Daly Focus Blog
His marriage was dead. It was past acrimony and fighting. Comedian Jeff Allen and his wife, Tami, were at a stage of apathy.
After years of his alcoholism and fits of rage, it got to the point where Tami always had her back to Jeff.
Finally, one night, Jeff and Tami were in bed when he tried to talk with her – except she refused to turn around.
“No, please,” she said.
“What’s the problem?” Jeff inquired.
It’s an unsettling trend that’s quickly gaining speed: toddlers are increasingly being prescribed drugs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
A recent article from the Today Show cites the number of U.S. 2- and 3-year-olds receiving the medication at 10,000.
Are these drugs necessary?
Let’s be honest: toddlers can be a rowdy bunch. It’s not easy to parent during these years and keep up with the constant running, screaming, climbing, and curiosity that’s characteristic of this age.
But when you think about it, toddlers are active because it’s their “job” to play.
Video games are in the news more and more – and usually, it’s not for good reasons.
Gaming is sometimes blamed in the growing trend where young men are finding it increasingly difficult to achieve major life milestones like moving out of their parents’ house, going to college, getting married and starting a family. Some of these men are stuck in a prolonged adolescence; one stat says 18-to- 34-year-old men spend more time playing video games than 12-to- 17-year-old boys.
Some time ago I found myself in Washington D.C. attending a series of meetings. After spending the entire day and evening inside several buildings, I was eager for some fresh air. What followed would be a night I’d never forget.
With me in Washington that evening was my friend, Roger Sherrard. Roger is a constitutional attorney and a dear man, now serving as principal at Sherrard McGonagle Tizzano, in the state of Washington.
It was 11 P.M.
Today’s children are growing up faster than ever. Thanks to TV, overtly sexual songs on the radio and the Internet, most kids have likely seen, heard and experienced more than their counterparts from previous generations.
And sadly – one trend we’re seeing is that sexually aggressive “tween” girls are now propositioning younger boys, offering them sexual favors.
One unbelievable example
In our two-part broadcast starting today, “Helping Sons Guard Their Purity,” our guest, FamilyLife President Dennis Rainey, shares a story about a boy who had notes in his jeans pocket from a girl who wanted to sit by him at lunch.
Since the self-titled debut of Casting Crowns‘ first album was released in 2003, the band has enjoyed great popularity among Christian audiences – but not for reasons you’d might expect.
Instead of light-hearted songs that only scratch the surface of our faith, Casting Crowns specializes in delivering hard-hitting hits meant to challenge listeners – and the larger Christian community – in our walks. The band regularly explores themes of holiness, relationships, witness and vulnerability in a way that encourages self-reflection.
Success.
How to define it?
To many Americans, success means challenging yourself to reach your full potential. It can mean financial stability and the ability to provide for a family.
To many in the world, it means reaching a certain level of self-fulfillment. And while there are various ways the above goals can be reached, the fact is that a college diploma remains an important common denominator of the American definition of success in many cases.
Many of us celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday. Social media platforms were filled with smiling pictures as some of us remembered our moms who have since passed away. Other snapshots were of today’s young moms, surrounded by babies and toddlers and all the hope and promise they bring. Mothers of grown children as well as grandmothers and birthmothers were also celebrated.
The folks at FoxNews.com gave me the privilege of sharing a piece I wrote reflecting on Mother’s Day on their site.
No one can make a grown man cry with humble appreciation like a mom.
Take Kevin Durant, the 25-year-old winner of the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player award. During his emotional speech that took place just in time for Mother’s Day, Durant reflected back on the uphill road his single mother, Wanda Pratt, walked with her two young sons.
From finding a way to make ends meet to cheering him on at his basketball games growing up, Durant’s tears are a testament to his mother’s powerful impact on his life.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in all 50 states in 1973, about 51 million babies have been lost to abortion. It’s a staggering number that also represents millions of women who chose to end their pregnancies.
We would do well to give serious consideration to those factors that contribute to a mother’s decision to choose abortion for her child.
Proponents of abortion argue the bottom line boils down to a right, a choice – what’s “best” for her and her family.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
