Q: Everybody talks about Christmas joy and good cheer, but I don't feel it. I usually just fake it because all of my holiday memories are bad ones. How am I supposed to get in the "Christmas spirit"?... more

Q: With Christmas drawing near, I'm really NOT looking forward to getting together with family, because there's a lot of unresolved conflict just beneath the surface. Do you have any advice for handli... more

Q: We're celebrating the first Christmas with our newborn twins. As they grow older, do you think we should let them believe in Santa Claus?... more

Q: What are some of the most important financial concerns for a newly single adult with kids?... more

Q: I enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday, but I want our kids to learn that it's more than just food, football, shopping and days off from school. Do you have any suggestions?... more

Q: Do you have any advice for dealing with extended family members who don't get along? My in-laws like to host big get-togethers with all the relatives, but they're always marked by tension and disse... more

Q: Our children are both in elementary school, and we want to start teaching them to handle money wisely. Is there anything we should keep in mind?... more

Q: How should I respond when my mother-in-law continually shows partiality to my husband's sister and her family? Whenever I call -- far in advance -- about visiting on various holidays, I'm told that... more

Q: Do you have any advice for a single woman who's in love and romantically involved with a married man? I know the decision to go down this path was foolish, but there's nothing I want more than to b... more

Q: Communication has become an issue with our family. It seems that none of us spend time talking anymore. I don't know how this happened, but I'm concerned about how it's affecting our relationships.... more

Q: Our daughter is married to a good, kind, giving man. We love them both very much, but most of the time my daughter is disrespectful and mean to her husband. He's passive and just takes it from her.... more

Q: My wife and I are giving serious thought to starting a family, and now I'm having second thoughts. The idea of being responsible for a child is daunting enough. But I read a recent report suggestin... more

Q: My wife and I generally get along great, but I'm surprised how much we argue about little chores around the house. Is this normal?... more

Q: Our family always seems to be in a reactive mode -- it seems like there's some small but stressful crisis every day. My husband and I are both tired of this pattern, and how it's affecting us and o... more

Q: I vividly remember exactly where I was 15 years ago when I heard about the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. My son was just an infant then; now he's reading about significant events like 9/... more

Q: Our son just started at a new school, and we're afraid he is being bullied. What can we do?... more

Q: My 16-year-old daughter has blossomed into a beautiful young lady -- and it seems I'm not the only one who's noticed. She's getting more and more attention from boys her age, and I suspect it won't... more

Q: I grew up in a home with an alcoholic father. I've abstained from alcohol because of it, but are there other issues I should be concerned about? I don't want this part of my past affecting my own f... more

Q: Does sexual fulfillment decrease as we get older? My spouse and I are in our 60s, and I'm concerned normal aging issues might have negative implications for our relationship in the bedroom.... more

Q: Is it appropriate for my mom to demand that I -- a 30-something independent woman -- allow her to "vet" the men in my life? She insists it's her prerogative and responsibility as a parent. I have a... more

Q: Should I be concerned that my husband of three months no longer wants to do everything together? Since marrying in April, we've had the time of our lives -- just the two of us. But today, he opted ... more

Q: Our son graduated from high school this spring, and we're really struggling with what his next step should be. We want to offer him the prospect of a bright future, but formal education has never b... more

Q: My 7-year-old son came home teary-eyed after watching a children's movie at a friend's house. Apparently one of the characters was constantly teased and mistreated by the other kids in the film. It... more

Q: Despite our best parenting efforts, our adult son has developed a talent for making dumb decisions and behaving irresponsibly. He recently financed an expensive car he couldn't afford, only to tota... more

Q: Should children be taught to defend themselves when physically attacked, or should they "turn the other cheek"? We've taught our kids that physical violence is never acceptable. Unfortunately, the ... more

Q: Sometimes I feel that my wife and I spend so much time in our roles as Mom and Dad that we neglect our own relationship. Do we just need to recognize that our needs as a couple have to be put on ho... more

Q: My job basically consumes me. I feel completely frazzled most of the time, but even taking a day off occasionally doesn't seem to help. What can I do?... more

Q: My husband and I are expecting our first child (a boy). We want to raise him to be kind and respectful, but as we watch other parents we're beginning to realize that it might be easier said than do... more