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Urgent Need: As the back-to-school season begins, more parents are reaching out for biblical help, but giving has slowed and Focus on the Family is facing a $2 million ministry shortfall.
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Families are in crisis this back-to-school season

Your gift by August 31 will help reach them with biblical guidance, restore hope in their homes, and point them to Christ.

Families are in crisis this back-to-school season

Urgent Need: As the back-to-school season begins, families are facing mounting pressure—tough choices, cultural confusion, and strained relationships.

Will you make a gift before August 31 to help provide Christ-centered support in this critical season?

$
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Families are in crisis this back-to-school season

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Parenting Q&A

creepy gate with cobwebs

Child Can’t Sleep After Watching a Scary Movie

How can we help our preschooler overcome his fears and get to sleep at night after watching a disturbing “kids’ movie” we got from the library? He’s been hysterical at bedtime ever since viewing this film and keeps us up half the night because he won’t go to sleep alone. What can we do about …

large group sitting by lake

My Child Has Joined a Cult

Can you offer any guidance to parents whose child has recently become a member of a cult? Our family has been completely blindsided by this. We have no clue what our options are or what we ought to do, practically, legally, and otherwise. We really need your help!

boy with angry face holding toy dinosaur

Child Uses Profanity

How can I stop my child from swearing and using “dirty words?” It’s a bad habit he’s developed, and I’ve confronted him about this several times. But the problem only seems to be getting worse. I’m frustrated. Do you have any advice for me?

school bus in small town

Dealing With a Child’s Fear of the School Bus

How can we help our child overcome his terror of the school bus? The school is too far away for him to walk, and my wife and I both work, so it isn’t feasible to drive him back and forth every day. What can we do?

boy sitting in dark looking sad

Effects of Sarcasm on Kids

Will my sarcastic style of humor hurt my children? I’ve always tended to express myself in a wry, ironic way. It’s all a joke, and I don’t mean any harm by it. But now my spouse is telling me that this is going to be damaging to our kids, especially as they move into the …

dad feeding toddler

Helping Kids Develop Good Eating Habits

Do you have any tips for parents who want to inspire their children to maintain a healthy diet? Our two children are still very small, but we want to start training them early to develop good eating habits.

family holding hands praying at dinner table

Maximizing Enjoyment of Family Meals

How can we get the most out of our family dinner times? Our family recently committed to sharing mealtimes together at least three times a week. It was an adjustment in the beginning. There were a lot of rough spots, but I’m pleased to say that we’re already seeing some positive results. At this point …

twin babies

Parenting Twins

Is there anything special we need to know about raising twins? We just became the proud parents of two precious children, and we’d like to get our family off on the right foot. Any advice or suggestions?

Little girl writing

Schooling Options

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?

Teens three guys two girls walking down street

Teaching Girls to Be Discerning About Relationships

How can we teach our girls to be more discerning about relationships? I understand that girls are more relational than boys, but sometimes I worry that my two “tween” daughters are over the top and out of control in this area. Honestly, they soak up new “friendships” like a sponge, seemingly without any discernment or …

toddler girl smiling, mom in background

When to Tell Your Kids You’re Pregnant

When should I tell my children that we’re having a baby? We have two daughters, ages 2 and 4, and my husband and I are anxious to share the news with them. At the same time, we have reasons for being concerned about the possibility of another miscarriage (I had one about six months ago). …

woman bottle feeding baby

Evaluating the Pros and Cons of Breastfeeding

Would you or would you not recommend that a first-time mother consider nursing her newborn infant? What are the advantages and disadvantages of breastfeeding? I’m anxious to do what’s best for my baby, but I’m also a little worried about becoming “tied down” by nursing. What do you think?

teachers and preschool students reading

Preschool Pros and Cons

Do you think it’s a good idea to take a small child out of the home and place him in an institutional setting for a number of hours every week? We’ve been considering preschool for our little boy, but we’re not sure if the pros outweigh the cons. What’s your perspective?

teen boy with arms crossed

Tackling Adolescent Rebellion

How do we deal with a defiant teenager? For some reason, our son has recently gone off the deep end. He’s skipping out on school, drinking, smoking, and making all kinds of dangerously bad decisions. Nothing we say makes any difference in his behavior. The last straw came when we had to bail him out …

grandmother with young grandkids

Explaining a Grandparent’s Affair to Children

How do I tell my young children (ages eight, seven, and four) that their grandparents – my husband’s mom and dad – are splitting up as a result of Grandpa’s involvement with another woman? Since these grandparents live out of state, we only see them every three to four months or so. We don’t plan …

Girl holding adult hand looking at lights

Maintaining Holiday Traditions While Mom and Dad Are Separated

Should my husband and I spend Christmas morning together with the kids at his parents’ house in spite of the fact that we’ve been separated for four months? He said he wants me to come because he’s hoping to be present next year when it’s my turn to have the kids on Christmas morning. Although …

girl angry clenching fists

Adoption: Identifying the Signs of Sensory Processing Disorder

How can I know if my child has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)? I’m an adoptive parent of a high-risk child. I’m beginning to think that some aspects of her behavior might be explained by SPD. In particular, it seems that some of her otherwise unexplainable outbursts and meltdowns might be triggered by sensory overload. How …

silouette of girl on pier at sunset

Helping Teens Overcome Poor Body Image

Do you have any advice for parents trying to help a teenager who struggles with bad feelings about her figure and physical appearance? Our daughter has a poor body image and a distressingly negative view of herself, but she won’t talk about it. How do we bring this up without smothering her, alienating her or …

teen begging on street

Preventing Teens From Running Away

What should we do if we suspect that our adolescent son is making plans to run away? Is there something we can do to prevent this from happening?

What are some of the traits seen in people with ADHD?

What are some of the traits seen in children and adults with ADHD?