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By Dr Bill Maier Are you an “Internet junkie”? Here’s a quick test to see if your online habit is turning into a full-fledged addiction. Be honest with your answers now! Do you find yourself losing track of time while surfing the Net? Do you try to hide your online habit from others, like shutting the computer down when your kids or spouse walk into the room? Are you preoccupied with the computer while doing other things, like eating dinner or talking to your kids? Do you find excuses to check email? Finally, would you rather be on the computer than interacting with your family? If you’ve answered yes to a good portion of these, you might have a problem. And for the sake of those you love, as well as for your own mental health, I encourage you to do something about it. The Internet is a great tool, but it can also become a very real addiction if you’re not careful. From TODAY, Voices Tuesday, 07-April-2009

By Dr Bill Maier Remember the last time you saw an adult lose his temper and throw a fit in public? Chances are, he learned that behaviour as a child. Anger is a normal human emotion — something we all experience from time to time. But like all emotions, it should be managed properly. If children are never taught how to control their tempers, they will probably go on to become angry adults. And no one enjoys being around such a person. Childhood frustrations are often caused when parents are impatient or inconsistent. Kids may sense that their expectations are going unnoticed, or that their parents don’t give them enough guidance. The anxiety they feel can often be cured by creating a more stable and consistent environment. This may not solve the problem, but it’s a good place to begin when trying to understand your child’s anger. Emotions are complex, and not always easy to understand. But with a little patience and hard work, anyone can learn to control their temper. From TODAY, Voic...

By Dr James Dobson I want to tell you today about a courageous lady who recently passed away at 75 years of age. Her name was Marian Manwell, and I admired her greatly. When she was an infant, she was sitting in a halter swing when it broke, its spring striking the baby in the soft spot at the top of her head. Immediate medical care was not available and by the time a physician examined her, there was just nothing to do but cleanse and bandage the wound. “Even if the child lives,” he said, “she will be mentally incompetent.” But the country doctor underestimated the constitution of this little girl. She survived and was blessed with a quick mind, although she was homely and unable to run or jump or catch a ball. The abuse this child took from other children was just incredible. One day, as she trudged to school, a teenage boy came up behind her and said: “What’s wrong with you? What are you limping for? Nobody wants to go with a girl who acts like that.” Marian had many other disadvant...

By Dr James Dobson Imagine the agony a single parent goes through when required by court order to put his or her children on an airplane, all alone, for an extended visitation with the other parent. A single mum described her feelings like this. She said: “I stand in the terminal and watch the children’s airplane disappear into the clouds. The loneliness immediately set in. I worry constantly about their safety, but I resist the urge to call every hour to see how they are doing. And when they do call me to tell me how much fun they are having, I grieve over the fact that they are living a life completely separate from my own. My only consolation is knowing that they will be coming home soon. But I am haunted by the fear that they won’t want to come home with me.” For the single parent who identifies with this hurting mother, there may be a way to get through the painful days of waiting. Instead of seeing this time alone as a period of isolation, view it as an opportunity to recharge an...

By Dr James Dobson Coping with strong-willed children is difficult, but some parents find that the hardest part is dealing with their own doubt. It is not unusual for parents of strong-willed children to struggle with feelings of guilt and self-doubt over the constant tug-of-war in their homes. Unfortunately, too many parents have been told by “experts” that managing children should be a piece of cake for those who do it right. That leaves them with intense self-condemnation when things do not work out so smoothly. But the difference between life as it is and life as it ought to be becomes a distressing bit of reality. If you are facing this kind of tension in your life, then let me give you three assurances. Firstly, it is not entirely your fault. Secondly, it will not always be so difficult. And lastly, you are probably doing a much better job than you think. Statistics show that most strong-willed children later become tenacious, respectable, hard-working adults, who cannot believe ...