Daly Focus Blog
There were two dogs throughout my youth, a pug named Sir George and a Great Dane named Duke. I guess the Dalys felt a certain kinship to English royalty, even as I poured Kool-Aid over my Cheerios. (There wasn’t always enough money for milk.)
Duke and Sir George were my sister’s dogs and so in many ways, I had the best of both worlds. I enjoyed playing with them under the warm California sun, but never had to feed or tend to their needs.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, parenting by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
If you ingest a steady dose of daily news, it would be easy to grow weary of the din of the average day, the discordant sounds of a culture awash in controversy. An issue may startle and grab you, but just as soon as you begin to digest it, another wild and upsetting story comes along, like the rolling tide of a stormy sea.
I was thinking about this the other day, pondering how it’s possible that both the president of the United States and the House of Representatives support sex-selection abortion.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, parenting, pop culture, pro-life by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
When it comes to video games, Jean and I have a pretty simple and straightforward rule:
No guns, no blood, no bad language and, obviously, nothing that’s sexually suggestive.
So I know what some of you are probably thinking:
It’s still possible to purchase and play Pong?
Our boys actually play a very limited amount of games on Wii, usually sports-themed and always very innocuous in nature.
But we know parents who feel strongly that any type of video game is just a bad idea and a poor use of a child’s time.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, kids, parenting, pop culture, technology by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
The late Norman Vincent Peale, senior pastor of New York City’s Marble Collegiate Church for over 50 years, grew up in Ohio, a preacher’s kid. His father, Clifford Peale, was a tremendously compassionate man. If there was a need within his congregation, he was determined to meet it.
Norman remembers the phone ringing in their parsonage one cold winter’s night. His mother answered, and passed the phone to his father. The woman on the other end of the line explained that she didn’t know any other preachers, but had one night slipped into Dr.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, kids, parenting by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
According to the National Retail Federation, nearly $19 billion will be spent on moms this coming weekend. From flowers to cards to candy, a lot of people will dig deep into their wallets to try and express their love and appreciation for their mothers.
But according to a recent survey, it would appear that what many moms really want is something that money can’t buy:
They just want to go to church with the whole family.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: husband, kids, parenting, wife by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
A colleague’s son snapped a picture of this billboard the other day. He sent it to his father, along with the following three-word message:
“Love you, Dad.”
“I wonder what was on his heart,” his father wrote.
I think I have an idea. The teenager is growing up and doesn’t just see life from his own perspective anymore.
That’s a sign of maturity. That’s a sign that the boy is becoming a man.
How does this billboard strike you?
Topics: Family and Home Tags: kids, parenting by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
His name is Ethan Hendon, and he’s the son of my niece and nephew, Cassandra and Shawn. Born with a congenital defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, the left side of Ethan’s heart is underdeveloped.
So, physiologically he’s struggling, but spiritually and mentally the little guy is thriving and making a tremendous difference in the lives of others.
Just the other day I received word that Ethan’s school has raised nearly $4,000 in his name for the American Heart Association.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, kids by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
Does the columnist Dave Barry make you laugh?
Here are a few select excerpts from a column titled, “Dining with Babies Causes Stressful Ambience.”
Can you relate?
If you’re a new parent, there will come a time when either you or your spouse will say these words: ‘Let’s take the baby to a restaurant!’… It’s like saying: ‘Let’s take a moose to the opera!’”
It’s best to pay your bill as you enter the restaurant, adding a little extra (say, $800) to compensate for the fact that after you’re finished, your table may have to be burned.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: humor, kids, parenting by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
The family and I are on spring break this week, but I’m curious for your feedback surrounding Suzanne Collins’ bestseller-turned-Hollywood-thriller The Hunger Games.
Have you gone to see it?
Would you permit your son or daughter to watch if they wanted to?
Why – or why not?
Given the young age of our boys, we haven’t paid attention to the book or the movie. Their minds are focused on much tamer fare, including Legos and other books and games.
Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, kids, parenting, pop culture by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
I mentioned the other day that my colleague and Tim Tebow fanatic, Sue, was pouting over the arrival of Peyton Manning to the Denver Broncos and the subsequent trade of Tim to the New York Jets.
Thankfully, her poutiness was rare and short-lived. But I’m not so sure I can say the same thing about my son Troy who’s been known to pout to either make a point or get his way.
His brother calls it “pouty magic.”
The act doesn’t usually work, but that hasn’t stopped him from trying!
Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, kids, parenting, pop culture by Jim Daly with Paul Batura
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.Home
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