Preteens

Talking to Your Kids (All of Them) About Choking
A dear sweet friend of mine nearly lost her son the other night. Just a few seconds, maybe a minute more and she'd be planning a funeral right now. Here's her story: Sam, our fourteen-year-old, came stumbling into my bedroom on Saturday night at ten, crying pretty hard and saying, "Mom, I don't know what happened,…
My Son Wants to Use Stronger Words
A reader asks, "I have a question I'd appreciate being posted anonymously, please. My 12-year-old son came to me with this: he would like permission to use some "stronger" words to use on certain occasions. He had some good friends who use words like "cr-p"and "dang", and he says he feels left out when all…
Q&A What’s Up With My Air-Headed 8th Grader?
Nicole asks on our page, "I am looking for some practical ways to deal with my, for true lack of a better word, air-headed 8th grade man-child. I thought we were coming out of this stage, but lately if I tell him to clean the living room and vacuum, he will clean the living room…
Q&A: What About A Child Who Wants To Boss His Siblings?
Often we're asked, what do you do about a child who wants to police his younger brother, boss him around, and assume authority over him?   Is it ever appropriate for an older sibling to have authority over a younger one? Well, sure -- sometimes your teenager is babysitting the little ones, or driving his…
Q&A: My Ten Year Old is Looking Up Sex Online! What Do I Do?
A reader writes, "I follow your page all the time. I first heard you guys speak at the homeschooling conference in North Carolina. I need HELP! I have 4 boys. I have already dealt with the introduction to porn with my first two, both were exposed to it at a Christian friend's home. We have…
Q&A: My 10-yo Threatened to Run Away!
A reader asks, "How do you deal with a child who threatens to run away from home, or if your child has done it, how did you deal with it? I don't know what my options are, but my 10 year old lately has been acting very immature, and when I told him to clean…
Q&A: My Son Says He’s an Agnostic. Help?
Please pray. My son says he is an agnostic. I am so worried about him. He said he'd accepted Christ when he was six, but now this. What do I do? This can be one of the most upsetting things a parent can deal with. I will never forget the day I was driving along…
Q&A How & When Do You Share Disturbing News with Your Children?
After the Oregon shooting this week, a reader asked, "How and when do you share news like this with your children? I haven't shared much "news" with my children but I have older ones and I want to expose them to more. What sources do you use or do you just pass the news to…