Should I be concerned that my son is still sucking his thumb? It’s an embarrassing habit in a boy his age. I’ve done everything I can think of to get him to stop, but nothing seems to work. Can you help?
Parenting Q&A
How do I avoid toddler-care burnout? I’m a young stay-at-home mom with two children under the age of five. I love my kids, and I’ve willingly given up a career and other pursuits to devote myself to them full-time. Still, I have to admit that the stress, the strain, and the tedium all wear on …
Is it normal to experience pain when nursing an infant? I’m so discouraged that I’m ready to give up. As a matter of fact, I’ve developed an infection in one breast over the past couple of days. Am I doing something wrong? Should I stop nursing until the inflammation clears up?
At what age do you think a child is too old for a pacifier? We’ve tried several times to take it away, but it’s like pulling teeth. I’ve also been wondering about my son’s attachment to his blanket. Is it a problem if we let him keep it? At this point the thing is nothing …
How can we encourage our child to cooperate and follow his preschool teacher’s instructions? He becomes defiant when there’s a change in the schedule or when the teacher asks him to switch activities. He wants to do things his own way and on his own time. How do we break him of this?
How can I help my adolescent son settle on a vocation and make wise plans for the future? He seems to be thinking more seriously about career choices and wondering what God wants him to do with his life.
How important is it for adolescents to get enough sleep? And exactly how much is “enough”? My son is trying to convince me that he has enough energy to handle late nights. I tend to disagree. My feeling is that sleep is critical during the teen years, especially with all of the physical changes kids …
How can I instill a solid Christian character into my child? Most of the parenting materials I’ve seen have a great deal to say about discipline, mental and emotional health, obedience and order in the home. Unfortunately, there isn’t much out there on the subject of character development, especially from a Christian perspective. Do you …
As a divorced woman, what can I do about my young child’s resistance to my efforts to develop relationships with men and to have a social life outside the home? My son simply doesn’t like to “share” me with anyone else. How can I best explain to him my reasons for desiring adult male companionship? …
Should I, as a single parent, be thinking seriously about adopting another child? How does your ministry feel about this?
As a father, what can I do to improve my relationship with an emotionally erratic adolescent girl? This past year has been difficult for me. I’ve watched my daughter make the transformation from a kind, joyful, cooperative little girl to a sullen, argumentative, hard-to-get-along-with teen. Our relationship used to be a source of enjoyment for …
My husband has never been violent with me, but it is an entirely different story where our children are concerned. He is frequently lashes out at them physically, and has seriously injured them on more than one occasion. I want to protect them, but I’m terrified of how he may react if I challenge him. …
As a parent, how should I deal with my children when mass shootings, natural disasters, and other tragic events involving loss of life occur? Should I do my best to shield them from this information – an almost impossible task in the face of today’s constant news media cycle? Or should I try to talk to …
Can a one-time viewing of a violent or sexually explicit film or TV show have negative long-term effects on children? I just learned my grade-schooler saw an inappropriate cable movie while spending the day at a friend’s house. What should I do and how can I prevent this happening in the future?
Is it okay for a boy to be gentle and sensitive? Our two young sons couldn’t be more different. The oldest is a typical boy: loud and in perpetual motion. His 4-year-old brother, however, is so quiet I hardly know he’s around. While our oldest son and his dad spend hours on end rough-housing together, …
Are we right to be worried about our daughter’s decision to move in with her boyfriend? When we found out she that she was living with him, we told her we felt it was immoral. She said our values were “old fashioned” and argued that living together is the best way to test a couple’s …
How can I know if my teen is likely to engage in premarital sex? My spouse and I have tried to raise our kids in the right way, but we’re keenly aware that the culture is working against us. Promiscuity is fashionable nowadays and sexual temptations are everywhere. How can we guard against it? Are …
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 …
Should a church youth group be social or spiritual in focus? We’re involved in a heated dispute about this at our church. There are two schools of thought. One group thinks that a high school youth group should be primarily spiritual in emphasis, focusing on Bible study, prayer, and outreach or service projects. The rest …
How can we make family prayer a priority? We’re a Christian family and my spouse and I are eager to raise our kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Can you give us some helpful pointers in this area? Our children are small, and it’s been a real struggle to make prayer times …
