Q. My mother is such a worry-wart. I am so concerned that she is going to have a heart attack. She sees the children on the computer and thinks the devil will send them messages through the computer. If they are playing outside, they are playing too rough. What should I do?

A. You just have to be patient and understanding with your mother. As a grandmother, she is aware of dangers and has probably seen a lot of negative things. Encourage her to do a fun activity on the computer and see how she likes it. Show your mom the educational games your children play and tell her that you have blocks on the computer to prevent your children from entering certain sites. Encourage your children to be safe while playing. Remember that your mother just wants the best for you.

Q. I have a problem in my office. Every day persons who are interested in holiday partying come and sing songs around me, trying to force me to be a part of the activities. How do I get them off my back, short of shouting at them?

A. You can share with your office-mates that you do not believe in celebrating this particular holiday season. If they ask why, give them simple, clear answers. Many times, when people are given a reason for a behaviour they are more understanding. Enjoy the days off that you get and visit your family and friends.

Q. I have a child who is 10 and a clutterer. My cousin told me that this happens because she speaks so fast. She is a bright girl and is very active but we always have to tell her to slow down. Can a speech therapist help me?

A. Cluttering is a fluency disorder characterised by speech that is perceived to be abnormally rapid and irregular for the speaker. Clutterers are very unaware of their disorder, they perform better when speaking under stress and have a hard time fluently giving long answers. Clutterers know exactly what they want to say, but it becomes disorganised while actually speaking. If this additional information seems like your daughter, please take her for speech therapy and be patient with her. Speech therapy focuses on calling attention to speech details.

Orlean Brown-Earle, PhD, is a child psychologist and family therapist. Dr Brown- Earle works with children with learning and behaviour problems throughout the island and in the Caribbean. Email questions to helpline@gleanerjm.com or send to Ask the Doc, c/o The Gleaner Company, 7 North Street, Kingston.