ArcaMax

Q: My husband and I are very interested in adopting a child. We're wrestling with whether to make it an "open" or a "closed" arrangement. Do you have any insights or recommendations?

Jim: Both closed and open adoption arrangements have advantages -- and disadvantages.

On one hand, open records may prove very helpful to the adopted child once ...Read more

Q: Now that my kids are finally back to "real" school, they want to participate in EVERYTHING. We're already drowning in extracurricular activities. How much is too much? Can you suggest any practical guidelines?

Jim: No doubt about it, stress from excessive organized activity can have a negative impact on family life -- and even be ...Read more

Q: Last week our son headed off for his first year at college. He wants to pledge to a fraternity and has asked for our input. I've only seen negative things about fraternities (movies, etc.). What do you think we should tell our son?

Jim: There are several factors to consider. Admittedly, some fraternities resemble "Animal House," but that's ...Read more

Q: School is starting up again. My daughter gets straight A's in every subject except math. We're having a hard time understanding why she struggles with this subject. Could her problems with math be linked to some kind of learning disability?

Jim: It's true that some learning disabilities involve difficulty understanding mathematical terms or ...Read more