parenting Archives

Download Your Free ‘Parents Guide to 13 Reasons Why’

Last week I blogged about “13 Reasons Why,” the controversial television series from Netflix that, while rated TV-MA, targets the teen demographic.

As you may know, “13 Reasons Why” tells the story of a teen girl who commits suicide and blames others for what happened.

I explained that our parenting team and counselors here at Focus on the Family agreed with the experts who are concerned the show glamorizes suicide and might influence copycat behavior – and that our recommendation to parents is to not allow their kids to watch this series.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, parenting, pop culture May 19, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Superhero Lurking Beneath Every Mild-Mannered Dad

You remember Clark Kent. He was a mild-mannered man … until he pulled open his shirt and revealed the superhero outfit underneath that announced his true identity. He was Superman, faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Dads don’t wear a superhero’s outfit under their clothes, but don’t let that fool you. They have true heroic power. Their mere presence can have a dramatic influence in the lives of their children.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, husband, parenting May 18, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Read a Free Excerpt from My New Book “When Parenting Isn’t Perfect”

No one has children because it’s easy.

Quite the contrary, really. Raising children – especially nowadays – is hard work. That’s probably why parents want to know if they’re doing an acceptable job.

And if we’re being honest, we would admit we want to be doing more than just “OK.” Most of us want to measure up to some sort of perceived ideal. We want to be the perfect parent and have the perfect family.

So we read books by all the “right” experts, and we try to follow a formula, and yes … we might even listen to the Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: family, parenting, promos May 17, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Sweet Mother’s Day Video

In anticipation of Mother’s Day weekend, I want to share a sweet video with you that celebrates moms:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjWoRd4OMZw

You know, as Christians, we should all be living lives worth emulating, because our lives should reflect Jesus Christ.

But that reality – that others are watching us – is especially true for parents. Our children (yes, including the older ones) watch our every move and even tend to mimic our words and behaviors.

And that’s one reason why I thank the Lord for godly moms.

Topics: Current Events Tags: events, family, parenting, relationships May 12, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The 10 Myths of Motherhood

It’s never been easy to be a mom, but social media is pressuring them in unique ways. Women are inundated with radically different ideas about what it means to be a mom. The image of perfection is everywhere.

But that’s all it is: a picture.

There’s no picture-perfect mom, and that’s a good thing. There’s no such thing as the picture-perfect dad, either. We’re all falling short. God’s grace is what brings us through, not our perfection.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, parenting May 11, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why We Don’t Think Teens Should Watch ‘13 Reasons Why’

It’s a new series on Netflix that’s causing a lot of controversy – and if you have a teen in your life, you need to know why so many mental health professionals are concerned.

The series is called “13 Reasons Why,” and it tells the story of a 17-year-old girl, Hannah Baker, who commits suicide – and who blames others for what happened. The story unfolds through the cassette tapes Hannah posthumously leaves for the 13 people she blames for her decision to end her life.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, kids, parenting, pop culture May 10, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Win at Family Dinners in the Midst of Crazy Schedules

Over the past couple of decades, more studies than you can count have been done to pinpoint the most crucial factors for raising emotionally strong, well-balanced kids. Almost all of them have arrived at the same conclusion: Eating together as a family is one of the most significant influences in fostering healthy child development.

A mountain of research indicates that the more families eat together the less likely a child will engage in drug use, suffer from depression, develop an eating disorder, or succumb to a host of other behavioral problems.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, kids, parenting May 5, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How You Can Change a Child’s Life

A lot of you know my story. My mom died when I was nine years old, and my dad wasn’t around, so I spent a year in foster care.

That time could have been a bright moment in an otherwise dismal period of my life, but things didn’t turn out so well for me. Instead of support and compassion, I mostly remember feeling lonely, afraid, and desperate.

My past is one of the reasons I’m so passionate about God’s call on believers to care for “orphans and widows” (James 1:27).

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, kids, parenting May 2, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Four Things You Can Do To Increase the Chances of Raising Kids Who Keep the Faith

Ask a 20-something a few generations back what their religious affiliation was, and chances were the answer would fall within predictable lines: Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, or Jewish, for example.

Ask the same question of today’s young adults, otherwise known as “Millennials,” and you might hear something new.

“I’m spiritual,” they might say, or “I believe in a higher power, but I’m not religious.”

That’s because Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are more comfortable than any other generation in identifying their religious affiliation as “none of the above.”

In fact, about 35 percent of adult Millennials are religiously unaffiliated, according to Pew Research Center.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, parenting April 5, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Four Messages Kids Need to Hear from Their Parents

Does this visual remind you of your parenting style?

You probably recognize that formula from a math class somewhere in your past. It guarantees that every time you add A and B together, you get C. So 2 + 2 always equals 4, and 1 + 5 always gives you 6. Every time. It’s simple. It’s reliable. It’s predictable.

That certainty is why formulas are the go-to parenting method for so many moms and dads.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, discipline, parenting April 4, 2017 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura