Questions from parents
Q. My teenaged son and his long-time buddy are viewing pornography on the internet. I know this only because his sister ratted him out. My husband says that it is no different from reading Playboy which he did as a teen. Do I need to be worried? A. There is nothing new about pornography. If … Read more
Dr. James appeared as a guest on a recent episode of the award-winning radio program With Good Reason. Her segment is at the beginning of the show – click here to listen to her thought-provoking discussion with Sarah McConnell. Abigail’s experience in the classroom at the beginning of her teaching career led her to kicking … Read more
Q. My son is almost a year old and hasn’t really started talking yet. I know that is normal for boys, but I am concerned that he doesn’t have any way to tell me what he wants. He just points and makes noises. A friend suggested that I teach him basic sign language. Will that … Read more
Q. I’ve recently read that boys really aren’t having trouble in school, that it is all hype. Is that true? A. A recent report by the American Association for University Women (AAUW) entitled Where the girls are: the facts about gender equity in education says that there is no “boy crisis” in schools. The report … Read more
Q. My little boy doesn’t play properly with his toys. He is always taking them apart and putting them together in odd ways. I will sit down with him and try to get him to see how things work, but he either gets mad at me or wonders off. Should I be concerned? A. Welcome … Read more
Q. Several of the girls in my math class say that they don’t “test well.” They all do well on homework and work in class as long as it is not timed, but the minute that the word test is mentioned, they panic. Why is this a problem for the girls in my class? A. … Read more
Q. My son has been playing little league baseball and he really enjoys playing even though his team doesn’t win a lot of games. In the recent tournament at the end of the season, everyone on his team received participation trophies. I found his in the trash the other day. What is with that? A. … Read more
Q. I have such a hard time disciplining my boy. I try to get him to see that his behavior hurts other people, but that does not seem to get him to want to be better. What can I do? A. Boys require structure in their lives. All they need to know is whether a … Read more
Q. When my son comes home from school, he gets plugged into the computer playing games or watching TV. His school says that he can’t pay attention in class and I don’t understand why if he can pay attention at home and not at school. A. There is evidence that the longer children, particularly boys, … Read more
Q. My son is in a soccer league on weekends and they practice several times a week after school. He is not the best player, but does get some time on the field. He says he does not enjoy it, but I know that he needs the exercise. Is there anything else he can do? … Read more