and storybooks about princesses, which she wants us to read to her every night. She imagines she was born a princess, and we are not her real...
Help Grandma Shine as a Sitter
Q. We have a 3-year-old daughter and a 6-week-old son. I need to go back to work to help with our bills and to save up for a house of our own. We currently live in an apartment that doesn’t offer much room for children to play. I am thinking of asking my mother to...
Give “Scary” Boyfriend a Chance to Prove Himself
Q. Our daughter Sara is 15 and a sophomore in high school. She is a good student, and up to this point, she has been an easy child to raise. However, recently she seems to be attracted to kids who pride themselves on looking different and not being well-engaged in...
Resolve to Choose Happiness This Year
Q. My fourth grade son Elijah’s class has been talking about New Year’s resolutions, so he brought it up at dinner last night. His sister Sienna got excited and immediately wanted us all to come up with resolutions. I fear that if we make resolutions, we’ll make...
