How can I know if my daughter is anorexic or bulimic? She’s lost a great deal of weight over the past few months, and she’s become extremely thin. What should I do if I find out she has a serious eating disorder?
Parenting Q&As
How do we stop our two daughters, ages thirteen and seven, from fighting and bickering all the time? I’m concerned that the effects of all this conflict may be potentially harmful. We’re a Christian family, so we’ve talked many times about what it means to be kind, loving, and forgiving. After one of these discussions …
What do you do about a kid who attacks other people with his teeth? Our strong-willed toddler has been displaying this negative behavior with increasing frequency over the past couple of months. How do we put a stop to it?
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.
How can I tell if our teenager is faking an illness to get out of school? He often complains of not feeling well on school day mornings, but, interestingly enough, his symptoms usually disappear by mid-afternoon and rarely surface at all on weekends. Is it wrong of me to distrust him?
Should we tell our children that their mom had an affair?
What tools does Focus on the Family make available for use in passing the Christian faith along to our kids?
At what point does a child become personally responsible for his or her actions before God? This is not just an academic question; as I see it, your answer will affect how I choose to discipline my children. I know that we’re all born with an inherited sin nature, but I’m not sure what the …
How should I handle my adolescent’s emotional instability? In particular, how can I tell the difference between ‘normal’ teenage moodiness and serious clinical depression? My teen seems to have more “downs” than “ups.” Is this a normal part of adolescence, or should I be concerned?
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?
How can we implement a more consistent bedtime schedule for our children, ages 8, 6, and 4? We haven’t been very successful in this area. How many hours do kids this age need to sleep? Do you have any tips for ways to improve bedtime and make it more pleasant?
Do you have any advice for dealing with a teenage daughter who’s recently gotten involved in premarital sex and other destructive activities? While hunting for an extra set of car keys in my daughter’s purse I came across a condom and a cigarette lighter. Needless to say, I was devastated. Should I confront her about …
How should I deal with the tension that has arisen between my child and his sports coach, who also happens to be his father? The season is starting up again, and I’m dreading the inevitable fights between them. My son doesn’t want to disappoint his dad, but he’s getting nothing out of this particular sport. …
How can I bond with a disconnected child? Our daughter is newly adopted, and we’re excited to have her home. But she’s struggling with attachment issues. We don’t know all the details of her history, but some of her behavior indicates she may have been abused. Can we reverse the damage and move in a …
How can I tell whether or not my child is actually addicted to video and computer games? He spends a lot of time gaming, but it’s hard to know whether it’s really that serious of a problem. Should I be concerned?
Is potty training a child always such a difficult and challenging experience? We’ve been trying to potty-train our son since he turned two years old. So far we haven’t had much success, and the stress level in our household is at an all-time high. After several months, we’re still not making any progress. Is this …
What exactly is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and what are its causes? Is there anything I can do to reduce the risk of losing my baby to this mysterious killer?
How can I help my grown-up son who is in an unhappy marriage after living with his wife for several years prior to the wedding? It’s a difficult and complicated situation, and lately he’s been talking about getting a divorce. Is there any way I can reach out to this young couple?
How can we help our two-year-old get used to the idea of having a new baby sister? He whines and cries for Mommy all the time, and lately he’s been misbehaving as a way of getting our attention. How can we help him feel loved and secure?
It’s frightening to be a parent of teenagers today. I’ve been lying awake nights worrying about the challenges and temptations my kids face every day at school, in our neighborhood, on the streets, and in all kinds of social situations. Even the church youth group isn’t immune to the influences of secular culture! Is there …
