Q: I married my husband purely for pragmatic reasons. As a single mom, I believed he'd make a great father to my child. Now I realize that I never really had romantic feelings for him. Is there hope for our relationship?

Jim: The short answer to your question is yes. Why? Two reasons: First, in cultures where marriages are arranged, we know that couples often learn to love one another deeply, even though their relationships weren't originally based on romantic feelings. This isn't to say that feelings have no place in marriage. They absolutely do. But in this case, the feelings generally follow in the wake of intentional, deliberate actions, growing out of commitment, perseverance and hard work.

In your situation, there's even more reason for hope. Though you're not sure how to make it happen, you want to fall in love with your husband -- otherwise, you wouldn't have asked your question. To put it another way, you're dissatisfied with the status quo and willing to make a change. In a very real sense, then, you've already taken an important step in the right direction.

You can build on this foundation by asking yourself what it was that first attracted you to your husband. At some level, the two of you felt an emotional connection and there was something that led you to believe that life with him would be better than life without him. That spark may have diminished over time, but it can still be found and fanned into a flame if you're willing to put forth the effort.

A resource that may help is Emerson Eggerichs' book and CD series "Love and Respect." Our Focus counselors are also available for a free consultation and would love to speak with you. They can be reached at 855-771-HELP (4357).

Q: I know there are Internet-filtering products that can block inappropriate websites on our home computer. But I'm just as concerned about protecting my children from the kind of destructive content they can pull up on their smartphones and mobile devices. Is there anything out there that can help?

Bob Waliszewski, Director, Plugged In: You're wise to be aware of this potential threat to your kids' well-being. With more and more information being accessed via mobile devices, it's no longer enough to just equip your PC with the best filtering software. You also need to safeguard your family's phones from harmful Web content.

Focus on the Family has partnered with Net Nanny in an effort to help make families aware of its effective Internet-blocking software for home computers. I'm pleased to say that you can find this same reliability through a Net Nanny app that's been designed for Android smartphones. (This app is also available for iPhones, but due to Apple's regulations, it isn't as robust as the Android version.) The tool is effective because Net Nanny becomes your child's default Internet browser and blocks other browsers from launching on his or her smartphone. Net Nanny also manages the apps your child can access on the device. Plus, as the parent, you can manage your child's phone settings, view reports and much more.

How? Simply download the app, follow the installation instructions and create a user profile for your child on his or her device. You can use one of Net Nanny's pre-defined age-based user profiles, or you can customize the profile to include your own designated categories or specific sites you want to restrict. Another great feature of the app is that it categorizes webpages in real time, including brand-new websites and sites with user-generated content such as comments or posts.

Jim Daly is a husband and father, an author, and president of Focus on the Family and host of the Focus on the Family radio program. Catch up with him at www.jimdalyblog.com or at www.facebook.com/DalyFocus.

Q: What's your opinion about overnight group activities for elementary-grade children? We want our kids to have fun with their friends, but we're concerned about exposing them to inappropriate influences.

Jim: As the dad of a fifth-grader myself, I completely understand your struggle. It's a sad fact that we live in a world that is increasingly dangerous and unhealthy for our kids. As parents, we must be mindful of what our kids are exposed to when they're in someone else's care.

I realize we can't keep our children in a safe cocoon forever. Eventually they'll face external threats and temptations, and as parents, we're responsible to equip them for that challenge as early as possible. It's important to look for appropriate opportunities that will allow your kids to step out from under your immediate oversight a little bit at a time.

For us, however, we've elected to encourage our kids' growth in this area through avenues other than sleepovers. (Although we've done them in rare cases where we've known the families well.) Your situation and comfort level may be different. If so, I'd simply encourage you to exercise due diligence with every invitation. You might consider meeting with the adults responsible for supervising the overnighter. Find out where it will be held and what activities are planned. If you're well-acquainted with the person in charge, there's probably little to worry about.

If, however, this sleepover is being held in someone's private home and you're unfamiliar with the parents, I'd suggest that you meet with them beforehand to make sure that their values and perspectives are in line with your own. If this is a school- or church-sponsored event, you may discover that the teacher or leader would love to have you volunteer as a chaperone.

Q: My husband and I divorced when our now-10-year-old son was 3. He visits his dad frequently, but unfortunately gets little attention from my ex, who's now remarried and has started a new family. My son tries to be brave, but I know he must feel hurt and rejected. What can I do?

Dr. Greg Smalley, Vice President, Family Ministries: Yours is a heartbreaking situation, and my heart truly feels for you. Witnessing your son being neglected by his dad is painful, and you shouldn't dismiss or minimize your feelings -- both for you and your son's sake.

After you've acknowledged and sorted out your own emotions, it's important that you give your son the opportunity to identify and express his feelings, too. This is because children can't grasp the complex dynamics of broken relationships. They don't see things for what they are, and often assume guilt for the breakup, believing that they've done something wrong. Don't wait for your son to bring up the subject. He probably won't, especially if he's trying to be brave.

Next, try to uncover what's at the root of your ex-husband's emotional neglect of your son. It may be that he's avoiding you, his new wife is interfering, there's financial strain, etc. Whatever the reasons, he needs to understand and feel the weight his actions are having on his son. You're more likely to achieve this goal and agree to a solution if you appeal to his emotions, rather than by shaming or harassing him.

Finally, do everything you can to find a good man who can encourage and serve as a positive role model for your son. You might approach your father, someone from church, or a trusted teacher, coach or neighbor about the possibility of spending time with your boy. Your son will be sure to benefit, even if his father doesn't participate.

Jim Daly is a husband and father, an author, and president of Focus on the Family and host of the Focus on the Family radio program. Catch up with him at www.jimdalyblog.com or at www.facebook.com/DalyFocus.

Q: How can we use humor to promote a more cheerful and healthy atmosphere in our home?

Jim: That's a great question and one that reflects an understanding that humor and laughter are important elements of a happy, healthy and thriving family life. I think writer Agnes Repplier got it exactly right when she said, "We cannot really love anybody with whom we never laugh."

So how can you turn your house into a place where love and laughter flow like the Mississippi? Here are some suggestions:

-- First, don't take yourself too seriously. Perspective often escapes us, making it easy to distort the significance of things. Take a step back and try to get a sense of where you fit in the "bigger picture." And remind yourself that God alone sees your situation as it really is.

-- Second, resolve to laugh even when you don't feel like laughing. Tough times are when a good laugh is most urgent, and a bit of humor can help wash away the stress. It can also keep your marriage and family together when you're coming unglued.

-- Next, look for the humor around you. Art Linkletter famously observed that "people are funny" -- and it's true. Life is full of good comedic material, so stay on the lookout for the comic element in everyday life.

-- Also, discover what makes your spouse and children laugh. Study their individual humor styles and find ways to exploit and develop them at least once a day.

-- Finally, learn how to poke fun at one another in a lighthearted, healthy, affirming and non-derogatory way. In the right relationship and proper context, some good-natured "teasing" can actually increase feelings of intimacy among family members. Just so long as one person's "joke" doesn't become another person's raw and bleeding wound.

Question: I'm a single woman and have a mutual interest in getting to know a man who's eight years younger than I am. This feels strange because other guys I've dated have been closer to my own age. Do you think this is OK? Any advice?

Dr. Greg Smalley, Vice President, Family Ministries: It wasn't so long ago that your question would've raised eyebrows. But older women dating and marrying younger men isn't considered as culturally taboo as it once was. Like every other relationship, the most important consideration is the character of the man and woman involved. That said, it's worth mentioning some dynamics that can make these relationships unique in their challenges.

One obvious area you'll want to evaluate is his level of maturity and stability. Keep in mind that there can be a big difference if you and he are ages 26 and 18, or 34 and 26. This can be an issue, as men generally take more time to identify their purpose and place in the world; they aren't always inclined to settle down, or prepared to support a family. Watch for how he handles his finances, stress, commitments to job, church, friends, family, etc.

Equally important is the need for you to take an honest look at your motives and to be aware of possible blind spots. Women tend to be the more nurturing of the sexes, and some guys are looking for a perpetual mother. Such pairings typically have disastrous results, with the woman taking on every responsibility and eventually losing respect for and resenting the "little boy" she married who never grew up.

Feel free, then, to move ahead. But as you do, be sure to ask yourself these and other questions early on and along the way to ensure that you're both like-minded and in a similar, healthy place.

Jim Daly is a husband and father, an author, and president of Focus on the Family and host of the Focus on the Family radio program. Catch up with him at www.jimdalyblog.com or at www.facebook.com/DalyFocus.