Ask any parent if they have a favourite child and they will almost certainly reply that they treat their children equally. Most do but probe a little deeper and you’ll find that at some time or another one child has indeed been preferred. The trick for parents is to make sure no sibling feels he is either the favourite or is treated less fairly.

My 11 year-old son is forever coming home late. Sometimes he goes to a friend's house then goes on somewhere else but forgets to tell me. Other times he's almost at a loss to explain where he's been. It's like he has no concept of time. There have been times when I've had to go looking for him because he is late and I'm so worried. I have talked to him about safety issues and how worried I get. I have also grounded him but it hardly seems to make any difference, within a few days he's done it again.

My daughter is 12 and starting to really show her independence. Up until now we've had no formal way of giving her pocket money - she's just asked for money when she's wanted something and we've given it. But now I'm thinking that weekly pocket money is a better idea so that she learns the value of money. My husband thinks I'm being old-fashioned and that we should just keep going as is. Can you help is resolve this issue?

Our 10 year-old son is very keen on competitive sport. He's active since he was very young and he's always really enjoyed it. The problem is that recently we've noticed a change in the way that he behaves when he loses. Either he becomes very angry, resenting his opponent and sometimes us if we're not sympathetic to him, or he becomes distant and quiet often for a day or so after the event. I want him to enjoy sport and be competitive but should I be worried about this? 

I am worried that my 12-year-old daughter is being cyber-bullied. She suffered a bit of bullying in her last year of primary school before transferring to high school last year, but I thought the change of school would've put an end to it. She's quite a quiet girl but recently she's seemed even more subdued. I've noticed text messages appearing on her mobile phone and she never seems keen to explain who these are from. I know she has a bebo page too, but I don't even know how to get on to it. I have asked her if anyone is being horrible to her and she just says no. What can I do to find out what's going on and help her?