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.
    February 12, 2003

  • 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.
    By Dr. Lynn Ponton February 4, 2003

  • 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.
    January 2, 2003

  • 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.
    December 12, 2002

  • 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.
    By Dr. Lynn Ponton December 3, 2002

  • 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.
    By Dr. Lynn Ponton November 11, 2002

  • 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.
    October 24, 2002

  • 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.
    October 16, 2002

  • 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.
    By Dr. Lynn Ponton October 11, 2002

  • 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.
    October 3, 2002

  • 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.
    By Dr. Lynn Ponton September 27, 2002

  • 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.
    By Dr. Lynn Ponton September 17, 2002

  • 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.
    By Dr. Lawrence Diller September 17, 2002
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