parenting Archives

Nothing Stops a Father’s Love

David Jones is living proof that you should never underestimate a father’s love.

For months, David looked forward to walking his daughter down the aisle. But then Hurricane Helene came along, causing catastrophic damage, knocking out power for millions, and shutting down hundreds of roads, including the ones David needed to get to his daughter’s wedding.

Under normal conditions, his drive from South Carolina to Tennessee takes two hours. After the hurricane, he spent seven hours in traffic that ended at a road block almost 20 miles from his destination.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting February 4, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Bumpy Road

Has parenting been a bumpy ride for you? Some days may be so stressful you’re left wondering, “Is all of this worth it?”

I believe the answer is a resounding yes, but you may not fully appreciate why until after your children are grown. The turbulence can blind you to the reward. On summer vacation one year, my boys and I signed up for a helicopter ride over Bryce Canyon in Utah. The day of our flight the helicopter was under repair, so the pilot took us up in a small Cessna he owned instead.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting January 24, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Confidence Through Adversity

Some parents believe you develop a child’s self-confidence by protecting them from adversity. That strategy seems reasonable, but it’s actually counter-productive. Children need love and support, but they also need challenges. Effective parenting isn’t about making children comfortable right where they are. It’s about encouraging them toward something even greater.

Let me give you a personal example: My father figures were difficult to respect. My biological father died from alcohol. My step dad abandoned me and my siblings the day of my mother’s funeral.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting January 8, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Moms and Anger: Understanding Your Triggers

Parenting can be frustrating!

Authors Amber Lia and Wendy Speake thought they were the only moms who believed that. Then they interviewed other women and discovered that many struggle.

Anger catches many moms off guard. Stress slowly builds until something finally pushes them over the edge and then – boom! – an outburst. Shame quickly follows, which immediately translates into isolation and feelings of inadequacy.

For every brave mom who acknowledges a problem with anger, hundreds more wonder if they’re the only ones who struggle with it.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: parenting January 7, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Marriage and Motherhood

As a Denver Broncos fan, I don’t usually root for the Kansas City Chiefs. But I’ll make an exception for the Chiefs’ kicker, Harrison Butker, who came under fire after a commencement speech at Benedictine College went viral. Detractors said his comments were disrespectful to women.

But were they really? If you give his speech a fair hearing, I believe the answer is clearly no. Butker celebrated his wife. He praised her tireless dedication to their marriage and to their children.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, parenting January 2, 2025 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Handling Anxiety God’s Way

Author Curtis Chang personally understands the suffering anxiety causes. Growing up, he was a latchkey kid who dealt with severe anxiety every day, tormenting him with fearful thoughts that his parents would never come home from work and leave him to fend for himself. He coped by repeatedly calling his mother’s office and tracking her arrival home.

While serving as a pastor, Curtis coped with anxiety through preparation and study. But the stress of pastoring eventually pushed him beyond his ability to cope, and he had a breakdown.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, parenting December 26, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Loving People Through the Truth

Rosaria Butterfield was a tenured professor at Syracuse University who taught queer studies. She was also a lesbian activist who opposed Christianity and wrote scathing articles against people of faith. She even testified before Congress on behalf of the LGBT community.

She was beyond God’s reach.

Or so a lot of people thought. Instead, God worked through a series of unique people and circumstances to change her heart and demonstrate that no one is beyond His reach.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: faith, parenting December 10, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Common Teen Issues That Drive Parents Crazy

The teen years can be stressful and chaotic – for teenagers and parents. Teens are experiencing a multitude of simultaneous changes – physical, emotional, social and cognitive – all while their drive for independence is ramping up. The choppy waters that result can destabilize a household and stir up conflict over who’s in charge of their bedroom, their friends, their schoolwork and more.

One thing Jean and I learned while raising our boys was the importance of giving them freedom to grow.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting November 12, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Equipping Your Child to Be on Fire for Jesus

I enjoyed watching my boys grow in their Christian faith. As they became older, it was up to them to develop their relationship with God and make it their own. But when they were young, it was Jean’s and my role as their parents to nurture their spirituality.

Parents are blessed to be influenced by youth leaders and Sunday school teachers, but, ultimately, teaching and modeling faith is up to Mom and Dad (as well as Grandma, Grandpa and other close family members).

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting October 3, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

My most vivid childhood memories are rooted in experiences, not words. I remember what happened far more than I remember what people said. I’m sure that’s true for most of us. You probably don’t remember being told to avoid hot stoves, but I’ll bet you remember the first time you touched one.

That’s why, when I was raising my boys, I knew experiences would impart wisdom and strengthen their character more effectively than lectures would. Plenty of situations on the playground and at school taught them to be kind and to stand for what’s right.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting October 2, 2024 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura