Supporting Your Kids when Life is Tough

One of the most heartbreaking letters to Focus on the Family I’ve read was from a grown woman who recounted her parents’ divorce when she was a little girl. Her dad told her, “Your mom and I aren’t capable of being together, so I’m leaving. But I’ll always be there for you. I’ll see you on weekends. I’ll see you on your birthday.”

She never saw her dad again.

That father made a lot of promises to his daughter and never kept one. She spent the next 20 years struggling to overcome the loss or her father, her family, and in many ways, her sense of identity.

When tough situations happen to children – as they inevitably will – a parent’s response will either help them or hinder them. Dr. Kevin Leman can attest to that. He was the class clown and didn’t do well in school. No one expected him to amount to anything. Then, one day a teacher pulled Kevin aside and told him, “I’ve seen you take over a class. What if you used your humor for something positive?” That was the first and only time a teacher suggested that he possessed skills of any kind.

All of these years later, Dr. Leman says that he remembers his teacher’s encouraging words every time he speaks in front of thousands of people. She was the first to believe that he had something of value to offer.

Dr. Kevin Leman is with me on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly to give you the tools you need to help your children negotiate life’s curveballs with grace and wisdom. Hear our full conversation on your local radio station, online, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or listen on our free phone app.

I’d like to extend an invitation for you to become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. When you do, I’ll send you a copy of Dr. Leman’s book When Your Kid Is Hurting: Helping Your Child Through the Tough Days as a way of saying thank you for touching others with the love of Christ. You’ll also receive member-exclusive benefits. To make your pledge, or for more information, click here or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).

We’ve also got a free parenting assessment for you at our website. It will quickly give you an overview of how your family is doing in several key areas, and offer some suggestions on how you can improve the relationships in your home.