parenting Archives

Combating Bullies in Your Child’s Life

Author Jonathan McKee remembers contemplating suicide as a teenager. He was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring all the way to the bottom. One step, and all of his pain would be over.

The pain was caused by incessant bullying. The pinnacle was in eighth grade when a group of classmates started what they called the “Kill John Club.” They made T-shirts with the letters KJC and a caricature of John’s face, complete with enormous buck teeth – a feature braces had fixed, but classmates continued to torment him over – and a gun scope target over his face.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, kids, parenting November 1, 2018 by Jim Daly

Halloween Safety Tips for Families

Does your family go trick-or-treating?

It’s one of those issues good Christians can (and sometimes do) disagree on. In previous years, I’ve written about how Christians tend to think about Halloween in one of three ways:

They enjoy it, focusing on the fun and candy part of it.
They amend it, so their children can enjoy activities like a “harvest festival” or “trunk or treating” at church.
They ignore it by not acknowledging the day in order to remain true to their convictions.

Topics: Current Events Tags: family, parenting October 25, 2018 by Jim Daly

Understanding How Your Teen Thinks

We had Jeramy and Jerusha Clark on our Focus on the Family Broadcast last year to talk about what’s going on in our teens’ brains. It was fascinating.

We learned that teenagers often can’t articulate what they’re feeling. They don’t recognize that they’re lonely and insecure, or that they need more attention from you. Since they can’t ask for specific help, they often express their emotions through behavior.

We have Jeramy and Jerusha back with us again to discuss the way teens think.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, family, kids, parenting October 23, 2018 by Jim Daly

Raising Daughters in God’s Wisdom

Being a parent takes wisdom, courage, and heart. And being the parent of a girl often requires an extra measure of love and tenderness.

Our next edition of the Focus on the Family Broadcast will encourage you to trust God with your daughter and equip you to help nurture her relationship with God, with her family, and with the world around her.

We’re airing a special conversation we recorded a few months ago with Jonathan and Wynter Pitts, parents of four girls.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, family, kids, parenting October 8, 2018 by Jim Daly

Saying the Right Thing When Your Child Misbehaves

“Why can’t they get their shoes on and get in the car?”

“Why do they always get out of bed at bedtime?”

“Why can’t they just do what they’re supposed to do?”

Do you ask yourself questions about your children like that? Do you get frustrated for not handling daily challenges as well as you’d like?

We’ve got help for moms who struggle to respond in a productive manner when their kids misbehave – moms who promised themselves that they would never yell at their children or speak to them harshly.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, discipline, faith, family, kids October 2, 2018 by Jim Daly

Supporting Your Kids When Life Is Tough

One of the most heartbreaking letters I’ve read was from a grown woman who wrote to Focus and recounted the divorce of her parents 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, and never kept one.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, kids, parenting September 4, 2018 by Jim Daly

Preparing for the Empty Nest Years

Marci Seither and her husband owned a sawmill in Northern California. A customer hired them to remove a huge tree from the spot where their new home would be built. The homeowners thought it a shame to lose such a beautiful tree and planned to recycle the lumber by using it in the house’s construction.

Once the tree was cut down, however, they discovered that the wood was too weak to be used. The tree rings were too far apart.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, family, parenting August 27, 2018 by Jim Daly

The Five Love Languages of Teenagers

My son Troy’s love language is physical touch. When he was younger, he was the first one to run into my arms when I got home each night. Even now as a teenager, he loves when I give him a big bear hug.

My older son, Trent, is more introverted and cerebral. I’ve asked him if he’s okay with hugs, and he says yes, but sometimes he stands so rigid he’s like hugging a pole. I have to remind him to use his arms.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, kids, parenting August 23, 2018 by Jim Daly

Democrat Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is Right

Earlier this month, the city of Chicago made headlines when 74 people were shot in a single weekend in numerous incidents and neighborhoods. As of today, 12 of those wounded have died.

Sadly, rampant crime in the Windy City is not a new phenomenon. During the July 4th holiday weekend in 2017, 101 people were shot, 14 of whom died.

For years, liberal commentators have been attributing the rise in violence to guns – or easy access to them, inadequate laws, insufficient government spending, drugs and the proliferation of gangs.

Topics: Current Events Tags: discipline, family, news, parenting August 22, 2018 by Jim Daly

How to Help Help Your Child Thrive in the Middle School Years

By the time kids enter middle school, their march toward independence is well under way.

But let’s face it – it can be a confusing time for parents.

When a child spreads his wings, it can feel like he’s turning his back on you instead. But that’s not really the case. Your middle schooler needs you as much as he always has.

In some ways, more.

He just needs you in a different way than he did in his formative years.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, kids, parenting August 6, 2018 by Jim Daly