Spotlight E.P. News

DAD’S CONTROL OVER SON BECOMES LESS INFLUENTIAL OVER TIME

Posted on 12. May, 2011 by admin.

Q: As a dad, how much control should I have over our 17-year-old son when it comes to dating?

Juli: Let’s start out with the unpleasant truth that you actually have no control over what your 17-year-old does about much of anything. If you ever had control when he was younger, those days are long gone. In fact, by trying to control his behavior, you’re likely to do more damage than good, either prompting him to rebel or impeding his maturity as a young man. So, instead, let’s use the word influence.

Continue Reading

EMBARRASSING DISCOVERY PUTS GRANDPARENTS IN AWKWARD SPOT

Posted on 01. Apr, 2011 by admin.

QUESTION: Our 14-year-old granddaughter was recently staying with us. After she left, I looked at the history on our Internet browser and realized that she had been visiting porn sites and sexually explicit chat rooms. What do I do with this information?

Continue Reading

DAD MUST MAKE DAUGHTERS’ VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL

Posted on 10. Feb, 2011 by admin.

Q: My wife and I have three teenage daughters and I’m dreading the drama that comes with Valentine’s Day. They are already talking about not having boyfriends for Valentine’s Day. As a father, how do I help them weather all of the focus on romance and boyfriends?

Continue Reading

TANTRUMS CAN BE QUELLED WITH EFFECTIVE PARENTING

Posted on 06. Jan, 2011 by admin.

Q: Little kids seem to lose their tempers a lot and my own young son is no exception. Do you have any suggestions for dealing with this?

Jim: You’re right that this is a common occurrence — we hear from a lot of parents who face this challenge. My own two boys have been known to engage in some epic tantrums on occasion. Often, it’s simply a matter of helping your child learn how to be more self-controlled. Author Lynne M. Thompson has developed a list of what she calls “anger busters for kids.” Here are a few of them:

Continue Reading

FIND BALANCE WHEN PLANNING NEW BABY’S SLEEP SCHEDULE

Posted on 24. Nov, 2010 by admin.

Q: I’m expecting my second child soon and a friend gave me a book that’s supposed to help infants get on a regular sleeping schedule right away. I did a little online research and discovered this book is controversial. However, I really need something like this because my first child didn’t sleep through the night until after her first birthday! Is scheduling OK?

Continue Reading

TANTRUMS CAN BE QUELLED WITH EFFECTIVE PARENTING

Posted on 05. Nov, 2010 by admin.

Q: Little kids seem to lose their tempers a lot and my own young son is no exception. Do you have any suggestions for dealing with this?

Jim: You’re right that this is a common occurrence — we hear from a lot of parents who face this challenge. My own two boys have been known to engage in some epic tantrums on occasion. Often, it’s simply a matter of helping your child learn how to be more self-controlled. Author Lynne M. Thompson has developed a list of what she calls “anger busters for kids.” Here are a few of them:

Continue Reading

DATING CAN BE DAMAGING TO YOUNG TEENS’ SELF-ESTEEM

Posted on 22. Oct, 2010 by admin.

Q: Our 14-year-old daughter is asking us about dating, and my husband and I have told her she’ll have to wait until she’s 16 for maturity reasons. But this doesn’t seem to satisfy her questions. Can you help? We want her to know this is about love, not control, and that we want to help protect her from sexual temptation.

Continue Reading

MOTHER MUST PROTECT KIDS FROM EX-HUSBAND

Posted on 14. Oct, 2010 by admin.

Q: Years ago my former husband was convicted of molesting our daughter (now age 9), and his parole will be ending soon. Our children (we also have a son, age 11) haven’t seen him since 2002 and neither one remembers him. I’ve been told he’s in a good church and is doing well. I’m trying to decide if he should have any contact with our children — even letters and pictures. I’m not comfortable with this and I don’t want to risk hurting my kids again after we’ve made so much progress. But I also don’t want my kids to hate me or blame me for not letting them know their dad. What do you think?

Continue Reading

GRANDPARENTS NEED TO RESPECT PARENTS’ BOUNDARIES WITH KIDS

Posted on 10. Sep, 2010 by admin.

QUESTION: I don’t like the way my son and his wife are raising their kids. I don’t want to interfere, but shouldn’t I have a say in what’s good for my own grandchildren?

Juli: There is an excellent chance that your son and daughter-in-law know that you have some concerns about how they’re raising your grandkids.

Continue Reading

KIDS TIRE EASILY AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH PUBERTY

Posted on 19. Aug, 2010 by admin.

QUESTION: My thirteen-year-old daughter has become increasingly lazy in the past couple of years. She lies around the house and will sleep half a day on Saturday. She complains about being tired a lot. Is this typical of early adolescence? How should I deal with it?
DR. DOBSON: It is not uncommon for boys and girls to experience fatigue during the years of puberty. Their physical resources are being invested in a rapid growth process during that time, leaving less energy for other activities. This period doesn’t last very long and is usually followed by the most energetic time of life.

Continue Reading

THE CULTURE AT LARGE AFFECTS QUALITY OF KIDS’ EDUCATION

Posted on 06. Aug, 2010 by admin.

QUESTION: You’ve been somewhat critical of America’s public schools in recent years. Who do you hold accountable for what has gone wrong?
DR. DOBSON: I share the concern of many others about falling test scores, increasing violence on campuses, and the high illiteracy rate, among other serious problems with today’s schools. But I am not quick to blame educators for everything that has gone wrong.

Continue Reading

FATHERS’ INFLUENCE KEY TO DAUGHTERS’ SELF-ESTEEM

Posted on 30. Jul, 2010 by admin.

QUESTION: Talk about a father’s impact on his daughter and what he should hope to accomplish through that relationship.
DR. DOBSON: Fathers have an incalculable impact on their daughters. Most psychologists believe, and I am one of them, that all future romantic relationships are influenced positively or negatively by the way a girl interacts with her dad in the childhood years.

Continue Reading

PARENTS MUST MAKE TIME FOR THEIR REBELLIOUS TEENS

Posted on 23. Jul, 2010 by admin.

Question: Teenage rebellion has hit our home at last. My 15-year-old son’s rotten attitude just went from bad to worse! How do I get him through the “rapids” of adolescence without rocking the boat any more than absolutely necessary?
DR. DOBSON: First of all, you need to recognize that the trial you’re facing is “common to man.” Adolescent revolt is hormonally driven and occurs in the best of families. When hostility and rebellion begin to appear, how do you keep your boys (and girls) from blowing up and doing something stupid?

Continue Reading