Celebrating the Special Attributes of Dads
Q. My husband and I parent very differently. He is laid back, lives in the moment and has fun with our kids by doing simple things at home or in the neighborhood. On the other hand, I am more structured with our kids. I’m a planner and a doer who likes to stay busy...
Coping With Children’s Anxiety
Q Our 6-year-old daughter, Zena, is very anxious. Every night she has to be reassured there are no monsters under the bed or in the closet. Recently, she agreed to a sleepover with her best friend. The friend’s mother called at midnight to ask me to pick up Zena as...
Making It Through the Terrible Twos
Q Our son Micah is 2 ½ years old. He has become increasingly negative. In fact, his favorite word is “no.” He gets into everything and is constantly on the go. Micah won’t listen to me or his father. If he doesn’t get what he wants, he throws a tantrum. We try to...
When Grandparent Gifts Are Too Grand
Q My wife and I have three children, two daughters and a son. The girls are fiercely competitive about who gets the most or the best gifts for birthdays and holidays. Our oldest daughter is 17 and has always been my father’s favorite grandchild. She can get anything...
Should My Child Be More Outgoing?
6 Tips for Making Friends Q Our son Robin is 7 years old. He’s an only child. Robin worries me because he doesn’t have friends or seem interested in making friends with other children. Robin does play games with my husband and me. But I think he’d have a lot...
Thinking About Homeschooling?
Q. It really scares me to think about my children going back to school with other kids, teachers, and staff. I’m thinking about homeschooling them, but I have no idea what is involved or if I have what it takes to successfully do so. What advice do you have for...
Dealing With Mom Guilt
Q. How can I get rid of nagging guilt for not being the ideal mom? I went back to work after each of my three children was born. I felt guilty about leaving them either with a caregiver or at daycare. I still feel guilty about missing milestones like their first...
Raising a Good Sport
Q Is it good for children to win at games all of the time? My husband lets our 10-year-old son Neil (an only child) win every game they play together. I wonder if all parents let their kids win all of the time or not. Does never losing affect whether a child...
Resolving To Be Better Role Models
Q.We love our kids (ages 5, 8 and 13) and want them to grow up to enjoy life and be successful as parents and marital partners. That said, I worry because my wife does not like me to be affectionate toward her around the children, and she is often critical of...
Raising Kinder Kids
Q. My husband and I have two sons and a daughter, ages 6, 10 and 15. None of our kids are particularly kind to others. They think mostly of themselves and what they can get from people without being nice or respectful. What can we do to raise kinder kids,...
Safe Grandparent Visits
Q My mother is 90 years old. She lives 30 minutes away but hasn’t seen her grandchildren for weeks. She asks every day when she’ll get to see them. I’m worried about her as she seems to be depressed and discouraged. I’ve tried to keep our children safe at home. I...
Family Bonding During Quarantine
Q We went from everyone in our family of three going in separate directions nearly every waking hour to being together 24/7. I feel like we are growing apart rather than closer together. My husband Sam’s habits annoy me a lot, and I tell him so. When he changes...
