Q: My 10-year-old son received a Game Boy for Christmas from his uncle. He played with it constantly. A couple of days later, he came to me sobbing and holding his Game Boy. The screen was broken and it was not working. He told me he was not doing as well as his cousins on the game and hit himself on the head with it. He was heartbroken and cried uncontrollably. It broke my heart to see him that way. He offered to use his own money to replace it, but it was not enough to buy a new one....

A: Give yourself a break. Nothing is wrong with you. You are human. Kids are experts at pushing their parent's buttons. The guilt you are feeling is an uncomfortable but a potentially beneficial feeling. There a...