In this column, Dr. Gramma Karen responds to a grandmother who has cut off from her granddaughter. She was always close with her son and struggles to understand why he has disengaged from her over the past years.
Tag: Relationships
We all need human connection, although we don’t always do our best to cultivate and foster the relationships we value so much. Stable relationships form in infancy. A child’s earliest relationships with caregivers and family members shape her future connections. Read from the Mommybites Relationships archive. From advice for new moms, to marital relations, to relationships within an extended family, you’re sure to find something beneficial.
5 Steps to Deal With a Toddler Talking Back
Whether it’s a toddler’s defiant “No,” or a teenager screaming, “You can’t make me,” backtalk is enough to make any parent’s blood boil. What’s worse, it often seems our natural reaction to backtalk (“How dare you speak to me that way” or “You’ll do it because I said so, young lady!”) only makes the problem […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Family Wants to Exclude Grandmother from Family Trip
Including grandparents on family vacations can be difficult with age. Check on Dr. Gramma Karen’s advice to a reader who wants their parent to stay home.
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Parents Feel Rejected by Son Who Was Close To Them
My husband and I have five kids, who mean the world to us. They have always enjoyed each other’s company and have been close. Recently, my 23-year-old son Michael, married Anna, who is 20. Since high school he has lived away, attending college in another state, and then living in Europe. We have always been close; when he was away, he used to call me several times a week.
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Reader’s Comments and an Update about Sibling Reconciliation
Several readers commented about the sister who was making a decision about whether to reconcile with a brother from whom she had been estranged for many years. Read their thoughts and a new update on the situation.
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Sister Questions a Reconciliation with Her Brother
Sibling relationships can change drastically over time. Check out this reader’s struggle with her sibling, and Dr. Gramma Karen’s expert advice on the future.
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: What NOT to Say to Your Grandchildren!
This is an unabridged version of a column I wrote for GRAND Magazine. Summertime, for many families, means more time together for grandparents and grandchildren. To help grandparents increase the chances that these special times with their grandchildren are comfortable and happy for everyone, I compiled a list of communication showstoppers – that is, things […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: The Effects of 2020 on Relationships
2020 has been the year of evaluating relationships, new and old. Dr. Gramma Karen gives some inspiration for the year ahead with readers’ comments on how their relationships changed in 2020.