Posted 3 weeks ago
No question about it, the peer group exerts great influence on teenagers. From the way they dress to the way they carry their books, the stamp of peer pressure is upon them. If the influence is...
Read MorePosted 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 8/22/2017
Q: Our son attends first grade at the local public school. At the beginning of the school year, all the parents were basically told that we are expected to go to the school’s parent website every...
Read MorePosted on 4/11/2017
During my sophomore year at Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois, my guidance counselor, Mr. Gusloff, refused my request to take auto shop because I was, he said, college-bound and my...
Read MorePosted on 1/31/2017
Q: Our 15-year-old daughter has become, over the past year or so, quite a disruptive influence in our normally peaceful home. She was a gem until she entered high school when she almost overnight...
Read MorePosted on 1/18/2017
Q: I found a vaping pen hidden in my 13-year-old son's room and am at a loss as to how to deal with it. He is very susceptible to peer pressure and wants very badly to fit in with the "cool"...
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 8/24/2016
Q: In a recent column, you advise that stepparents have complete disciplinary authority over all children who live in or visit the home, but do you feel the same policy should apply when the...
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 6 days ago
My 13 year old daughter and my ex-husband are currently a problem. My ex has taken her to a therapist without telling me for the last 3 years and we have joint legal and physcial custody. Our...
Read MorePosted 2 weeks ago
Our son will not complete any chore he asked to do. He will start a chore, (cleaning fish tanks and cleaning horse stalls) after being told many times but he doesn't complete it thoroughly after...
Read MorePosted 3 weeks ago
My son is a great student and a talented athlete. He is in 8th grade and during middle school I made him play soccer, take band, run track and just this past year he decided (on his own!!) to try...
Read MorePosted 3 weeks ago
My 14 year old son Is about to finish the eighth grade. His school issues each student a chromebook for classroom use. Today, I received an email saying that my son had been caught watching videos...
Read MorePosted on 4/20/2018
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 on 4/16/2018
what resources do you recommend for the parents of a 14 year old boy who is engaged in an eating pattern which is headed to anorexia. we have a medical doctor, dietitian, and a sports trainer...
Read MorePosted on 4/10/2018
It seems lately I'm constantly trying to undo the last 10 years worth of damage that I've created. I take full responsibility for that but the question is always how. My daughters 12 and 9 have...
Read MorePosted on 4/6/2018
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 4/1/2018
Hello my 13 year old daughter pierced her ears at home after I told her I thought she was too young to have a second piercing. I have stripped her of all electronics and taken away her jewelry. I...
Read MorePosted on 3/27/2018
hi there I have been dating my BF for about a year. I have never been around his kids yet although they do know of me and our children used to be friends before they moved away. My bf has spent a...
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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