Dear Mr. Dad: In recent weeks, my six-year-old has suddenly become completely untrustworthy, lying, cheating, and stealing whenever she gets a chance. Yesterday we came home from the grocery store and I found that she had stolen some candy! I’m getting worried. What can I do to nip this in the bud?

A: The first thing to do is relax. Child development experts agree that before age three, kids have no clear understanding that these behaviors are wrong. Between three and six, children develop an understanding that lying, cheating, and stealing are wrong and they begin some innocent exploration of limits, lying about little things, like whether they’ve washed their hands or gone to the bathroom.

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Dear Mr. Dad: For some reason, getting my kids (and my husband) to wash their hands—whether it’s after going to the bathroom or before dinner—is a huge battle. Any suggestions on how to deal with this situation?

A: You’ve stumbled into one of the great mysteries of parenting (and, for that matter, life): Why do so many otherwise intelligent people overlook the most obvious—and most important—thing they can do to keep from getting sick? Since trying to answer that question would be futile, let me focus instead on some steps you can take to encourage the folks who share your house (and their germs) to keep their hands clean.

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Dear Mr. Dad: My wife and I have very different religious views. Before we became parents, we usually agreed to disagree and went our separate ways on Sunday. But with the birth of our son, things are getting complicated, with pressures from every side. How can parents who are deeply committed to different religions raise children together?

A: This is one of the most complex questions in all of parenting, in part because of all of the possible variations. Are you a Reform Jew married to a Southern Baptist? A Catholic married to a Mormon? Is one or both of your extended families especially observant? Each of those scenarios (and plenty of others) brings its own challenges, but the basics are always the same.

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Dear Mr. Dad: My wife and I are expecting our first child. The problem is that I’m in the US Marine Corps on tour in Iraq. I have been here since the beginning of the pregnancy and I might not be there for the birth of our child. My wife is having a hard time doing this on her own and I feel that there’s nothing I can do to support her. I’m reading your book, The Expectant Father, which I find very helpful. But do you know of any resources that are specifically aimed at military dads and/or their families?

A: There are over 700,000 children under five in military families who are separated from their father or mother. As a former U.S. Marine myself, my heart goes out to all of them. Here are some great resources you and your wife can use to get the support you need. And because I know many military dads will be reading this column, I’m also including some tips on staying in touch with the kids and maintaining relationships while away.

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