Parenting

Motherhood makes Renee feel uptight and anxiety-ridden, and she thinks she's failing her two little girls.   💡Dr. Laura: "Allow yourself to be engaged and silly with your kids, and you'll...

Parenting

I have three young adult children who are all responsible, respectable, contributing citizens. While far from being the ideal parents, my husband and I did our best. We take pride in our...

Parenting

Michelle is wondering if public school would be more beneficial than home schooling for her 7-year-old who loves to be the center of attention.   💡Dr. Laura: "Homeschooling parents have to...

Parenting

In part two of this call, Kelsey and her mother talk about how quickly the dynamics between Kelsey and her child changed for the better once grandma stopped getting involved in the...

Parenting

Kelsey feels like she's constantly battling her toddler, and it doesn't help that her own mother is often in the middle of her attempts to parent her child.   💡Dr. Laura: "Your...

Parenting

When my daughter was finishing her junior year of high school, it looked like she wasn’t going to graduate, and I was done crying, yelling and begging her to do what she needed to do. I...

Parenting

There once was a boy from Forest Hills, NY who went on many fun adventures. He started his own business which he ran for 56 years, and he and his wife had a daughter – their one and only,...

Parenting

Years ago, I went through a divorce. I thought I would find another bride and move on with my life. I had three young children and, at the time, didn’t realize I shouldn’t do that.

Parenting

Several years ago, I called you because my teenage son had to be dragged kicking and screaming into adulthood. He wasn’t moving forward, getting a job or going to college, and I was beyond...

Parenting

When I finally became a mom, I went from no kids to two kids overnight. My twin boys woke up every one or two hours through the night until they were seven months old. I was so exhausted,...

Parenting

How can Laura avoid making her children feel like her love is contingent upon them living up to her expectations?   Dr. Laura: "Love is continuous; approval is earned."

Parenting

My wife and I have a happy and healthy baby boy as our first child. My wife stopped working and is a stay-at-home mom and loves every minute of it. We got an email from our pediatrician’s...

Parenting

Kathy's daughter is headed to high school, and Kathy is worried that she's too naive about boys and sexuality.   Dr. Laura: "How to handle herself under pressure and desire is what's...

Parenting

How should Rachel react to her 7-year-old who says he's not a good son?   Dr. Laura: "Kids need us to help them solve problems, not put Band-Aids on them."

Parenting

My parents reared me from the school of hard knocks, and I hated it back then, but have come to love it now. I thought their making an 11-year-old buy her first 10-speed Schwinn bike with...

Parenting

I’ve always thought that the phrase “I’m going to have a baby” should be banned. In its place, if we all said “I’m going to raise a child,” I believe men and women would be forced to view...

Parenting

For fifteen years, I had a large family childcare in my home (14 children plus my own). I honestly thought I was doing the right thing. I was helping families to keep their children...

Parenting

Amy and Jason ask Dr. Laura how best to guide their young daughter away from making some of the mistakes that her female relatives have made.   Dr. Laura: "Teach your daughter acceptable...

Parenting

Coliese questions her choice to keep tracking her adult children’s locations to calm her worries.   Dr. Laura: "You don’t need surveillance for your adult children to know you love them."

Parenting

Recently, my ten-year-old son and I were talking about our family. I asked him, “Do you think I love Dad?” He said “Yes.” So, I asked, “What makes you think that?” He replied “Because you...

Parenting

Should Jim and Bonnie pay for part of their son's wedding even though he is disappointing them by living with his fiancé and planning to change his last name to initials after marriage?   ...

Parenting

A listener sent me this brilliant story and I thought I'd share it with the rest of you.

Parenting

Jerome is an older dad with a 9-year-old son who worries about death and living without his father.   Dr. Laura: "Remind your son that you're teaching him how to handle life on his own and...

Parenting

Cara and her husband would like to start a family, and she calls Dr. Laura for tips on how to help ensure they're ready.   Dr. Laura: "Approach parenthood as a team with a plan for the...

Parenting

Should Susan give her opinion or keep her mouth shut about her son who wants to live with his girlfriend for a year before he proposes?   Dr. Laura: "Shacking up is self-centered....

Parenting

Ramon is upset that, instead of giving unconditional love, his 22-year-old son will only have a relationship with him if he agrees to go to therapy and AA.   Dr. Laura: "The quality of your...

Parenting

Heather is a single mom who says her son needs to course-correct, and she wonders if military school is the best option.   Dr. Laura: "Boys need the influence of strong males."

Parenting

Michael's daughter calls and texts him several times a day to vent about her marriage trouble, but he knows it's not helping her.   Dr. Laura: "Encouraging her to seek professional help is...

Parenting

Cynthia and her husband do not agree on the proper way to parent their kids, and it's damaging their relationship.   Dr. Laura: "It's hard to be a good parent when mom and dad are at odds"

Parenting

I had a mom who chose to climb the corporate ladder rather than raise her children. Growing up, I hardly ever saw her. We were left with babysitters or relatives while my parents were...

Parenting

Ron's daughter falsely accused a boy in her class of hitting her, and Ron would like Dr. Laura's advice on how to handle the situation.   Dr. Laura: "Teach her that character should never...

Parenting

When my son was in fifth grade, he was an excellent student, but struggled in his “keyboarding” class (that’s what we used to call “typing” class). So, I started to sit near him while he...

Parenting

Patty worries that her daughter is too young and introverted to go to a large college far from home.   Dr. Laura: "Let your daughter go so she can put the things you've taught her to use."

Parenting

My husband and I have twin boys, and we recently moved to a state that had a lower cost of living and good public schools (the public and private schools where we lived before were...

Parenting

April's teenage daughter has some disabilities and insists that her parents should be lenient on her because of them.   Dr. Laura: "Guide your daughter to make wise decisions despite life's...

Parenting

Jen says her two teenage children constantly challenge her and reject her advice.   Dr. Laura: "Young adults earn power only as they become responsible for themselves."

Parenting

Susan says she's concerned that her daughters are bickering and arguing because that's what they see their parents doing.   Dr. Laura: "It's more satisfying to be loved than perceived to be...

Parenting

Heather needs Dr. Laura's advice for how to guide her daughter out of the destructive behavior of posting provocative pictures on social media.   Dr. Laura: "Encourage your daughter to...

Parenting

I’ve listened to you my entire life and the only piece of advice I didn’t listen to was as it pertained to giving my children electronic devices with internet access. We are good and...

Parenting

I recently stumbled on a handwritten Valentine from my oldest son (who’s now an adult). It was written years ago when he was a young teen. Colored in crayons on the front to look like it...

Parenting

Is Sarah's only child truly not interested in trying new activities, or is he reluctant because he fears disappointing his father?   Dr. Laura: "Your approval is your child's greatest...

Parenting

One day you read a section of your children’s book “Why Do You Love Me?” to a caller, and I thought it was so wonderful, I bought it immediately. I am a stay-at-home mom to two boys, and I...

Parenting

What can Joy do about her teenage son who is failing despite being bright because he skips school and doesn't turn in his homework?   Dr. Laura: "Hug your mom and say, “The most important...

Parenting

My son was about seven when he lied about something not that serious – brushing his teeth. We talked about the character of someone who tells the truth, how they can be depended on, how...

Parenting

I read this touching email over the air last week. This is a better answer to the cost of daycare than I've ever given. The explanation I give about daycare when I consolidate it is "it's...

Parenting

Lindsey is worried that her 10-year-old daughter needs too much reassurance from her.   Dr. Laura: "It's a wonderful thing to have a mom to learn from."

Parenting

My wife and I have always found great parenting advice in the pre-flight instructions given by flight attendants, that is, that parents should put their oxygen masks on first in case of an...

Parenting

Sabrina's 13-year-old is encountering some nasty teen drama, and Sabrina wants to shield her from any pain.   Dr. Laura: "Learning to deal with negative situations is part of life."

Parenting

Matthew says his daughter is constantly putting herself down, and he's looking for ways to help improve her self-esteem.   Dr. Laura: "Kids like attention even when it's for negative...

Parenting

I recently came across a poem I had cross-stitched into a wall hanging that was in a prominent location in my house when my kids were little, and I thought you would appreciate it. The...

Parenting

How can Leroy help his daughter overcome her anxiety when she performs less than perfectly in school and sports?   Dr. Laura: "Illustrate to your children that people don't have to be...