Expect More Out of Your Kids

by Matthew Allen Earlier this week, I participated in a discussion concerning alcohol and advertising. The debate was over whether alcohol companies target youth in their advertising. There is very strong evidence to suggest that the alcohol companies do in fact target adolescent audiences even though such persons are under the legal age to consume alcohol.…

Read More

My nine-year-old is lazy and nothing seems to work

Question: I am having issues with my nine-year-old son.  He has such a bad and lazy attitude about school, school work, and homework (and most things he is told to do).  He has the ability to do the work, but he seems to don’t care.  He has been like this since kindergarten; so I know it’s…

Read More

How do you prevent sibling rivalry?

Question: I was reading some thoughts shared recently by those who are finishing up their years of homeschooling their children.  One thing that struck me, in particular, was one mother’s mention of how she enjoyed her children’s teenage years.  That is really something!  My five daughters currently range in age from 1 year to almost…

Read More

Questions about spanking, privacy, and clothing choices.

Question: I have three boys who are actually not my stepsons yet.  Their mother, who is widowed, and I are going to be married in about two weeks. We are maintaining a biblical relationship. However, I am a teacher, so I am free to handle childcare over the summer, where she is not.  In order…

Read More

Family Time Together Is Essential

by W. Frank Walton in Biblical Insights, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2005 Time together is the bonding mortar that binds family members together before God in love Giving Thanks Psalm 107 “Hear, my son, and accept My sayings and the years of your life will be many. I have directed you in the way of…

Read More

Why has my preteen daughter started growing armpit hair?

Question: Why has my pre-teen daughter started growing armpit hair? She’s 10! Answer: Auxiliary hair, such as armpit hair, can show up in a typical girl anywhere from 10 to 16 years of age. The average time for developing auxiliary hair is 11. So your daughter is within the normal range. Question: But a hedge?…

Read More

My eight-year-old is having erections and he says they hurt

Question: My son just turned 8 and is having erections. He tells me it hurts and burns. I told him to put a cold wet cloth on it so it will go down. My husband tells me it is normal, but he seems so young and it seems to hurt. Is this normal and any…

Read More

Can a ten-year-old have pubic hair?

Question: Can a ten-year-old have pubic hair? Answer: Yes, if they started puberty early. Girls can start puberty as early as eight and boys can start puberty as early as nine. For further details, see either: “What is Happening to Me?” in Growing Up in the Lord: A Study for Teenage Boys “What is Happening to…

Read More