This is Ask Lisa, a podcast to help people understand the psychology of parenting, now in the midst of a pandemic.

Psychologist Dr. Lisa DeMore, author of two New York Times best-selling parenting books, takes your questions.

And I'm co-host, Rina Ninan, a journalist and mom of two.

Some of what we talk about comes from raising children ourselves. Most of the time, I'll be getting

answers to your parenting questions. So send your questions to Ask Lisa at Dr.Lisademore.com.

Episode 24, my daughter is questioning her gender. What do I do?

My brother, whose daughters in kindergarten, had her first play date outside and didn't know what to

do because she hasn't been in school yet. And it was sort of this

awkward stage, she was saying, but it made me think about the milestones that kids are missing

in this pandemic. Of course they'll make it up, but you can't help but think what your child is

missing. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's, and play dates are hard under normal conditions. And I can't even picture, at least he's in Texas, where I presume they can be outside pretty comfortably.

That's exactly right. And that's what's made all the difference. And one of the letters that we got in our inbox today stood out about some of the things that you might not be thinking about as a parent, but as a community, how can we help people and how can we help our kids?

And this one says, Dear Lisa, about a month ago, I found evidence that my 14-year-old daughter, who was a freshman in virtual high school, had changed her pronouns from she-her to they-them.

I immediately mentioned it, and she confirmed it, and also said that she wants to wear a chest binder.

I've been plunged into sadness, anger, and embarrassment.

Simply talking to her has become a minefield.

How can I possibly come back to the loving and connected space I thought we had just a few short weeks ago?

As a single mom to an only child, I walk a tight rope where I'm fine financially, emotionally,

unless something goes wrong, that my only child would bring this stress upon us has me so angry.

I understand that she sees this quite differently.

Please help.

God, there's so much in this letter that just makes... There's so much.

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