Second Opinions

  • No answers, only questions

    A single mother struggles with guilt, sadness and conflicting priorities. Dr. Diller says set limits, show your love -- and don't worry too much.
  • Is she the one for me?

    Contrary to what many adults might think, teenagers are capable of lasting romantic relationships -- and they can get tremendous benefits from sexual experimentation.
  • Through a glass, darkly

    Are our children destined to repeat the worst of us? Don't be so hard on yourselves, Dr. Ponton tells parents. And work toward change with your child.
  • Parenting, not pills

    A new study casts serious doubt on our all-too-common practice of dosing hyperactive kids with Ritalin. Dr. Lawrence Diller welcomes the news.
  • Future shock

    Dr. Lynn Ponton responds to a 17-year-old boy who despairs of a world threatened by war and run by adult hypocrites.
  • From Laramie to California

    The father of a cross-dressing teenage boy is terrified for the boy's safety. He's right to be worried, says Dr. Ponton. It's a scary world for these courageous teens.
  • Sex talk

    My 12-year-old daughter asked me about oral sex. How much does she need to know at her age? Dr. Lynn Ponton answers readers' questions.
  • Don't bluff!

    Counting to three as a disciplinary tool is fine, says Dr. Diller, but you have to be ready to act when the counting is over.
  • Running with the bad girls

    What's the solution when teens hang out with the wrong kind of kids? Don't despair, says Dr. Ponton. Parents have far more influence than they realize.
  • Great expectations

    Parents can't overpower nature in defining their children's personalities, says Dr. Lawrence Diller. But they have enormous influence when it comes to behavior.
  • Magical mystery teens

    The bubbly charmer at 10 turns into a sullen cipher by 14. What's a parent to do? Keep talking, advises Dr. Lynn Ponton. Never stop trying to communicate.
  • It's all good

    As a parent and a psychiatrist, Dr. Lynn Ponton has daily encounters with the danger and exhilaration that accompany adolescence. Teenage risk is scary, she says, but it is also a developmental necessity.
  • A pediatrician in shining armor?

    There are no flawless parenting gurus, says Dr. Lawrence Diller, but as a behavioral pediatrician with 25 years in practice, he can guarantee thoughtful advice and plenty of moral support.

From Salon's blogs