Ask Amy: Young son worries about growing up
Ask him, “What are the things you love the very most about being a kid?”
Listen to his answers and reminisce with him.
You might also ask him if there are things about growing older that make him nervous.
And then tell him that none of these good experiences will end or change unless he wants them to, and that your family will share lots of other wonderful experiences together as he grows older.
If your reassurance doesn’t comfort him, or if his anxiety seems to expand, you should consider having him evaluated by a psychologist.
Dear Amy: My wife and I have two children. From the time they were very young, we made our limits for college very clear.
They have to get A’s or B’s – nothing below a B.
They can’t get into trouble with the law or the school.
They have to find something meaningful to do aside from their schooling – such as volunteering or a part-time job. Things that will build up their resumes for the next stage of their lives.
We have said that if they don’t satisfy these parameters, we will not pay for their schooling. We will judge this on a semester-to-semester basis.
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