14 yr. old wants belly button ring!- My 14 year old daughter wants
to get her belly button pierced! I was
appalled and said NO WAY, but she
is acting as if I killed her best friend.
I am afraid that I may have
overreacted and that she may rebel
against me. We have a fairly close relationship, but
this decision seems to have really upset her and she
seems very distant. What should I do?
As They Grow - Reader's Q & A- Each week a reader's question is posted here. We encourage you to leave your comments and tell us all what has worked for you.
Come read Ms. Strum's advice to other parents,
or ask her a question of your own and she'll try
to answer it in her column!
Can I discipline the child I babysit?- I babysit a friends little girl three days a week. While the child is with me she is very good, a perfect little angel. When her mom is around she becomes a totally different person. She smacks her mother in the face, raises her voice and screams at her the moment she walks through the door. She also smacks my youngest child but only in her mothers presence.
Can't leave my child's room!- I have a 4 yr old boy who won't let us leave his room at night after his story. He insists that we stay with him until he falls asleep. If he awakes during the night, he goes back to sleep ok once we tell him to. I think it started when we moved him from his crib to his bed.
Dealing with the biological mom- I am getting ready to re-marry, and I have a future step-daughter who is 5 yrs. old. My Fiance' and the girl's mother were never married, but this was not by her choice and she is resentful and jealous. She has recently re-married herself. I am a Christian and would like her interference and manipulation to cease.
Disrespectful teen!- My 14 year old daughter has become extremely disrespectful. We can't ask her a simple question or comment on an everyday thing without getting an attitude-filled, smart mouthed response from her. I realize some of this is due to her age, but this type of behavior is unacceptable to us. The younger children in the family are even starting to mimic her. I'd love some advice on how best to handle this. Maybe someone else has experienced this type of problem before.
Eating Poorly- My son, Cole is 2 1/2 and only eats waffles and french fries. He used to like chicken nuggets, grilled cheese and fish sticks but has given up on them. This is very frustrating since he is not getting the proper nutrition. Forcing him only causes wars. HELP!!
Force a lefty to go righty?- I have a 3 1/2 preschooler, she writes with her left hand and even eats with her left hand. May dad keeps on insisting that I correct her. He said it's not nice and proper for a girl to be a 'lefty'. But I do not want to because I believe that those who are left handed tend to be artistically inclined and intelligent. He's been trying to correct my girl and she told me that she's having a difficult time writing with her right hand. HELP!
Getting rid of the bottle- How can I get my 28-month old daughter to give up her bottle? She still drinks 5 to 7 8 oz. bottles every day. She drinks from a cup just fine -- but not milk. Will she give it up without being forced to?
Is my child too slow?- My oldest daughter is a very bright young lady. Our problem is that she is very slow about doing things. This wasn't a big deal until she started kindergarten this year. She is such a perfectionist her teacher told us she has to organize all her crayons before she'll even begin to color. She spends more time daydreaming than doing her work. How can I motivate her to work faster?
Misbehaving in public!- "My 3 year old daughter has recently started misbehaving in public. I hate to spank her in the middle of a store, but how can I make her behave?"
My 4 year Old Sucks Her Thumb- I have a 4 yr old that has sucked her thumb since she was 2. I have tried everything: spices, hot pepper, hot sauce, nail polish on the finger nail, spanking, corner, etc. You name it, it's been done. Please give me some advice!
My child picks his nose!- My 8 year old son picks his nose. It's disgusting but he seems to do it without knowing it! How can I help him kick the habit?
My daughter doesn't like them.- My 3-year old daughter is usually very well behaved, but whenever we get together with a few of my in-laws she starts misbehaving. She has never taken to either of them, and I honestly believe that she just doesn't like them.
My Daughter Whines Too Much!- I have a 3 year daughter that whines all the time. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I try to stay positive but this really tries my patience.
My grandkids won't talk to me!- How does a grandmother deal with divorce, when it comes to the grandchildren? They will not communicate with me when they are with their mom(ages 6 & 8). When they are with my son, they are totally different (like it use to be).
My Son Hates School!- Michael, my 7 year old son, hates school. He whines every morning about getting ready and says how he doesn't want to go. He thinks he can't do anything right and never wants to do his homework. I need some homework tips and ideas on making school more fun. Please!
My son is lagging behind!- I am a mother of a very precocious 3-year-old girl who has always done EVERYTHING way ahead of schedule. However, her 2-year-old brother is lagging way behind every other child his age that I know. I know each child is an individual and is uniquely different from each other, but it's impossible not to notice how immature he is. I'm starting to wonder if there is something wrong with him?
R Rated movies in the classroom- My 13 year old's social studies teacher recently sent home a note stating that he intends to show portions of 2 "R -rated" movies with a war theme in class to emphasize the horrors of World War II. (Saving Private Ryan & Schindler's List) Having seen these movies I know they are very graphic and upsetting, even to an adult. I denied my child permission to see these films in class. Did I overreact?
Toddler Standing On Chairs- Our 18 month old insists on standing on chairs. Short of removing every piece of furniture in the house, what are some suggestions to stop this behavior?
Very shy five year old- My five year old is extremely shy and will not talk when around other people. She doesn't talk at church, school or with her school friends. A couple of weeks ago we had a family birthday party for our two year old and the five year old didn't say anything all evening. The people that were here were all family not strangers. What can we do? Is this something that she will outgrow or should we be trying to do something about it?
What type of pet should we get for our kids?- We have three children, ages 8, 5 and 3. We would like to get a pet but am not sure if we should get a cat or a dog. Any suggestions on the type of pet, how to teach the children respect for the animal, and any other advice is welcome!
Won't use the potty for BM's!- I have a son that is almost 4 and 1/2 and we have tried everything we can think of, but we cannot get him to have his BM in the toilet! He has been using the toilet to go potty for almost 2 years. Help! or my son will be having accidents in kindergarten!
Thanksgiving
The leaves are almost done falling and Thanksgiving is quickly approaching! Whether you are looking for fun crafts, great recipes, or costume ideas, you'll find it all here. Here are a few examples to get you started...
Family Matters Radio
FMR is a nationally syndicated radio program developed to help you live your best life, hosted by Caroline & Jacquie. No rants and raves - you get enough of that from your kids. Choose a segment below to begin listening!
Win Fun Stuff!
Missed the last couple of newsletters? Haven't visited for a while? This section highlights articles and crafts that have recently been added to FC...
