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 11/17/2017
Recently, a mother asked how she and her husband could make their 16-year-old son stop talking disrespectfully to them. So far, she said, they'd complained, threatened and occasionally taken his...
Read MorePosted on 5/23/2017
Q: Our 18-year-old daughter is a month away from high school graduation and she is failing nearly every class! About six months ago, she took up with a group of young adults who are less than...
Read MorePosted on 5/3/2017
When my son, Eric, began showing interest in girls, I reflected back upon the foibles and fiascoes of my adolescence and promised myself he would be better prepared for datinghood. Undertaking...
Read MorePosted on 11/22/2016
Q: In last week’s column, you advised parents not to argue with teenagers. That’s fine and dandy advice, John, but you failed to tell your readers how to stay out of or end these arguments. For...
Read MorePosted on 11/15/2016
My advice to The Wall Street Journal, the only news source to which I subscribe: Stop trying to be all things to all people. Specifically, stop giving parenting advice. The latest attempt by...
Read MorePosted on 8/9/2016
Greg Fulton thinks his teenage daughter, who’s already hit three solid objects with her car—thankfully, no humans or other moving vehicles included—would do better with a car that comes equipped...
Read MorePosted on 7/5/2016
Q: What can we reasonably expect of our 18-year-old daughter when she comes home on weekends from her summer job? She usually heads straight to her boyfriend's family’s home and rolls in around 3...
Read MorePosted on 6/9/2016
The depraved excepted, parents do not enjoy making children unhappy. Nevertheless, sometimes it is in a child's best interest that parents - while not deliberately trying to induce unhappiness -...
Read MorePosted on 1/12/2016
Q: My ex-husband and I have pretty much fifty-fifty custody of our 15-year-old son, who has become infected with his father’s disrespect for me. When he’s with me, he makes it very clear that he...
Read MorePosted 2 days ago
My son just turned 13. Since he started 7th grade in September he has been rude, disrespectful and mean. Its like he goes out of his way to make me, my 11 y/o son and 8 y/o daughter upset. Every...
Read MorePosted 1 week ago
How can I prepare my son for college? I'm trying to pass more responsibility to him to help encourage him to become more independant and self sufficient.
Read MorePosted 2 weeks ago
I have a 13 year old who lives primarily with me (mom and stepdad and half siblings.) She visits with her dad, stepmom, and other half siblings every other weekend. For the past several years, she...
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 2/15/2018
I am really enjoying John's book, Teen Proofing! Thanks, John! We have a brand new 12-year-old boy who has switched over from being kind, thoughtful, and sweet to being disrespectful,...
Read MorePosted on 2/6/2018
I have a 17 year old, a 15 year old and a 13 year old all whom believe life completely and utterly revolves around them. the 17 year old boy refuses to look for work, he has let his learners...
Read MorePosted on 1/14/2018
Do you think i need to text her once in a while and ask how is she doing? I guess i just want to make sure that I do this right, this time, Should I still let her know I am here in her life no...
Read MorePosted on 1/14/2018
I am having a continuous issue with my daughter lying about going to boys' houses. She always tells me she is going to a girl friend's but is really going to a boys. Our rules are 1. Be honest...
Read MorePosted on 1/13/2018
Now my daughter is with her biological father who rented an extended stay for himself and her close to school, so she can finish school now. It's her last year and she needs to start applying for...
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 1/8/2015
This is an entertaining and informative talk on understanding and managing even the most petulant of today’s teenagers. The talk was recorded live before an audience in San Diego, CA and is based...
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