Can you explain why my infant daughter started screaming when my great-aunt dropped by last weekend and wanted to hold her? In the past she’s always had a ready smile for everyone, but on this occasion she simply went ballistic! What do you think has happened?
Family Q&A
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?
What should we do about our young son walking in on us during sex?
How can I know if my child might be in danger of developing autism? He’s one year old and starting to walk, but he hasn’t begun talking yet – no “mama,” “dada,” or anything else. If he wants something, he just points and screeches. I’ve also noticed that he often stares off into the distance and …
How can we get our defiant toddler to lie down and go to sleep at night?
How can fathers help their girls learn about modesty? I want my daughter to get a handle on this concept before she becomes a teen, but I feel awkward about raising this subject with her. I realize that as a dad I can either be a big asset to her in this area or embarrass …
What rules and guidelines should we set for our teenager who wants to start dating?
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?
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 …
How should we handle our eight-year-old son’s strong aversion to being by himself? He sleeps in the same room with his younger sister because he doesn’t want to be alone. He won’t play in his room or in the basement unless someone else is there. The last time he tried, he suffered a panic attack …
Should I allow my three-year-old son to play dress-up with his older sisters? He not only enjoys putting on the same frilly dresses they wear, but the costume jewelry as well. This doesn’t seem like healthy behavior to me. What can I do to stop it?
Do you have any advice or words of encouragement for couples who are having difficulty conceiving a child? My spouse and I are both in our mid-thirties. We waited to have children until our careers were established. We’ve been trying for nearly a year to get pregnant, still without result. Are we doing something wrong? …
Could “night terrors” be demonic in origin? I have serious concerns about some of the advice your ministry and certain other Christian organizations are giving on this subject. We’ve confronted this problem in our family. Our son used to wake up screaming and go wandering through the house in the middle of the night. Experience …
Do you have any advice for parents who are dealing with the challenge of raising a teenager who struggles with depression and bipolar disorder? We’ve tried everything we can think of to help our daughter, but so far our efforts haven’t had much of an impact. Can you offer us some hope?
A lesbian couple with young children recently moved in a couple of houses down the block. Our kids have struck up a friendship with their kids, and I’m at a bit of a loss as to how to handle the situation. I want to teach my kids to be loving and accepting of the children. …
What kind of standards of conduct and behavior should parents impose upon an adult child living in their home? Our single 29-year-old daughter lives with us in separate quarters off of the main house. She knows how deeply we feel about marriage as the only appropriate context for sexual expression, but she’s made a habit …
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 there anything I can do to improve my chances of carrying a baby to term after losing my first pregnancy? My doctor told me that about one in four pregnancies ends this way. But he didn’t run any tests to find out what went wrong, and I can’t bear the thought of having another …
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 …