Ask Dr. Joannie Questions

Question: My 14-year-old granddaughter thinks she is bisexual. How can I help? Response: We have seen a significant increase in the number of adolescents, teens, and young adults identifying somewhere in the LGBTQ+ categories, and that appears to be mostly due to a social contagion. In other words, kids are being told to question their […]

Question: How can I help my grandchildren who are wandering away from the faith? Response: As a grandparent, I can understand why this situation is concerning to you. So many parents and grandparents are reporting the same concerns about their children and grandchildren. First, let me say that it is normal for adolescents, teens, and

Question: At what age do you begin to work with children regarding lying? What is an appropriate response from a parent or grandparent? Response: First, it’s important to understand that young children, typically up to the age of about 7, are very imaginative, and they often make up stories and get caught up in fantasies

Question: My 7-year-old autistic grandson wanted to know if his mom could bring back his great-grandmother from Heaven. How should I respond? He doesn’t want to go to Heaven because then he would not be able to see his family, and his family would not be able to see him. I’m not sure how to answer

Question: Can you give me some ideas to overcome problems encountered in our last babysitting? We watched our 3 grandkids in their home for 4 days. We had a plan with activities, etc. It was a wreck though. Fighting, hitting, and throwing things were their defaults. Other than prayer, any ideas? I do it alone

Question: A year ago, I was asked by my son and his wife to return to my former position as a teacher in our church’s preschool ministry. It’s a little complicated because at birth she tested positive for a lifelong metabolic disorder. Fortunately, she seems to have a mild case of this and hasn’t had

Question: What can I do since one of my daughters will no longer allow me to see my grandchildren? Response: I am so sorry to hear that you are experiencing this loss in your life. We usually have no way of knowing why a child chooses to not allow his or her parents to see

Question: What should I do when my grown grandchildren bring friends to see them and it creates a wedge between us? When the friends are present, my grandchildren make smart-alecky remarks, but they will act normal again when the friends leave. Response: This sounds like a frustrating situation. If your grandchildren are still young adults,

Question: We have almost 12-year-old identical twin granddaughters. As they are getting older, their personality differences are becoming more noticeable. One is more outgoing and quicker in picking up new concepts in school and things like art projects. The other one is quieter and more analytical. Any ideas on how we can help them become

Question: I am working on updating a trust to include my three adult children and my adult grandchildren. However, my son and his wife do not have any children. I’m struggling with including the grandchildren in my trust without upsetting the childless couple. Any suggestions? Response: I appreciate your sensitivity to your son and his