Growing Concerns 2008-04-24
We've recently purchased a new home in a nearby suburb and will move a few weeks before school begins in the fall. Our kids (ages 6, 8 and 10) seem very worried - and even angry - about moving. Are there any special steps we should take to make it easier for them?

Growing Concerns 2008-04-10
Since my kids were born I feel like I've lost myself. I've always been taught that parents need to sacrifice their needs for their kids, so I feel guilty if I do something just for me. But I'm afraid I'll burn out and make life worse for my kids in the long run.

Growing Concerns 2008-04-03
When I tell our kids to do anything like clean up their room, help with the dishes or stop playing and get ready for bed, they grumble and fuss - or outright refuse to do what I ask. I feel like I'm spending every evening in a battle trying to get the kids to cooperate. How can I break this cycle?

Growing Concerns 2008-03-27
We were visiting my cousin's family in another city over the weekend and when we got home we discovered that our five-year-old son had brought home a toy that belongs to their child. Their child has more toys than any kid I've ever seen, so he probably won't even miss it. But should we discipline our son anyway and, if so, how?

Growing Concerns 2008-03-28
Our next-door neighbor's child behaves very badly and seems to be unsupervised much of the time. We worry about his safety and about the bad influence he might have on our children, but we're not sure what to do since it's not really our place to discipline someone else's child. Do you have any suggestions?

Growing Concerns 2008-03-13
Some time ago you wrote about postpartum depression in new mothers, but I'm wondering if there's such a thing as postpartum depression for new dads too. Beginning a couple of weeks after the birth of our first child, my husband seemed to sink into a deep slump. Could this be postpartum depression? And, if it is, how could this affect our son's development?

Growing Concerns 2008-03-06
Our second-grader is talking about having sleepovers, but we're not sure she's old enough. We're especially uneasy about the idea of slumber parties, and yet that seems to be a big thing with our friends' kids. At what age is it OK and what can parents do to make sleepovers manageable?

Growing Concerns 2008-02-28
My wife and I are going to begin a trial separation while we decide whether or not we can get past some serious difficulties in our marriage. We have two children, ages 6 and 8, and we're not sure what to tell them about why we're going to live apart. How much can they understand and what do they need to know?

Growing Concerns 2008-02-14
My husband and I both grew up in homes where no one ever talked about sex. We want to do things differently with our children, but we need some guidance about when and how to take on this touchy subject.

Growing Concerns 2008-02-07
My wife and daughter always have been very close, but over the past few months our daughter (now 14) has become rude and irritable toward her mother. It seems like my wife can't say or do anything right. I don't want to interfere, but the bickering is driving me nuts. Should I intervene? And, if so, how?

Growing Concerns 2008-01-31
We might move in with my in-laws for about a year to save some money. They have a three-bedroom house which means that my kids (a 2-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl) would have to share a room -- and possibly a bed. Is there any reason why either sharing a room or sharing a bed would be detrimental to the kids?

Growing Concerns 2008-01-24
Our 7-year-old daughter comes home every week announcing that she's "in love" with some boy. Since when do 7-year-olds fall in love? And how should we parents respond so that she doesn't end up being too boy-crazy?

Growing Concerns 2008-01-03
Our daughter is clamoring to be allowed to go shopping at the mall with friends (without an adult along) when she turns 12 in a few weeks. We're hearing the familiar line, "All the other parents let their kids," but we're not sure she's old enough for that kind of independence. What do you think?

Growing Concerns 2007-12-20
Our 5-year-old son, who started kindergarten this year, is outgoing and confident during the day, but at night he still likes to take his old "blankie" to bed with him. My husband teases him about it, saying, "Look at the big baby!" Should we push him to give up the blanket? And, if not, how can I get my husband to quit the teasing?

Growing Concerns 2007-12-13
Last winter our teenage son died and now we're sadly facing the first Christmas without him. We have two other children and we're grappling with how to help them find some pleasure in this holiday season without denying the fact that it's going to be very hard. We welcome your suggestions of things we can do -- and things to look out for.

Growing Concerns 2007-12-06
This holiday season is a wonderful time of giving -- to family, friends, and hopefully even to others in need. Certainly it is in the holiday spirit to focus on the needs and desires of others and to give with love, joy and enthusiasm. But the spirit of the season is also reflected in the way we receive gifts.

Growing Concerns 2007-11-29
I've recently started doing child care in my home for several young children and I've observed some sexual curiosity that I'm not quite sure what to make of. Can you provide some guidelines about what is normal for young children and any problem signs that I ought to be aware of?

Growing Concerns 2007-11-21
I take care of our baby when my wife goes to class two nights a week. We play and cuddle and do just fine together. But when my wife is home, the baby only wants her. He won't even let me rock him to sleep. Why does my baby prefer mom?

Growing Concerns 2007-11-15
Perhaps more than any other holiday, Thanksgiving gets me thinking about the value of family rituals. There's nothing like the smell of turkey, a nice fluffy mound of mashed potatoes, and a big slab of pumpkin pie to bring a family together. And each time those familiar Thanksgiving routines are repeated, the sights and sounds and smells conjure up images of all of the holidays that went before.

Growing Concerns 2007-11-08
My mother-in-law is very upset that my four-month-old uses a pacifier. She worries that we're making a sissy out of him and she says that it will give him crooked teeth. Should we be concerned?

Growing Concerns 2007-11-01
Our son always has done very well in school. However, this year (in fifth grade) he has quite a bit of homework, including some long-term projects, and he's losing points in class because his assignments are incomplete or he loses his papers. I want to help him, but my husband says it's important for our son to take responsibility.

Growing Concerns 2007-10-25
For you parents who have lost trust in your teen daughters, here are some tips for how to handle this challenging, but not uncommon, situation.

Growing Concerns (2007-10-18)
My wife and I are expecting our first child in four months. Although we get along pretty well together, I'm worried that will change when the baby comes. My wife's parents were very permissive and spoiled their kids by giving them everything. My parents were much stricter and always made us toe the line and earn the things we wanted. How can we present a united front as parents when our backgrounds are so different?

Growing Concerns (2007-10-11)
My four-year-old son recently lost his maternal grandfather. It was his first experience with death and I think he's having a difficult time. He says things like, "I don't love Grandpa anymore. He died." Or, "Old and sick people die. Is grandma going to die (or mom, or dad, or me)?" Do you have any suggestions for how I can help him deal with this?

Growing Concerns (2007-10-04)
My husband and I recently divorced and now, after four years of staying home with my son, in a few weeks I have to go back to work full-time and he will enter a childcare center. I am concerned that this transition will be really hard for my son, especially since his dad is no longer going to be living with us. What can I do to help my son get through this difficult time?

Growing Concerns (2007-09-27)
My 9-year-old son (a third grader) was always a sweet, easy-going, happy child. But in the last few weeks he's become increasingly belligerent with his sisters and sullen with us. I keep hearing that kids go into adolescent rebellion earlier than ever, but could this possibly be what's up with a 9-year-old?

Growing Concerns (2007-09-20)
My husband and I are expecting our second child. We have been trying to prepare our 2-year-old son, but he is not interested at all when we try to bring up the subject of the new baby. Do you have any suggestions on how we can prepare our son or at least get him interested in talking about his new sibling?

Growing Concerns (2007-09-13)
Recently a neighbor told me she saw my 15--year-old son and his friend drinking beer. I¿m furious with my son but I'm not at all sure what to say to him.

Growing Concerns (2007-09-06)
My sister recently had a baby, and now she seems to have a bad case of the "baby blues." I went through some of this as well after my last baby, but I'm worried that hers is becoming a more serious depression. How do you tell the difference between a real depression and just a normal period of adjustment?

Growing Concerns (2007-08-30)
Our 7-year-old son is always running to one of us to tattle on his brother or one of the other kids in the neighborhood. Is there a way to nip this tattletale behavior in the bud?

Growing Concerns (2007-08-09)
My mom is worried about my baby because she says he's too skinny. I say he's just fine, but she has this idea that a baby isn't healthy unless he's chubby. How can I know for sure, and what can I tell my mom?

Growing Concerns (2007-07-26)
Getting my 4-year-old off to childcare and myself off to work has become a morning nightmare. He doesn't want to get out of bed, resists when I try to dress him and hardly touches his breakfast. What can I do? Once he gets to childcare, he gets along fine with the other kids and seems to like his teacher a lot.

Growing Concerns (2007-08-02)
Yesterday I saw a young mother really lose it with her toddler at the grocery store. The child was throwing a fit because he wanted to get out of the cart, so the mom slapped him and yelled at him. I wanted to do something, but I wasn't sure what was appropriate. Now I can't get the image out of my mind, and I wonder how I might have helped.

Growing Concerns (2007-08-07)
This is a special Growing Concerns column that focuses on how to help children cope with the 35W Bridge Tragedy.

Growing Concerns (2007-08-23)
I'm trying to raise my 2-and-a-half year old son to be non-violent, but three times in the past month he's been bitten by another boy at day-care, and I'm so angry I'm tempted to tell him to punch the other kid in the nose. The daycare provider said my son's typical response is to look at the other boy sternly and say, "biting is NOT okay!" That sounds cute, but if this keeps up I'm afraid my boy is going to become an easy target for bullies. Do you think I should toughen him up a little?

Growing Concerns (2007-07-19)
My 3-year-old daughter has been on the waiting list for two preschools and we just found out she got into both for this fall. So now it's decision time and we're torn about which one to send her to. One is a lively, play-oriented school where the kids look like they're having a lot of fun. The other is a more quiet, serious environment with a strong emphasis on reading and math. The schools in our suburb are very competitive and we don't want our daughter to start kindergarten at a disadvantage. But our guts tell us she needs time to be a kid.

Growing Concerns (2007-07-12)
What can I do to help my 8-year-old grandson overcome a negative attitude? He loves to play games and draw pictures, yet he is unsure of himself and usually figures things will not turn out the way he wants. He is being raised by his mother, my ex-daughter-in-law, who comes from a negative family -- always feeling they have been dealt the worst. I suspect that was one of the underlying reasons for the breakup of his parents.

Growing Concerns (2007-07-05)
My husband and I are about to have our first child. My 75-year-old father-in-law is retired and has lots of time on his hands. He says he is eager to baby-sit and to take the baby on outings when my husband and I are at work. My mother-in-law still works full-time, so she will seldom be around to help. I really love my father-in-law and appreciate how excited he is about becoming a grandfather. But the problem is that over the past year he has become increasingly absent-minded and disorganized and my husband and I are not comfortable leaving the baby alone with him.

Growing Concerns (2007-06-28)
My brothers see the 4th of July as a time for loud (and illegal) fireworks, too much beer and dirty jokes. This is not what we want for our kids, and we're trying to figure out how to make it a special time without falling into these old family patterns that have made holidays unpleasant for us in the past.

Growing Concerns (2007-06-21)
My husband and I are planning to write our will. We are trying to decide who should take care of our two children should we pass on. Our familial choices are both limited and many. I come from a big family yet I have problems with my siblings from a viewpoint of child rearing. How can I address this issue? How does one decide? And what should I think about that is in the best interest of my kids?

Growing Concerns (2007-06-14)
Our 5-year-old son and his best friend from preschool seem to be obsessed with bathroom humor. They think it's hilarious just to say words like "butt, fart, or pee-pee" and sometimes encourage each other to say them in front of adults (even strangers) just to get a reaction. What's the best way to put a lid on this tiresome behavior? And is it anything to worry about?

Growing Concerns (2007-06-06)
Should a 3-year-old have a TV/DVD player in his bedroom so that he can go to his room to watch movies and TV when his parents are not interested in watching the same program?

Growing Concerns (2007-05-27)
Four months ago we adopted a two-year-old boy. He often wakes up crying in the middle of the night, his moods are unpredictable, and, even when he's not fussing or fighting, he rarely smiles. We have given him a stable, loving home, but it doesn't seem to be enough.

Consciousness and consciences
Graduate students Thomas Johnson and Emanuelle Wessels are using critical media studies to fight media illiteracy

Brand aids
Successful brands can create an aura about things. But a few years ago, U professor Mary Vavrus noticed a new kind of branding: one that targets people.

Growing Concerns (2007-05-10)
I have a 3-week-old baby boy whom I tried to breastfeed. But despite lots of effort and all kinds of outside help, it just didn't work. Is there anything I can do to make sure our attachment is good even though I have to bottle feed him?

Growing Concerns (2007-04-26)
My ex-husband recently remarried and he and his new wife are scheduled to take our 8-year-old daughter on a 10-day vacation to Florida at the beginning of the summer. However, now my daughter cries and says she doesn¿t want to go. In all honesty, I¿m afraid she may have picked up my negative feelings and I¿m not sure how to undo that and make this whole thing easier.

Fighting words
Ann Hironaka's new research shows that civil wars are nearly three times longer than they were 60 years ago. What's behind this disconcerting trend? And what does it mean for Iraq?

Do they make the grade?
High school exit exams are supposed to make sure students have truly ¿earned¿ their diplomas. But are they an accurate measure? And what happens to those students who fail? Associate Professor Rob Warren makes it his mission to find out.

Growing Concerns (2007-04-06)
We recently watched a video of when my now 4-year-old daughter was the age of our 20-month-old son. It was amazing how much more verbal she was at his age. I don't think we've read as much to our son as we did to our daughter, although now his bedtime routine includes books. I'm afraid he may have suffered from being the second child.