My husband, my two sons (ages seven and nine) and I live next door to my sister, her husband and their seven-year-old daughter and ten-year-old son. We intentionally live near each other; we all get along really well and there is a lot of back and forth between our two houses. A few weeks ago […]
Tag: advice
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: My Step-Grandchildren Lack Discipline
I am a step-grandma. My concern is about my twin 5-year-old grandsons, who are at times delightful, at other times holy terrors (times two!). I’ve had a conversation with their mother, who tells me she and her husband use time-outs and then taking away toys for punishment. However, these children hit, do reckless things (like […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Grandparents’ Favoritism Is Upsetting Young Parents
My husband and I have two sons, a four-year old, and a two-and-a-half-year old. We are dealing with some grandparent favoritism issues. My husband’s parents will drop everything for their daughter’s family (who has two kids, three and six), but my family and kids always seem to come second. For example, after my husband and […]
A Grandmother Is Hesitant to Voice Concerns about Granddaughters’ Dietary Habits
I have a question requesting clarification on your column, “Aunt Has Issues with Her Niece”. This situation is real for me in regards to my daughter-in-law, Megan, and her two daughters, Laura (age 10) and Amanda (age 4). They recently moved near us and I now spend more time with them. In your advice you […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Readers’ Comments On “An Incident Changes Inter-Family Dynamics”
Conflict can change inter-family dynamics, and it can often be stressful to try to figure out how to deal with these issues. Check out Dr. Gramma Karen’s helpful perspective on these problems.
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Grandmother Taken to Task For Sharing Personal Experiences
My daughter Rose, who is not speaking to me at the moment, texted me that I should read your column “Should Grandparents Share Their Views on Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol?” Here is why she isn’t speaking to me.
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Grandparents’ Political Rants Are Upsetting
I grew up in a household in which religion and politics were very important. After I moved away and put myself through college, I formed views contrary to those of my parents. As a result, they laughingly refer to me as “their failure.” I am now married to a great guy (we are alike in […]
Potty Training Advice for Every Stage: Teleclass Re-cap
Knowledge is power! So last week, we held a fun and informative teleclass in partnership with Happy Family and DeeandDoo. Dr. Lynne Kenney expertly walked us through how to take the stress out of potty training with fun filled facts and activities. Dr. Kenney covered such topics as the ideal age to potty train, the use […]