South African Christian News: Telling the God Stories of Africa
Q: Is it appropriate for my mom to demand that I – a 30-something independent woman – allow her to “vet” the men in my life? She insists it’s her prerogative and responsibility as a parent. I have a potential suitor who’s visiting from out of town, and my mother […]
Q: With Christmas drawing near, I’m really NOT looking forward to getting together with family, because there’s a lot of unresolved conflict just beneath the surface. Do you have any advice for handling an awkward situation? Graeme: The beautiful thing about family is the deep connection that binds members together […]
Q: When should I take the car keys away from my aging father? His senses aren’t as sharp as they used to be, and the older he gets, the more responsible I feel to protect his safety. Graeme: You’re in a delicate spot. Not only does it feel awkward to […]
Q: Our son is matriculating, and we’re really struggling with what his next step should be. We want to offer him the prospect of a bright future, but formal education has never been his forte. He’s very gifted mechanically and enthusiastically works on our cars and projects around the house. […]
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY Q: Despite our best parenting efforts, our adult son has developed a talent for making dumb decisions and behaving irresponsibly. He recently financed an expensive car he couldn’t afford, only to write it off three weeks later – after he’d cancelled the insurance. He’s now in […]
Q: Should children be taught to defend themselves when physically attacked, or should they “turn the other cheek”? We’ve taught our kids that physical violence is never acceptable. Unfortunately, the school playground is a rough and painful place for our son, and he’s already dreading the upcoming school year. Graeme: […]
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY Q: Sometimes I feel that my wife and I spend so much time in our roles as mom and dad that we neglect our own relationship. Do we just need to recognise that our needs as a couple have to be put on hold until our […]
Q: My husband and I agree that overall, our marriage is in good shape. But we know we can probably do even better. What are some simple things we can try? Graeme: I like the analogy presented by author Kim Wier. This is the time of year when we think […]
Q: Our two teenagers — brother and sister — both seem to get overwhelmed when they’re assigned tasks at home or school. They start projects but don’t finish them. Do you have any advice? Graeme: There’s a great quote attributed to Mark Twain: “The secret to getting ahead is getting […]
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY Q: My husband and I are expecting our first child (a boy). We want to raise him to be kind and respectful, but as we watch other parents we’re beginning to realise that it might be easier said than done. Do you have any suggestions? Graeme: […]