Care and Feeding Publishes 3 Classic Parenting Letters From 2021 Archives

1 articles · Updated · Slate · Jul 14

Care and Feeding republished three archived parenting letters, led by a 2021 case about a father whose yelling and sarcasm were straining his relationship with his 5-year-old daughter.
Stacia L. Brown’s advice in that letter urged the mother to stop excusing the behavior and seek family counseling, arguing the child was already reacting to a harmful communication pattern.
A second 2021 letter centered on a mother with OCD who feared therapy could trigger child-welfare intervention; Brown said mandated reporting applies to abuse or neglect, not mental illness alone.
The collection also revived Rebecca Onion’s response to a child-free homeowner whose neighbors’ children kept entering her yard to play with her puppy, advising direct boundary-setting before contacting parents.
The archive package was presented as a reader service and invitation for new submissions, highlighting recurring themes of family conflict, mental health and parenting boundaries.