Daly Focus Blog
Some days I feel like a pretty good dad, like I really understand my boys, and I have a good handle on this parenting thing. Then there are the other days …
Years ago, when my oldest son, Trent, was 3 or 4, he would go bananas when I tried to wash his hair in the tub. No matter how gentle I was, he’d cry and say, “Why, Daddy?”
At first, I thought his complaining was normal.
“We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise” – C.S. Lewis.
It’s a popular trend these days to raise boys into “nice guys.” Men are expected to be sweet and gentle – almost feminine – in the way they interact with the people around them. But I think that mentality is putting our families at risk. We don’t need more “nice” guys. We need strong men.
First of all, let me clarify.
Long before the Supreme Court imposed same-sex marriage on the country, Christian parents had been dealing with the culture’s growing acceptance of homosexuality and same-sex relationships and the impact it has on their children.
We at Focus are hearing from more and more of them as they navigate these difficult waters with friends and relatives who are homosexual while also trying to model Christian behavior for their own children. Here’s a question typical of those we receive:
My sister-in-law is currently married to her partner.
In celebration of Father’s Day this weekend, let’s look at one sometimes-overlooked characteristic of a good dad …
He is, quite simply, a hero.
Forget Superman, Batman or Captain America. When you’re in trouble, you need Dad to save the day.
Dad will save kids from the brink of danger:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoQssWPRNR0
He’ll risk his life to save his child.
And sometimes, Dad will even give his life to save his child.
The benefits involved fathers provide to their children are countless.
Guest post by: Jeff Johnston
They are questions many parents probably aren’t fully prepared to answer:
“What does transgender mean?” or “Why is that man dressed like a woman?”
Yet transgender issues are becoming more mainstream, as evidenced by the recent “coming out” of Bruce Jenner as “Caitlyn” on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine. Not only that, but many children are encountering transgender topics in their schools. More and more we are seeing a growing acceptance and encouragement of “transgendered children” as young as 5 in schools.
Some of you had trouble getting to sleep last night, and I think I know the reason why. You just couldn’t get your kids off of your mind.
Maybe you have a daughter who is questioning her Christian faith. Or you have a son who has turned his back on the Lord and walked away. Or maybe you have younger kids, and you’re disheartened by the world you’re having to raise them in.
There are plenty of justifiable reasons to be concerned about your children and their future and, specifically, their spiritual well-being.
At only 5 years old, Josiah Duncan is teaching the country what it means to show love and compassion.
It all started when the Alabama boy and his mom, Ava Faulk, encountered a man outside a local Waffle House, news outlets report. Josiah didn’t understand why the man wasn’t clean. It turns out little Josiah had never heard of homelessness.
He had a lot of questions – but most of all, he was troubled that the man looked hungry.
I want to share some encouraging reports from this year’s Day of Dialogue free speech event.
When I originally blogged about the April 16th event giving Christian students a chance to share a hope-filled perspective on issues like marriage, sexuality and gender-identity issues, I told you we were expecting 18,000 young men and women would participate.
In reality, an estimated 25,000 students took the initiative to lead Day of Dialogue events in schools across the nation.
Here at Focus we hear from women who have an identity problem. When someone asks what they do, they say, “Oh, I’m just a mom.”
Moms often have a way of seeing their own shortcomings and minimizing the role they play in their kids’ lives. I don’t believe those perceptions are accurate, but I can certainly understand the factors that drive them.
A lot of young women don’t feel capable of being good mothers. Some had poor role models growing up, and now they fear they’ll repeat the same patterns in their parenting role.
Have you heard of Kid President?
If you haven’t, I want to introduce you to him. His real name is Robby Novak, and he’s 11 years old. He stars in a series of inspirational and lighthearted YouTube videos, which have collectively been viewed tens of millions of times. I want to share one, “An Open Letter to Moms,” with you today in honor of Mother’s Day.
Robby has good reason to praise moms. His own mother, Laurie Novak, is a pretty incredible lady.
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.
