kids Archives

Raising Mission-Minded Kids

Author Shauna Pilgreen tells her children, “A life of comfort is a win for the Enemy. When you’re comfortable, you’re usually leaning on your own strength, which means you’re leaning less on God’s strength.”

Shauna and her family have been through numerous experiences that have taught them to rely on God in uncomfortable circumstances. It started in earnest when God led the Pilgreens from their cozy suburban life in Missouri to plant a church in San Francisco, where their lives are anything but comfortable.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: family, kids September 16, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Kids Are (Not) Resilient

When married couples decide to divorce, they often defend their decision by saying, “The children will be fine. Kids are resilient.”

The truth is losing a parent to divorce can be more difficult for a child to overcome than losing a parent to death. When a parent dies, family, friends, and the broader community surround children with love and support. But when parents divorce, people avoid talking about it, which leaves children to recover on their own.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: kids September 8, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Passing on Your Faith to Your Kids

Like my world, yours is probably hectic and fast paced. You’re booked solid with work, household responsibilities, and obligations to your church and community. Some days it’s tough to keep up with all of the good that you’re doing.

Overcommitment is an easy mistake to make. Every opportunity seems deserving of a yes. But one yes too many is all it takes to go from “busy” to “overwhelmed.” One day you’re happily doing good things. The next day you can barely keep up with all the good things you’re doing.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: faith, kids, parenting May 5, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Nurturing Your Child’s Personality

God wires each one of us uniquely. Which is why learning who your children are, how they think, and what motivates them are critical skills to develop.

Years ago, when my older son Trent was in elementary school, he came home and said, “Guess what, Dad? I won a gold medal! In chess!” I still feel a guilty about that moment because I thought, “Really? Chess?” I had hoped that he’d want to be a football player like me.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: kids, parenting March 22, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Practical Advice for Raising Responsible Children

Kay Wyma is a popular author, blogger, and mother to five children. One of her friends is a human resources director who told her about a phone interview she had with a young man who had just graduated from college. Their conversation was going well until she heard the voice of the boy’s father. He was listening in and advising his son how to answer questions. Kay’s friend immediately rescinded her offer and informed the father that his twenty-something-year-old son ought to be capable of interviewing for jobs on his own.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: family, kids, parenting March 11, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Helping Kids Navigate Worry in Healthy Ways

The war in Ukraine.

Starting a new school.

Staying home alone.

Fear of the dark.

Every child worries. It’s normal for children to feel anxious when navigating new experiences or processing difficult news. In fact, fear is a healthy response in some circumstances.

The goal is to teach children discernment and balance. A healthy fear of busy intersections or growling dogs is good. But feeling hindered, even crippled, by worry in everyday life is not.

On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Helping Kids Navigate Worry in Healthy Ways,” we’re sharing practical advice for equipping your child to manage his or her fears.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: kids, parenting March 8, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Establishing Healthy Boundaries with Adult Children

Here at Focus on the Family, we regularly hear from parents with adult children whose lives have hit a snag because of irresponsibility or for reasons beyond their control – they don’t get accepted into college or there’s a slump in the job market. Tragically, some families endure even more serious issues. The young adult becomes a prodigal, suffers from an addiction, or chooses a lifestyle that’s contrary to the way he or she was raised.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: family, kids, parenting February 28, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Recognizing Your Son’s Need for Respect

Mom, God has wired you to love your son. Your soft, nurturing spirit is critical to his development. But as your son grows into a young man, his primary emotional need from you will become something else: respect.

Respect is what attracts guys to coaches and mentors. A growing boy needs someone who will put an arm around his shoulder and challenge his performance. Someone who will say, “I expect more out of you, and you should expect more out of yourself.” A boy needs to be challenged to rise up and win the game, to conquer the chess tournament, or to master the musical piece.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: family, kids, parenting February 24, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Enough is Enough – Let Children Take off their Masks

Pressure is mounting on elected officials to lift mask mandates in schools wherever they still exist – and it’s not a moment too soon.

Thanks to heavy-hand government bureaucrats, children have been forced to endure face coverings in the classroom for up to two years. Abnormality has become institutionalized.

Enough is enough. With their parents’ permission, it’s past time to allow children to take their masks off and live like normal human beings again.

Mask wearing was implemented to slow or prevent the spread of COVID-19, but numerous studies have been released calling into question the efficacy of face coverings altogether.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: faith, kids February 15, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Helping Teen Girls Love Their Family Well

Jessie Minassian knows the struggles teenage girls face. She’s an author, a speaker, and a blogger who is passionate about mentoring young women. And she lived through some challenging teen years herself.

At one point, Jessie went through such a difficult time that she plotted to run away from home. Her plan fell apart before she even stepped outside of her house, but it was a turning point in her life. She decided that if she was going to stay, she ought to “stay well” and make the most of her time with her family.

Topics: Uncategorized Tags: family, kids, parenting February 15, 2022 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura