How can I make peace between my husband and our teenage daughter? Every day when he picks her up from school he either starts a fight or delivers a lecture about how she’s not measuring up academically. Then she calls me, angry or in tears. Grades have always been a problem for our daughter, and …
Everyday Parenting Q&A
Should we be concerned about a child who doesn’t like to take risks? By way of example, he consistently avoids scary roller coasters. My husband thinks he should be pushed harder and forced to face his fears. I feel we should give him time to develop confidence at his own pace. What’s your perspective?
Is it normal for married adult children to become disconnected from their parents? There’s a coldness, distance, and separation that’s crept into my relationship with my adult daughter, and I think her spouse may have something to do with it. What have I done wrong? How do I show my concern and let her know …
As a parent and grandparent, should I step in to help if I feel that my son-in-law is not caring properly for my daughter and my grandchildren? What makes this especially difficult is that his actions (or lack thereof) could put his family’s safety at risk. For example, he constantly forgets to put oil in …
How can we get our defiant toddler to lie down and go to sleep at night?
What can my husband and I do to help our teenage girl become the woman God wants her to be? In this gender-bending society, we’re especially concerned to make sure that she retains her femininity while also growing up to be a strong, well-adjusted, self-sufficient adult. Any suggestions?
Now that our son is over 18, should he still obey us?
Do you have any suggestions for getting a 2-year-old to go to bed and stay there? It’s a miserable struggle at our house because our son fights us every step of the way. When he does finally get to sleep, it’s not unusual for him to be up several times during the night, requesting water …
How can I motivate my two lazy teenagers? They won’t help me around the house, and they consistently wait until the last minute to do their homework. As a single parent, I usually don’t have the energy to make them get down to work. Is there a way to break this negative pattern?
Psychologist Dr. Bill Maier says that imaginary friends are a totally normal part of life for preschoolers. Parents shouldn’t be concerned about imaginary friends unless a child is so focused on the relationship with the “friend” that he or she seems to be losing touch with reality. And of course, you should never let your …
Do I really have any influence over how my kids turn out?
How can we stop our child from wetting the bed? What do we need to know about the causes of this behavior? Our son is well past the age of potty-training, yet I still have to change his bedding several times a week. I’ve lost my patience with him more than once, and I can …
As a working mother, should I be worried about placing my child in a daycare facility? Personally, I have some serious misgivings about this option, but my husband thinks it’s fine. Are you aware of any research on this subject or other choices we might consider?
What should I do about the constant fighting that goes on between my daughters? Our house is the scene of perpetual sibling battles. My mother says I should intervene, but my husband thinks this is normal for kids their age. Should I be worried?
How can we assess whether or not our child is ready to start school? Can you suggest any basic guidelines?
Is it a good idea to try to educate a child with a developmental or potential learning disability at home? I want my son to have every possible advantage and to progress as he should, but I’m not sure I’m qualified to help him with his special needs.
If my spouse and I argue and disagree a lot, will this have a negative effect on our kids? Though our relationship is still intact (for the most part), we have what I can only describe as a “high-conflict marriage.” Is this likely to hurt our children?
How should we parent a grown child when there are also two younger children in the home? We have three kids altogether: a boy and a girl who are still in high school, and an older son in his mid-20s. The oldest has had some tough luck recently and needs to move back home for …
Is the quality of time I spend with my family more important than the quantity?
How should I talk to my elementary-grade child about Santa Claus? She’s been asking a lot of questions about him. I am ready to tell her the truth, but I’m hesitant because I don’t want her to think that we’ve been “lying” to her all these years.
