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
by admin | Jan 6, 2018 | Dear Family Coach
A Square Peg and Walking to School for 01/06/2018
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: My wife and I are raising three kids. We are a sporty high-achievement family. As parents, we have been instilling the values of hard work and persistence. Unfortunately, my youngest son doesn’t seem to be fitting in with the rest of us. Every time I try to work with him it feels like jamming a square peg into a round hole. He is pulling away more and more. What’s the best way to help him fall in line better with the rest of us and follow our family values? – Concerned
Dear Concerned: Frankly, I’m concerned more about you than your youngest. So he doesn’t fit in perfectly. That doesn’t have to be cause for alarm or reason to have to “work” with your son.
Updated: Sat Jan 06, 2018
A Square Peg and Walking to School for 01/06/2018
by admin | Dec 30, 2017 | Dear Family Coach
Party Pooper and Sleepovers for 12/30/2017
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: My family has been invited to a New Year’s Eve party. There will be lots of food, kids and karaoke. My 14-year-old daughter doesn’t want to go. She wants to stay home by herself. She often tries to opt out of family plans she isn’t particularly jazzed about. I think she should be forced to join the family sometimes. Is this right? – Mad Mom
Dear Mom: Teenagers routinely want to do nothing with their families. They want to sleep in and be left alone in their rooms right after a brief moment of socialization while foraging for food. Now, with teens being connected with all of their friends through tiny handheld devices, it makes it ever more difficult to motivate them to get out of the house. Teens start to act as if family time were passe and everything were boring.
Updated: Sat Dec 30, 2017
Party Pooper and Sleepovers for 12/30/2017
by admin | Dec 23, 2017 | Dear Family Coach
A Cheater and a Gaming Spender for 12/23/2017
Dear Family Coach
Dear Family Coach: My 16-year-old daughter was caught cheating on a test. She was overwhelmed and made a bad choice. Now it seems like it will ruin all of her hard work because it will be reported to colleges. She is beyond distraught, and I’m worried about her. What can I do to minimize the damage here? – Panic-Stricken
Dear Panic: This is bound to be a difficult time for both you and your daughter. She made a mistake, and that in and of itself is painful. But when that mistake has lasting consequences, hopelessness and depression can creep in. Keep an eye on your daughter for signs of her giving up or not caring anymore about her future. Make sure to get her to a counselor if her depression worsens.
Updated: Sat Dec 23, 2017
A Cheater and a Gaming Spender for 12/23/2017
