A Colorado rancher once shared an insight with me that illustrates the balance between discipline and love in parenting. He said he employed two strategies for guiding his cattle to where he wanted them on his ranch. The first was a well. Cattle roam miles of grassland when they’re grazing, but they usually stay close to their water source. The second strategy was barbed wire. The barbs produce just enough discomfort to deter cattle from pushing beyond the boundary.
Building Lasting Memories in Your Family
Many moms feel overwhelmed by the shopping, cooking, and high expectations of the holiday season.
But making memories doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. One of author Jessica Smartt’s best memories is taking her first communion class. She doesn’t remember a lot of theology, but she does remember her mother taking her through a McDonald’s drive-thru to get a cheeseburger afterward. Just the two of them together, eating in the family pickup truck.
This time of year, it’s good to remember that a good reason for traditions is to connect with your children, to let them know that their family supports them, and to bond them deeply to their Christian faith.
Fueling Motherhood Through Spiritual Discipline
Before having children, author Heidi St. John’s confidence in God felt unshakable. A few years and a few children later, Heidi felt so discouraged that she could barely get out of bed.
She remembers waking one cold January morning and hearing her children arguing in another room. The day hadn’t even begun, and she was already defeated. She willed herself to her feet by opening her Bible and reading from the Psalms. She soon realized that, while she had placed her confidence in her own abilities, King David’s praises were rooted in his confidence in God.
Lean into Your Daughter
Dad, don’t let your teenage daughter fool you. She needs you. I know her attitude may not always reflect that, but it’s true. She’s caught in a whirlwind of hormones and emotional upheaval. Her self-worth is under attack, and her social world is topsy-turvy. On top of that, she’s physically growing, changing, and feeling awkward. With you. With everybody.
Over the next few years, your daughter’s attitude will tempt you to disengage from her, to keep her at arm’s length.
When God Gives You the Family You Never Expected
November is National Adoption Month.
In the United States, there are nearly 400,000 children in the foster care system whose parents cannot safely care for them. These children need someone who will house them and provide for their basic needs.
Addressing this issue is not easy because foster care is not easy. Consider that the process always begins with a child losing a home and a family. Nevertheless, God is present in the midst of confusion.
National Adoption Month
Few experiences are as comforting and connecting as a family gathered around the Thanksgiving table. Fellowship with family and giving thanks to God for His many blessings is something we look forward to in the Daly household every year.
But the holidays weren’t like that for me growing up. My mother died when I was young, and my stepfather abandoned me and my siblings, so Thanksgiving was anything but a peaceful family holiday. Mostly I remember feeling disconnected from everything that was happening around me.
How to Talk to Your Teenager Without Losing Your Mind
Raising teenagers can be both exciting and stressful. There’s a lot going on in their lives. They’re learning how to manage their own thoughts, feelings. and identities apart from mom and dad.
Developmentally, that’s a good thing. But in many families, a teenager’s struggle for independence becomes a tug-of-war with parents who take their authority seriously.
Effective communication with a teenager can be challenging, especially if you’re trying to navigate conflict, emotional triggers, disrespect, and even a few slammed doors.
Modeling Generosity for Your Children
Do you practice “everyday generosity”?
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Modeling Generosity for Your Children,” father-and-son team Brad and Drew Formsma explain how to use your time, talent, and influence to infuse your children with a spirit of generosity that they’ll carry into their adult years.
They’ll share how to be generous with:
In a “me-focused” culture, our children can develop an other-centered attitude that expresses Christ’s love through simple acts of kindness.
Helping Those Suffering from Mental Illness
According to the National Institutes of Health, one in five adolescents in the United States suffers severe impairment or distress from a mental disorder. Often, these teenagers and their families feel isolated and alone, not knowing where to turn for help.
In addition, mental illness is still stigmatized to a degree that hinders many people from seeking treatment or receiving the support they need.
Dr. Matthew Stanford understands this problem well. He’s the CEO of the Hope and Healing Center and Institute in Houston.
Raising Up Gen Z to Follow Christ
Gen Z is desperate for guidance and inspiration.
Jason Jimenez has been pastoring parents and students for over thirty years. He’s raised four Gen Z kids of his own. He says this current generation of children represents the most difficult parenting challenge in America’s history. The spread of secularism, violent school shootings, racial and political divides, and the influence of social media have radically altered the parenting landscape.
He once led a question-and-answer session with fifty students about the topic of government.
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