4 Parenting Styles
Q My sister and I were raised by an authoritarian father and a mother who supported our dad. In raising our kids, my husband and I tend to be authoritarian like my father. My sister hated Dad’s style of parenting, so she is permissive with her children. We tend to...
8 Tips for Helping Picky Eaters
Q We have two children ages three and eight who are both picky eaters. Do I cook separate meals for each of them? I’m wondering why children and adults become picky eaters. A There are a variety of reasons kids become picky eaters. Often toddlers want to be...
Good Sportsmanship, Am I Helping?
Q Our daughter, Lucy is eight years old and playing Little League baseball for the first time. My husband and I have been discussing how we want her to learn good sportsmanship behavior. We’ve been to some of her games where the parents yell at the officials,...
Adjusting to a New Sibling
Q How do you deal with a child who doesn’t want a baby brother or sister? Nate, our current and only child, is four years old. When we told Nate that we’re having a baby, he said, “I hate the baby. I don’t want one.” We’ve told Nate what a good big brother he will be...
Parenting While Depressed
Q I’m the mother of two boys, ages six and eight. I’ve not been doing well as a parent because I’m depressed. My husband works a lot and is little help. I don’t want to get dressed. I often go back to bed after the kids go to school. When I get up the house is a...
Restoring Family Relationships Post Pandemic
Q Both my husband and I have extended family coming to our house to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s. It’s been a long time, since before the COVID-19 shutdown that we’ve all gotten together. We want to make our family gathering special for our three children ages...
Minimizing Sibling Rivalry
Q. My wife and I each have a child from previous marriages living with us (ages 14 and 12). We also have two children from our marriage (ages 4 and 9 months). The kids all compete for attention from us. They fight with each other over such things as TV time,...
Addressing Family Fears about School Shootings
Is your child fearful or asking questions about school shootings? What can you do to help? Q I’m a single mother for 8 year old Lilly. I worry that her school will have a shooting like the one in Uvalde. How can I help Lilly feel better about leaving home to go to...
How Can I Maintain a Close Relationship With My Grandchildren?
Q. Our son Travis and his wife Lisa have two beautiful kids that my husband and I adore. The problem for me is Lisa. She does things that I don’t like such as bringing her big dogs into our house and feeding them off of our plates. I have a fear of dogs, so I don’t...
How Do I Help My Kids With The Death of A Pet
Q My daughters, ages 4 and 7, have two pets who are both very old: a cat named Ping Pong and a dog named Bubba. The dog has been diagnosed with cancer and given a prognosis of three months or less to live. These pets are like members of the family. I have no idea...
How Can I Best Support My Kids’ Interests?
Q. My wife and I have three children ages 5, 9 and 12. My youngest doesn’t have any special interests or hobbies yet. My middle child is interested in the guitar. The oldest finds bugs fascinating and loves playing lacrosse. I’d like to help them learn more about...
Talking To Kids About Divorce
Q. My wife and I are divorcing. She doesn’t want a divorce and is angry with me. I’m insisting on one. We have two children, ages 6 and 9, who we both love. I’m hoping that we can share custody of the children. I want to make this as easy on them as we can. What...
