Dear Mr. Dad: In the past two weeks I’ve heard from three friends whose children have been hurt in a fall at home. I thought my childproofing days were behind me, but now I’m worried that the same thing could happen at my house. What can I do to make sure my kids are safe in their own home?

A: Great question. There are nearly 6000 fall-related deaths every year in the US, and falls are the No.1 reason for injury and death caused at home. In fact, children are at risk for taking a fall from the time they start crawling until they’re well into their pre-teens. Fall-proofing your house doesn’t have to be a big, complicated, or expensive deal. But it will require some effort. And fortunately, it’s never to late to start.

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Dear Mr. Dad: I generally have a very even temper as a parent, but once in a while, little things build up and POW! I completely lose my cool. The kids look terrified when it happens, and I always hate myself for that. How can I control my temper?

A: Okay, everyone who’s NEVER gone ballistic in front of their kids, raise your hand. Come on, get ‘em up there…

Just as I thought. No hands!

The first thing you need to do is to take it easy on yourself. Every parent who lives outside of a 1950s TV show gets angry at times. It’s an absolutely normal and acceptable response to frustration. We all know how infuriating it can be when your child translates your “NOW” into “when I’m good and ready,” or when your third, calm, request to do—or stop doing—something is completely ignored.

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Dear Readers: Every year, right about this time, I get scores of emails from men and women asking for recommendations for last-minute, family-friendly Holiday gift ideas. And every year I have the opportunity to evaluate literally hundreds of products and services. So, just in time for the Holidays, here are some of my top picks.

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Dear Mr. Dad: Neither of my kids (6 and 3) has ever had to deal with death, but they have several older relatives who are very close to them. They will not live forever. How can I prepare my kids as well as possible for their first encounter with death?

A: First, congratulations for recognizing the need to prepare. Most kids will be confronted with a death before they reach adulthood, and too few parents take the initiative. A funeral is no place to think about death for the first time.

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Dear Mr. Dad. I have repeatedly asked my 17-year old son for help keeping our home neat. He says he will, but I don’t see any change. My wife and I work full time and we simply can’t do everything on our own (and, given that he’s 17, we think he should be pitching in a lot more.) How can I convince him to help?

A: Must be something in the water… My own teenagers (14 and 17) have very much the same problem, and I’ve heard similar complaints from just about every other parent I know who has teens. Across the board, it seems to be a matter of perception: To the parents, the house is a mess. But to the teens, everthing looks just fine. In the words of my kids, “lighten up, Dad, it’s no big deal.”

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