Family Matters

When a mother and father parent with the same agenda and discipline style, a happier and safer environment is created for the children as they understand their boundaries. When parents are divided in their parenting style it can cause a lot of problems with kids being confused and lacking the safety of consistency. In a situation where there has been a divorce, the parenting strategy still needs to remain intact as far as possible.

Have you experienced the battle of waking your child up in the morning to go to school? Sometimes even an early riser will procrastinate getting out of bed with various delay tactics. The good news is: You’re not alone.

Should I go back to my dad's house after seeing some pictures of naked women in "dirty" magazines that he left lying around the living room? This experience was very upsetting to me. My parents are divorced, but I have a close relationship with my father and spend every other weekend at his house. After seeing what I saw, I don't think I want to go back there anymore. How should I handle this?

Parents, imagine the gut-wrenching feeling you would have at the thought of a babysitter abusing your child. Leaving our children in the care of another requires a sense of trust in that person, so when that trust becomes questionable there’s the reason for major concern.

When should a parent be concerned about a child’s introverted behavior? On the next Family Matters we’ll be discussing the possibilities of deeper issues related to a child isolating him or herself,

It’s not easy for a divorced parent to stay well connected with his or her children when the court has ruled custody in favor of your ex, and you only see the children for a day or two every other week.

Becoming a parent for the first time might cause you to feel a little anxious, or maybe even scared to the bone. But the unknown of your next adventure with your offspring shouldn’t have to cause you sleepless nights, wracking your brain as to how you’re going to manage the extra responsibility.

Is it wise and healthy for your marriage when you accept ‘friend’ requests from old flames on social media? Some might say, there’s absolutely no harm in staying in touch, while others may have stories to tell of those online friendships causing havoc in their marriages.

Every parent wants their child to listen well, follow instructions and be able to have a meaningful conversation with them. But, in so many homes, there are nagging parents and defiant children facing up against one another on a daily basis. We’ll talk about ways to effectively communicate with kids.

How do I deal with the reality of having lost all physical attraction for my severely overweight husband? I've tried to be encouraging and understanding. I've made healthy meals for us, offered to exercise with him, and listened empathetically to his frustrations for years, but he hasn't shown interest in doing anything to change his situation. I don't think he's depressed, but all he wants to do is eat and sit around and and watch TV. It's gotten to where sexual intimacy is just a loving act of service on my part – there's no pleasure.