By Dr. YVONNE FOURNIER, Scripps Howard News Service

DEAR DR. FOURNIER: I have two children in school, and I am concerned that they might not be receiving a well-rounded education. In past columns, you discuss the importance of preparing our children for a new global work force, and you emphasize how quickly our world is changing. While this may be true, I am not sure that our schools are adapting at the same pace.

Dear Dr. Fournier:

DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My son is passionate about basketball, and I sometimes wonder if he places too much emphasis on the sport. I support him and believe he is learning many good life skills such as hard work and dedication. Unfortunately, these qualities aren't transferring to other areas of his life. How can I get him to put forth the same effort in school?

DEAR DR. FOURNIER: Summer is fast approaching, and now is the time to enroll students in summer camps and enrichment programs. Last year, I wanted to give my children an enjoyable summer, so I signed them up for a smorgasbord of camps and other activities. Halfway through the summer, my children were burned out.

DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My daughter is a good student, but struggles with finals every semester. Last year, several of her semester grades fell by a full letter because of poor exam performance. I recently read your column about the difference between learning and studying, and it really rang true for me.

DEAR DR. FOURNIER: After several years of home-schooling, we enrolled our eighth-grade son in a private school this year. Before attending the new school, our son excelled in academics -- he started algebra in sixth grade and reads voraciously. His verbal skills are extraordinarily developed, and he converses with adults in ways that astound them.

DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My daughter is a junior in high school who is preparing to take the ACT. She is an excellent student with a 3.75 grade-point average, and she wants to apply for early admission to college. Given this background, you can imagine my surprise when she asked that I take her to the doctor to get a prescription for ADHD medication. I was blown away.

DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My son is a struggling learner who is experiencing difficulties in school. I am a teacher who has raised two other very bright children, but my youngest son has proved to be my greatest challenge. He is completely unmotivated to learn, rarely ever talking in school.

DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My 11-year-old daughter gets straight A's in school and receives high marks for conduct. She is a perfectionist and obsessed with making the best grades and being the best athlete. However, problems arise when I ask to see her homework. She tells me to leave her alone and gets so upset, even if I just want to check it. She screams at me and is very disrespectful.

DEAR DR. FOURNIER: Our family has just returned from a great spring-break vacation, and we loved being together. But when school starts back, our relationships always become so strained. After the break, my son's teachers finally updated his grades on the school's Web site, and he had numerous zeros for homework.