by admin | Feb 17, 2018 | Dear Family Coach
Eating Paper and Test Anxiety for 02/17/2018
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: My 7-year-old son is always ripping the pages off of books and eating them. All the corners are gone and eaten. I have no idea what to do about this, or if I should even do anything about this. Is this normal or a problem? – Not So Sure
Dear Not So Sure: Well, it probably isn’t a problem, but it’s worth checking out. Eating nonfood items is a symptom of a disorder called Pica. One of the most common nonfood items ingested is paper. It’s so common is has a name: Xylophagia. There are a variety of reasons people do it. Your son may have obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Anxiety could be the culprit, as could simple boredom. It’s also possible that paper eating might be just tip of the iceberg. There are numerous serious medical concerns when people ingest paper, including intestinal obstruction, perforation and infections. So it’s important to double-check that this issue isn’t more serious.
Updated: Sat Feb 17, 2018
Eating Paper and Test Anxiety for 02/17/2018
by admin | Feb 10, 2018 | Dear Family Coach
Broken Cellphone and Therapy-Averse Dad for 02/10/2018
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: I know my son broke his cellphone on purpose so he could get a newer one. He denies it, but I have proof. He needs a phone. But I’m hesitant to get this for him, since it feels like I would be rewarding dishonesty. What should I do? –Mad
Dear Mad: You say he needs a phone. Well, maybe he doesn’t. Generations of children survived quite well without a phone in their back pocket. It would be even easier to be in touch nowadays, as nearly every other man, woman and child over the age of 12 has a phone he could borrow.
Updated: Sat Feb 10, 2018
Broken Cellphone and Therapy-Averse Dad for 02/10/2018
by admin | Feb 3, 2018 | Dear Family Coach
A Prying Parent and a Persuasive Son for 02/03/2018
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: I ask my fifth-grader obsessively about her day – who did she eat lunch with? Who did she hang with on the playground? Where was Girl X? Who did Girl Y hang out with? She has always talked openly with me about everything, but she is starting to keep things to herself. I know that is supposed to happen, but I really love details. How do I satiate my own need to know while still respecting the privacy I know she needs? – Nosey Parker
Dear Nosey: You are in for a long adolescence. Younger children tend to be more forthcoming about their day-to-day adventures. But as puberty ensues, they drift away from the home front and move closer to a private life.
Updated: Sat Feb 03, 2018
A Prying Parent and a Persuasive Son for 02/03/2018
by admin | Jan 27, 2018 | Dear Family Coach
A Recital Disaster and Avoiding Overscheduling for 01/27/2018
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: At a recent piano recital, my daughter bombed. For weeks leading up to it the teacher asked my daughter to stop and practice this one section more because she wasn’t getting it. I also kept calling my daughter out when she practiced, to stop and try it again. My daughter would get mad, but I was just doing what the teacher kept asking her to do. Considering the less than stellar performance, what do we say to her about it? – Disappointed
Dear Disappointed: Before I answer, I have one question for you to ponder: Do you want to be honest or kind? Because you likely can’t be both.
Updated: Sat Jan 27, 2018
A Recital Disaster and Avoiding Overscheduling for 01/27/2018
by admin | Jan 20, 2018 | Dear Family Coach
A Friend’s Birth Control and Teen Chats for 01/20/2018
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: I’ve always been close with my 16-year-old daughter’s best friend. Recently, she confided in my that she is sexually active and would like to acquire some birth control. Her mother is a strict believer of abstinence and won’t entertain the idea of birth control. Would it be wrong to take her to the doctor myself without discussing it with her mother? – BFF Mom
Dear Mom: That’s quite the tricky situation. Dealing with an unintended pregnancy at 16 would surely cause difficulty for this girl. But being sexually active and taking medication behind her mother’s back could also cause considerable strife.
Updated: Sat Jan 20, 2018
A Friend’s Birth Control and Teen Chats for 01/20/2018
by admin | Jan 13, 2018 | Dear Family Coach
A Classmate’s Suicide and an Unfriendly Mom Friend for 01/13/2018
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: A child in my daughter’s high school committed suicide over the holiday break. My daughter didn’t know the child and doesn’t seem particularly bothered by the incident. I’m not sure if I should discuss this incident or just let it blow over. Any advice? – Scared
Dear Scared: Teenage suicide is certainly cause for alarm. Impulsivity paired with hormonal mood swings and the rise of social media make even one suicide worrying.
Updated: Sat Jan 13, 2018
A Classmate’s Suicide and an Unfriendly Mom Friend for 01/13/2018
