During a recent trip to Pennsylvania, I had the pleasure of meeting Amanda Pietrocola. Ms. Pietrocola and her family are friends of the ministry, and last summer she attended our Boundless conference. Amanda shared with me that she and her family had recently fostered two young girls. Their story provides a good snapshot of the realities associated with foster care. It’s rarely the neat and tidy Hollywood screenplay. While we enthusiastically champion foster care, we also think it’s important to paint an accurate picture of the challenges associated with the ministry.
Teaching Good Manners to Your Kids
Sometimes parents think of a child’s manners in the most basic of terms, like table etiquette or how polite they are when guests come to the house. But the benefits don’t end there. Manners actually equip your children for success in their adult life.
To that end, a few years back, my wife and I enrolled our boys, Trent and Troy, in something called Cotillion. It’s all about teaching manners and preparing kids to interact with others as maturing young men and women.
Change Your Attitude and Debt-Proof Your Life
You’ve probably heard it said before, but it’s as true now as it ever was: money problems are one of the most consistent reasons for the breakdown of marriages.
That fact is why we return to the topic of money again and again here at Focus on the Family, to help and equip couples who are struggling with their finances.
Our guest on our program Wednesday (Sept. 16), Mary Hunt, has been there. She knows what it’s like to crawl out of incredible financial debt.
The Best Thing A Man Can Accomplish
To be a good father, you have to be a good man.
Not perfect. After all, there are no perfect dads or men.
You just have to be there.
Sadly, there are too many dads who aren’t. Twenty-five million children in the United States go to bed each night without their biological father in the home.
Statistically, these children are more likely to grow up in financially difficult circumstances and more likely to drop out of school.
Let’s Make this Headline Happen: “Church Wipes Out Foster Care Adoption List”
Could you welcome a child who’s in need into your home?
Reports show there are approximately 100,000 children in foster care in the United States who don’t have a mom and dad because the courts have deemed them unfit and have terminated their parental rights.
But think about this: There are about 300,000 churches in the U.S. If just one church out of three had a family who was willing to adopt a child, the number of kids on the foster adoption rolls would be zero.
Why an Unhappy Child Can Be a Healthy Child
“An unhappy child is a healthy child.”
At first glance, that comment from Dr. Kevin Leman catches you off guard a little, doesn’t it?
But dig a little deeper, and I think you’ll see what he means. There really are times when your son or daughter needs to be unhappy.
Why?
Well, maybe they’ve just talked back to you, disobeyed you, or disrespected you. Whatever they’ve done, you need to create an unhappy experience to help them learn that sort of behavior is unacceptable.
The Top Five Fears of Moms: How Do You Fare?
Moms, what are you afraid of?
Chances are, you’ve got a few things that sometimes keep you awake at night. In fact, with the help of Barna Research Group, Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) did a survey of hundreds of women to find out their greatest fears.
The top five were:
Fear # 1: I’m afraid I’m not enough as a mom. I’m not capable of being a good mom. I won’t have enough money or resources to adequately care for my kids.
How to Understand Your Personality Type
Imagine if you put lions, otters, beavers, and a few golden retrievers all in the same room. What do you think would happen?
Talk about crazy. It’d be like Wild Kingdom in there.
There’s no surprise why. They’re nothing alike. They each approach the world through their own unique perspective and don’t see eye-to-eye on much of anything.
By this point, if you’re not familiar with the concept or the terminology, I should tell you that the scenario I just described isn’t an actual zoo (although it can sure feel like one some days).
How to Prepare for Middle School
If you’re the parent of a middle schooler, I have a suggestion for you: buckle up.
This may be the most tumultuous time in childhood.
It’s like a prism that focuses a remarkable amount of life change into a short time span. Our two boys are smack in the center of their middle school years, so we’re witnessing it firsthand.
The physical, mental, and hormonal changes alone are intense. But many kids also face the added stress of leaving behind elementary school and entering a larger environment with more classes, new friends to meet, and more responsibility to bear.
How Does Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Impact Our Schools?
We’re about to enter the first school year after the Supreme Court’s sweeping redefinition of marriage, a decision that will deeply impact our children’s schools and education. Today I want to share a Q&A with Focus on the Family’s Education Analyst, Candi Cushman, where she’ll help explain how the legalization of same-sex marriage will affect the way we educate our children. –JD
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Q. Give us the big picture: How will this court decision change the environment in our schools?
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