Blending Families

In the Church there is a lot of focus on what is seen as the ideal family, but many people live in different circumstances than this stereotypical family. When we talk about families, we frequently think of a certain ideal; a family where both parents are there, the kids are all little angels, and...

Is Parenting Getting in the Way of Your Marriage?

Your spouse will rarely demand as much from you as your children, so it's easy to get overwhelmed by the role of parent and neglect your role as husband or wife. Figure out if you suffer from this problem. One of the most common types of couples who seek help from me in couples counseling are new...

Dave Says: Boundaries . . .

My fiancé's adult daughter doesn't show responsibility. What do we do? Dear Dave, I’m getting married to a wonderful man, but his 19-year old daughter from a previous marriage is very irresponsible. She doesn’t want to make her own car payments and doesn’t want to work. Lots of...

The Juggling Act: Balancing Womanhood and Motherhood

Being a mom doesn’t mean being a personal slave to your children. These tips will both reduce your stress and teach your children responsibility. You can balance the roles of woman, wife, and mother by actively and daily choosing who will do what and what won’t get done. Try a few of these...

Crash-proof Your Teen

Many of us can remember mistakes we made in our first days of driving. As you prepare to launch your own teen drivers, here are a few ideas to make them safer and more comfortable on the road. Parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers—at one time or other, we all worry about our teens behind the...

Don't Like Your Teen's Date?

Teens, we know, tend to have a mind of their own—and we love them for it. But how do you express your concerns about a dating partner without alienating your teen? You always thought it would be fun when your child turned 16 and started to date. But you didn’t anticipate this. As soon as you...

What Should We Say to Help Struggling Loved Ones?

Do you ever have a loved one express their struggles to you? Do you wonder what you should say to help them? It is important to know how to respond. After all, this is someone you care about. You want what is best for them, and they are counting on you for help. The key to responding appropriately...

Infertility: When Children Don’t Come Easily

I have sat in Relief Society, looking around at the sisters, certain that none of them knew how I felt. I was sure that they had no clue what it was like to feel the deep sorrow and grief caused by infertility. To others, my body looks fine and they would never suspect that inside, my soul is...

The Upside of Video Games

Note: This is an excerpt from "The Upside of Video Games" in the LDS Living magazine May/June 2011 issue. Nintendo Wii. iPod Touch. PSP. Xbox 360. If your family is anything like the majority of American families, odds are good that your home contains some technology meant to entertain through...

The Upside of Video Games

14 Tips for Disciplining Children

One of the most common issues parents ask me for help with in counseling is how to appropriately discipline their children. Kids can be a wonderful joy in the lives of parents, but they can also become stressors when their behavior starts to get out of control. I have compiled a list of helpful...

Mothers Matter

My life would be lived in a wheelchair. That was an irreversible reality. The doctors envisioned a life full of hopelessness, despair, and frustration—and a life that wouldn’t be all that long.  All seemed lost. No one gave me a chance; well, almost no one.   In spite of this...

Stop the Digital from Dominating Your Life

You may have 400 friends on Facebook or 200 followers on Twitter, but how many of those people do you actually interact with outside the virtual world? Church leaders have warned us to avoid the kind of digital immersion that prevents us from enjoying person-to-person communication, but we have...

Accommodating Food Allergies + Poll

Finding out that your child has a food allergy is scary—especially if you made the discovery after an unexpected rush to the hospital brought on by a mere sip of milk or bite of candy. Is life ever going to be the same again? It can be overwhelming to have your child faced with a dangerous...

Dave Says: Finding Life Balance

How do you find a balance between home and work? Dear Dave, I own a small company, and lots of times I feel like I’m devoting too much time to the business and not spending enough time with my family day to day. How do you find a balance between home and work? Pat Dear Pat, You know, I get...