When your teenager borrows your clothes
Dear Diane, My 17-year-old daughter is very similar in size to me, so I tend to let her have my hand-me-down clothes.
When children are embarrassed of their siblings
Dear Diane, My daughter (4), has a large birthmark on her face and the skin surgeons have said that we should wait a few years before operating to remove or reduce it.
Parents dealing with divorce
Dear Diane, Do you have a list of essential points for parents dealing with divorce to follow? My husband and I are both really sad...
Dealing with kids who play up in public
Dear Diane, I bet you get asked this a lot, but how do I control my kids when I’m out shopping? I can remember getting a swift smack on the leg from my own mother when I misbehaved at the supermarket but I know that’s not acceptable any more. Before I had children I’d be […]
Dealing with difficult behaviour in children
Dear Diane, My eight-year-old daughter is friendly with a girl who has done some rather destructive things while visiting our house...
When your child is too independent and mature for their age
Dear Diane, My 11-year-old son is quite independent and it can be a bit of a worry as he’s happy to jump on a bus and go into town to the library or to spend his pocket money...
Dealing with an argumentative child
Dear Diane, Our 12-year-old daughter argues back all the time and it’s getting harder and harder to keep my frustration under control.
Celebrating Christmas after the death of a loved one
Dear Diane, I was widowed this year. While my husband was ill for a long time and his death wasn’t unexpected, it’s still going to be a strange Christmas for our kids and me.
Helping your child break their thumb sucking habit
Dear Diane, My son is seven and still sucks his thumb. I was a thumb sucker myself until around that age but you don’t seem to see it as often as you used to.