by admin | Jul 21, 2017 | Dear Family Coach
The Front Seat and Bickering Siblings for 07/21/2017
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: My wife lets my 10-year-old sit in the front seat of the car. She says it’s no big deal, but it freaks me out. Am I overreacting? – Scared Dad
Dear Dad: You aren’t overreacting. The safest place for a child to ride in the car is buckled up in the back seat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics, in the absence of state regulations, recommend that a child under the age of 13 sit in the back seat. Why? Because car accidents are a leading cause of death and severe injury in children, and air bags in the front seat contribute to the danger.
Updated: Fri Jul 21, 2017
The Front Seat and Bickering Siblings for 07/21/2017
by admin | Jul 15, 2017 | Dear Family Coach
Costume Dreams and Game Night Resistance for 07/15/2017
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: Last year, my daughter, who was 8 years old, wanted her own Halloween costume to be her favorite singer, Lady Gaga. The costume was sparkly and glittery and revealed a lot of skin. I was uncomfortable with it and promised to get it next year. I figured she’d forget, but she keeps mentioning her Lady Gaga costume, even though Halloween is months away. I don’t know what to do. The costume makes her look like a Vegas showgirl. But I gave my word. What to do? – Conservative Mom
Dear Mom: Oops, you made one of the classic parenting blunders. You made a promise hoping your Lady Gaga-obsessed daughter would forget. Of course she didn’t forget. She’s 8, not 2. She loves her some Lady Gaga and wants to dress like her idol. You should never have tried to push it off or make her forget. Now you have to live up to your word, lest you want to teach her that words mean nothing.
Updated: Sat Jul 15, 2017
Costume Dreams and Game Night Resistance for 07/15/2017
by admin | Jul 14, 2017 | Dear Family Coach
Overeating Boys and a Strong-Willed Girl for 07/14/2017
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: My boys, 10 and 11 years old, are terrific eaters. They love fruits and vegetables and trying all kinds of new foods. But their appetites have grown, and they seem to be getting a little chunky. How can I help them lose a few pounds without ruining their love of eating? – Food Lover, Too
Dear Food Lover: Wow, you’ve somehow cracked the picky eating code. It’s terrific that your boys love food and are adventurous eaters. They sound like a pleasure to have around the dining table. However, it is still a good idea to make sure you are creating healthy eating habits.
Updated: Fri Jul 14, 2017
Overeating Boys and a Strong-Willed Girl for 07/14/2017
by admin | Jul 8, 2017 | Dear Family Coach
A Gentleman’s Club and a Homesick Camper for 07/08/2017
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: My son turns 18 in a couple of weeks, and for his birthday he asked me to take him to a strip club. I’m divorced from his mom, and he knows I go to gentleman’s clubs every so often. But this feels sort of … wrong. How should I handle this? – A Gentleman
Dear Gentleman: A gentleman? I’m not so sure. As a woman, I have a hard time with educating children to view other women solely as sex objects placed on the planet to satisfy the male sex drive. It’s true that your son is 18 and legally an adult. But you indoctrinated him into this culture years ago when you let him know of your interest in watching naked women dance around you for money.
Women have every right to make money as they so choose. But most women at that club are probably dancing because they are out of options. They may make good money, but at what cost? You didn’t mention a daughter, but if you had one, would you want her dancing for men like you? I doubt most parents dream of this life for their girls.
Updated: Sat Jul 08, 2017
A Gentleman’s Club and a Homesick Camper for 07/08/2017
by admin | Jul 7, 2017 | Dear Family Coach
Unholy Holocaust Remembrance and a Pet Snake for 07/07/2017
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: My grandmother died in a concentration camp in the Holocaust. This might sound weird, but as a tribute to her memory, my 20-year-old daughter wants to find out her camp number and have it tattooed on her body. She views this as a beautiful ode, however, I am beyond horrified. Legally, I can’t do anything. But what can I say to make my feelings clear? – Sad Dad
Dear Dad: Your daughter wants to honor the great-grandmother she never knew. She doesn’t want the world to forget what happened to her. Her great-grandmother existed before the horror of the Holocaust killed her. In your daughter’s mind, how better to be connected to her than to share the same tattoo she had? Your daughter’s tribute is a beautiful thought, but her logic is supremely flawed.
Updated: Fri Jul 07, 2017
Unholy Holocaust Remembrance and a Pet Snake for 07/07/2017
by admin | Jul 1, 2017 | Dear Family Coach
Homosexual Mothers and a Crier for 07/01/2017
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: I’m a Christian, and I believe homosexuality is a sin. My daughter is friends with a girl who is being raised by two mothers. They seem like perfectly nice people, but I do not approve of their lifestyle and do not want their choices to rub off on my child. Is it OK for me to not let her see her friend, or at least keep her from visiting her house? – Principles Mom
Dear Mom: You may be a Christian, but I don’t think you are upholding those values as much as I believe you could be. I don’t agree with you about homosexuality, but you are entitled to your beliefs and values. You may teach your children as you see fit. However, I don’t think you are practicing tolerance and acceptance. Imagine if the family with two mothers told their kid she shouldn’t play with your child because you are the sinner. How would you feel? Imagine how your child would feel. I’m guessing pretty crappy.
Updated: Sat Jul 01, 2017
Homosexual Mothers and a Crier for 07/01/2017
