Archives

Q: Christmas joy and good cheer, blah, blah, blah. I don't feel merry -- I usually just fake it because all of my holiday memories are bad ones. So how am I supposed to get in the "Christmas spirit"?... more

Q: Our first child is 8 months old. We hope to have one or two more kids. Approaching this first Christmas as parents has us wondering -- as our children grow older, do you think we should let them be... more

Q: My dear father passed away a few months ago. He was always the center of family gatherings, so as Christmas approaches we're all starting to deal with the fact that he won't be there. This is so mu... more

Q: We tried our best to be good parents, but our adult son has developed a talent for making poor decisions and behaving irresponsibly. He's deep in debt and may lose his job for lack of transportatio... more

Q: My in-laws like to host extravagant get-togethers with all the relatives; this year they're "going extra big" for the holidays because gatherings didn't happen last year. But these events are alway... more

Q: I'm in my mid-20s, but my mother seems unable or unwilling to acknowledge that I'm an adult. How can I help her understand I'm not a kid anymore?... more

Q: I have always wanted to father and raise my own children. I'm engaged now, but if my fiancée can't have kids, I'm not sure I want to pursue marrying her. Should I ask her to be tested for infertili... more

Q: Our two sons (ages 5 and 7) are sweet kids. However, they're constantly fighting over toys, which movie to watch and so on. How can I defuse this bickering behavior?... more

Q: Is it acceptable for parents to read our teenage daughter's journal, or go through her room, if we suspect she might be involved in some kind of unhealthy activity? And what if we do find evidence ... more

Q: As a first-time grandma, I'm excited to play an active and positive role in my grandchild's life. But I also want to be careful to respect appropriate boundaries with my son and daughter-in-law. Do... more

Q: I'm a recent newlywed. Even in just a few short weeks, my husband and I are feeling overwhelmed. Life together isn't playing out the way we anticipated. Is this normal? We both really want to make ... more

Q: My mother has always been a sweet, caring and soft-spoken woman -- but she's developing Alzheimer's disease and becoming increasingly disagreeable and demanding. I know I'm supposed to honor my par... more

Q: I'm the proud father of a beautiful 16-year-old daughter. However, I'm not the only one who's noticed how she has blossomed. She's getting more and more attention from boys her age, and I expect Th... more

Q: My husband and I are very interested in adopting a child. We're wrestling with whether to make it an "open" or a "closed" arrangement. Do you have any insights or recommendations?... more

Q: Now that my kids are finally back to "real" school, they want to participate in EVERYTHING. We're already drowning in extracurricular activities. How much is too much? Can you suggest any practical... more

Q: Last week our son headed off for his first year at college. He wants to pledge to a fraternity and has asked for our input. I've only seen negative things about fraternities (movies, etc.). What do... more

Q: School is starting up again. My daughter gets straight A's in every subject except math. We're having a hard time understanding why she struggles with this subject. Could her problems with math be ... more

Q: My daughter is going through a divorce. What can I do as a grandparent to help our grandchildren cope with this devastating breakup?... more

Q: For years my husband has enjoyed a weekly poker night with his friends. During the pandemic he got into online betting; now I'm concerned that he's turning into a compulsive gambler. He says I'm wo... more

Q: My elderly mother has not been doing well, and we're considering taking her into our home rather than placing her in a care facility. But we still have three children living with us. How do you thi... more

Q: I'm a divorced single mom trying to find another relationship and develop a social life. But my young son doesn't like to "share" me with anyone else. He disliked my last boyfriend so much that I w... more

Q: My fiancé and I are looking forward to getting married. But we've run into a conflict concerning finances. Should we have joint or separate checking accounts after we're married?... more

Q: Working from home during the pandemic was a revelation for me about what my wife does as a stay-at-home mom caring for two little kids. Now that I'm back at the office, how can I continue to help s... more

Q: My husband was an excellent athlete growing up, and now so is our son. But the boy doesn't enjoy playing because of the pressure he gets from Dad to perform. This is becoming a real source of tensi... more

Q: I love learning about the past. But it bothers me when I see people's ignorance of history on full display -- and I'm discouraged that our culture doesn't seem to value its importance anymore. I wa... more

Q: Our family schedules are always crazy, but the past year has made it worse. Whether I'm working from home or go to the office, I often don't finish until at least 6 p.m. Then I have to fix dinner w... more

Q: I grew up without a dad. Now I'm married and my wife is expecting our first child. I'm feeling anxious and unprepared. What does it take to be a good father?... more

Q: I'm worried about my 10-month-old granddaughter's health. I love my son and daughter-in-law. But when I visited last week, the house was filled with trash, moldy food was stuck to the carpet and di... more