Q: I am an 18-year-old Polish girl living in South Africa. This means that my parents view everything differently than the parents of my friends. I have strict rules; I’m not allowed to sleep over or go to my friend’s house for parties if boys will be there. My curfew is 11 pm, and my [...]

Q: Is it appropriate for a biological father (an affectionate/friendly man) to stroke/fondle his 13-year-old daughter’s buttocks while walking or while she is sitting on his lap (at his request)? A: My first response would be no. I am trying to think of an occasion, or a culture, or an extenuating circumstance in which that [...]

Q: I have two younger brothers (5 and 8), and we lost our grandmother last April. They never asked any questions except to ask if she was in heaven. Neither of them cried over the loss, even though the three of us were extremely close to her. They saw me and my mom crying. Why [...]

Q: When I was nine my family and I stayed with my aunt and her two daughters. I’m female as well. One cousin is my age and the other is a few years younger. We used to lock the bedroom door and role-play as abductor and victim. The abductor would pretend to feel the victim’s [...]

Q: For years I have suspected that I may have been sexually abused as a young child. I am 20 years old now. I am my mother’s only child. My father left when I was two and a half years old. Six months after my Dad left, my Mum met a man who was working [...]

Q: My 10-year-old stepson nibbles on my shirt and so does my 8-year-old stepdaughter. Is that normal behavior? They don’t break skin, they just nibble the front, shoulders and sleeves of the shirt. A: There could be a few different reasons underlying this behavior, or it could be something that is resolved as the kids [...]

Q: I grew up an extremely shy kid. I was an only child and lived in a big house in the woods with very busy parents. My parents were wonderful, but didn’t communicate well, didn’t show emotions, and had really high expectations. Growing up, I had very few friends and very little to no social [...]