Family and Home Archives

Better Ways to Communicate with Your Spouse

“Mayday! Mayday!”

You recognize that distress call, don’t you? Even children understand what it means. The fact that they do reveals two important ingredients to effective communication. Simplicity and clarity.

The “mayday” distress code was created in 1923 by Frederick Mockford, an airport radio officer in London, after his boss challenged him to devise a distress code that could be understood by pilots and ground staff in an emergency. Because much of the air traffic at the time was between London and Paris, Mockford proposed the expression “mayday.” It was easy to say, and it sounded like the French term for “help me.” “Mayday” communicates so well that it’s still used all over the world.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage May 6, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Improve Yourself, Improve Your Relationships

While on vacation in Italy, Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott visited Michelangelo’s famous statue of King David. So did thousands of other people that day. To escape the crowds, the Parrotts explored a nearby hall called “Hall of the Prisoners.” On display were several unfinished statues that Michelangelo labelled “The Captives.” The incomplete works were emblematic of mankind’s struggle to feel integrated with God, with ourselves, and with the people around us.

Our relationships can only be as healthy as we are.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family May 3, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Building Habits of Prayer with Your Children

Parenting children is one of the greatest blessings a man or woman can experience.

But it has its challenges.

Parenting can be overwhelming, embarrassing, and messy, too. That’s why praying for and with your children is so important. Their fate is ultimately in God’s trusted hands. He loves them more than we can and knows better than we do what they need.

My hope for you is that you’re able to approach prayer more out of confidence than fear.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family May 2, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Are You Sleeping Together?

You don’t have to be married for long to know how tough sleeping together can be. And I don’t mean that kind of “sleeping together.” I mean actual sleep. Getting some shut-eye.

Who can sleep with all of that loud snoring, blanket stealing, tossing and turning, and bad breath? And don’t forget the inevitable tug-of-war between early-birds and night-owls. It’s no wonder so many of us are tired and cranky. Even the Center for Disease Control and Prevention says a large segment of the population suffers from a lack of sleep. In fact, they call it a “public health problem.”

With so many complications, why should married couples sleep in the same bed?

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, marriage May 1, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Envy vs Gratitude

Isn’t it strange that in a nation nicknamed the “land of opportunity” so many of us struggle to find happiness? Maybe it’s because our society is driven by envy rather than gratitude.

Psychologist Dr. Henry Cloud explains why people controlled by envy find happiness so elusive. It’s because envious people believe they need what they don’t have. They tell themselves, “If only I had that car, or that job, or a different relationship, life would be so much better.” In reality, even after they get what they crave, nothing changes.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family April 30, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Unexpected Pitfalls of Teasing in Your Family

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Do you remember people saying that when you were a child? How old were you when you realized that it wasn’t true? Words can hurt.

That’s a good reminder if you’re part of a family whose members like to joke around with each other. Channeled properly, friendly teasing can be both healthy and bonding. Laughter is contagious. It brings people together by diffusing arguments and smoothing out differences.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting April 29, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Basics of Discipline

Being a parent is the most natural thing in the world in many ways. But there’s a lot to learn as well. At Focus on the Family, we routinely hear from parents who struggle with how and when to discipline their child. If you have questions in that area, keep a few basics in mind.

First, make sure your child understands the rules before you discipline him. If Junior hasn’t been told ahead of time a particular behavior is wrong, cut him some slack.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting April 26, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Forgiving the Past, Embracing the Future

Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian message.

But that doesn’t make forgiveness easy.

Forgiveness is difficult because we often confuse “forgiving” with “excusing.” Forgiveness never excuses the wrongs against us or waters down the awful nature of an offense. It doesn’t pretend that something didn’t happen. Forgiveness acknowledges the ugliness of the sin, no matter how dark, then sets us free, not the other person. Forgiveness releases our heart, heals our pain, and allows us to move forward through life in peace.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family April 25, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

History is the Best Teacher

Two statues are erected outside the entrance to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Though completely different, each one conveys wisdom about building a better future.

The first statue is titled “Past.” It’s a sculpture of an old man staring back through time. He’s holding a closed book, representing history. The past is over. It’s unchangeable. But carved into the statue’s base is a paraphrase from Confucius that reads, “Study the past.” That is, remember the past and learn from it.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, family April 24, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Helping Your Child Develop Resilience

When it comes to instilling character in children, the most important characteristic we can model is resilience – overcoming struggles and difficulties.

As the apostle Paul writes, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8-9).

Resilience is a mindset. It’s a process of adapting in the face of significant stress. With resilience, challenges become opportunities to learn and mature.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting April 23, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura