Posted on 2/21/2018
Q: When our daughter, an only child, turned thirteen and entered the 8th grade, it was like a switch was flipped. Almost overnight, she went from being a sweet, respectful and obedient child who...
Read MorePosted on 9/6/2017
Responding to my recent columns on video games and smart phones, a reader asks what the problem is, thus proving that these devices can and do cause serious harm to one’s cognitive hardware. He,...
Read MorePosted on 8/9/2017
When I was a child, a popular comic strip was "There Oughta Be a Law." It ran in the paper that came to our doorstep every morning and was one of the first things I went to when it was my turn to...
Read MorePosted on 7/26/2017
Have you ever heard of an addict who was cured of his or her addiction because someone limited, but did not eliminate, their access to the substance or behavior in question? No, you have not. Is...
Read MorePosted on 2/7/2017
As regular readers of this column already know, I am completely, one hundred percent opposed to children, including teenagers still living at home, being in possession of smart phones. No parent...
Read MorePosted on 6/21/2016
Q: Our 12-year-old has a smart phone. I know you don’t approve, but all—and I do mean all—of his friends have them and texting is how they communicate. I don’t think, under the circumstances, that...
Read MorePosted on 2/10/2016
A 4-year-old boy informed his preschool teacher—a friend of mine—that he’d broken his iPad. “Oh!” my friend said. “What a shame. Did you drop it?” “No,” the boy said,...
Read MorePosted on 2/2/2016
Q: We would like to limit our 16-year-old son’s video game and cell phone time. We think homework should come first and then free time. He wants to relax with his video game and phone after...
Read MorePosted on 4/22/2014
The Wall Street Journal says there’s no difference between a child whose primary interest is reading and a child who uses social media obsessively. In WSJ’s March 22-23 “Mind and Matter” column,...
Read MorePosted on 4/8/2014
Q: Our 14-year-old son seems depressed-to us, at least. His principal sees no sign of depression but thinks he's socially anxious. The subjects of counseling and medication have come up. We have...
Read MorePosted on 3/5/2018
My 9+ year old talks back to teachers and classmates, calls other students names, won't follow directions of teachers and refuses to do what he's been told (one teacher captured it perfectly...
Read MorePosted on 2/16/2018
The private school my children attend requires the use of tablets instead of books. My son has had trouble using it properly. It was stripped of all access to games and online media; however, he...
Read MorePosted on 2/1/2018
My husband and I disagree on how much video time the children can have. I don't think its appropriate on school nights, even if they get their chores/homework done. My husband thinks it has been a...
Read MorePosted on 12/29/2017
My 13 yr old son is disrespectful to his Dad! My son knows how to push his buttons to the point my husband says hurtful words like "you're a bad human" and loses control and starts to yell. I do...
Read MorePosted on 12/14/2017
How should I punish a straight “A” student who accessed Netflix without parent permission. She has to have some access to google classroom for high school so I can’t take away her electronics...
Read MorePosted on 12/14/2017
I recently found a nude picture of a boy on my 15 year old daughter's phone and one of her chest. I assume they are exchanging pictures. I am horrified and am thinking of the best consequence to...
Read MorePosted on 12/13/2017
My 15 year old asked if she could have Netflix. We told her we’d like to see her show us that she can manage her time better before we say yes. Gave her some thoughts on what we would like to...
Read MorePosted on 11/15/2017
I have noticed that parents writing in about problems with kids and phones are repeatedly told to take the device away and the child can have it when they can purchase their own device. I don't...
Read MorePosted on 11/3/2017
We have homeschooled our 3 kids for all of their school years. Last year we enrolled our son (now 16.5) in online public schooling because he refused to be cooperative with school work. Online...
Read MorePosted on 10/4/2017
So, in response to the answer to my question I have a few other questions. In the past few days a lot has transpired and my husband and I really had it out over my son. I understand a lot of his...
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