What can we do to encourage our school-age son to get away from the television and computer screen and spend more time playing outdoors? We’re getting worried about his health and fitness, and we’d like to know how we can motivate him to become more active. So far all of our “nagging” hasn’t helped a …
Everyday Parenting Q&A
How much do my children need to know about my past? I’m a strong Christian and a dedicated parent, but during adolescence and young adulthood there was a time when I chose to “walk on the wild side.” Is there any reason to be completely open with them about the moral failings of my early …
Are kids happier when they’re closer in age, or is it better to plan them farther apart? What are your thoughts on the spacing of children?
Is it unhealthy to poke fun at ourselves and tease other family members? We’ve always enjoyed laughing together at our house, and sometimes that includes what some people refer to as “teasing.” Friends of ours have expressed concern that we may be fostering an “unsafe” environment that doesn’t promote respectful relationships. Do you think there’s …
With everything it takes to work at the office and run a household, how can I find quality time to spend with my children? It seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done. Do you have any suggestions?
How can I help my granddaughter who is struggling with her racial identity? She’s the child of an interracial marriage – her mother is white, her father black. Her parents have now divorced and her dad is no longer in the picture. On top of the many other problems that go along with being a …
What does it take to be a good father? I grew up without a dad. Now I’m married with kids of my own, and I’m not sure I’m leading my family in the way God intended. Do you have any advice?
How can we stop our son, age six, from fighting with the boy next door? The neighbor kid gets mad if our son won’t play with him. If he does agree to play, the neighbor and his friends often reject him and drive him away. This boy has been extremely aggressive towards my son, pushing …
Do you have any suggestions for things families can do together while the kids are out of school on Spring Break? We don’t have a lot of money to spend, but we would like to take advantage of the time off to strengthen our relationships and have some good old fashioned fun. Any ideas?
Do you have any ideas for helping a pre-teen child who is seriously overweight? He loves food and gets extremely disappointed when we turn down his requests for snacks and treats. He also becomes depressed after several days of healthy eating. How can we reverse this trend?
What are the theological and ethical implications of a woman carrying a preborn child for another woman? I’ve been thinking about doing this for an infertile couple I know. But I’m a Christian and want to be sure I consider any biblical issues about surrogacy.
What should we do about paying for college? This is our son’s senior year in high school. We have yet to discuss specifics, but he obviously assumes that we’ll be footing the entire bill. Though he’s only an average student, he seems to be making some pretty big plans and entertaining some extremely high hopes …
How useful are rules as guidelines for adolescents? As our children move into the teen years it’s becoming more difficult and confusing to govern their behavior by this method. It certainly doesn’t work the way it did when they were younger. For example, I can’t get my middle son to keep his room clean no …
Should I be concerned about my six-year-old sleeping too much? She does not want to wake up in the morning, even though she goes to bed early and sleeps through the night? Is this normal? Do you have any suggestions?
As a father, what are some of the key roles that I play in the life of my daughter? What areas in her life should I focus on and what are some things I can do to create a healthy relationship between us?
How can we encourage and promote our young child’s love for learning when we don’t have the money for preschool? She already knows how to read and she’s curious about everything. I’m not sure that I’m equipped to homeschool a child of her ability. What do you suggest we do?
What should we expect with a pregnancy in later life? My wife is in her early forties and we just learned that she is expecting a child. We’re happy but stunned (to say the least). We already have three children (all in their teens now), so we’re familiar with the territory in a general sense. …
Is it okay not to have kids? My spouse and I have been doing some serious thinking about the whole parenting thing, and we’re not sure we want to get involved. How do you feel about childlessness as an intentional lifestyle choice?
Should I feel uneasy about leaving my little one with a babysitter or dropping him off at the church nursery for an hour or so? I’m a new parent, and I don’t know if it’s healthy for my child to be separated from me, even for relatively short periods of time. What’s your perspective on …
What are some of the child-rearing disagreements most likely to arise between first-time parents? We’re expecting our first child, and we’re trying to do everything we can to prepare ourselves before the fact. Can you give us some good advice?
