How do I grant my child increasing freedom without being too permissive? Or, to put it another way, how do I keep her safe without being overprotective? I have a twelve-year-old who keeps telling me that she’s old enough to go places by herself. For example, she wants to be able to ride her bike …
Everyday Parenting Q&A
Is the quality of time I spend with my family more important than the quantity?
What are your thoughts on corporal punishment as a method of child discipline? Do you think spanking is an appropriate and effective way to correct undesirable behavior? As first-time parents, we want to be certain that we’re doing what’s best for our child. Can you offer us some guidelines?
How can we help our kids become more responsible with their money? Can you suggest a workable budget plan that we can use to teach them the true value of a dollar?
What’s your perspective on the celebration of Christmas? How do you understand the meaning of the holiday, and what are your feelings about some of the more “fanciful” symbols and traditions, including Santa Claus, that have become such a big part of it?
Can you help us decide on a strategy for giving our child the best possible education? Our daughter is ready to start school, and we want her to get her moving in the right direction. What kind of options and alternatives are available to us?
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 is your opinion about overnight group activities for elementary grade children? We want our kids to have fun and participate with their friends, but we’re concerned about exposing them to inappropriate influences. Are we overreacting?
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?
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 …