Do You Love Family Travel? (Or Not So Much?!)
We talked with our kids about why we chose the vacations we did, and they never once complained that we weren’t heading to fancy resorts or theme parks. They really understood our passion for these values that reflected our faith and our commitment to their growth.
Your Parenting Skills Are Not the Most Important Thing. This Is.
Jesus said that “smart carpenters” build a sturdy house on solid rock. Then when the storms of life hit, nothing will move the house. This doesn’t mean storms won’t pelt the house from time to time, and even inflict some damage. It means the house will stand strong, able to endure even the most ferocious […]
Getting the Best Out of Our Kids
The way to get the best out of people is to orient people toward others. Think about it. When are you at your best? It’s almost always when you are contributing to the welfare of others. Certainly there are those rare situations on the athletic field or perhaps in a business arena where the individual […]
The Best Vacation Ever
Tom was worried about taking his family on a short mission trip to a South Dakota Indian reservation. He told me, “We’re really interested in this trip. We think it would be good for us and for our kids. But we’re a bit scared that our stressed family dynamics will be exposed in that setting. […]
My Worst Parenting Nightmare…
It was every parent’s nightmare – over two hours at the allergist’s office with three young children. The kids and I all took turns alternately getting poked for blood draws, scratched all over our backs and arms for allergy testing, and puffing to check breath levels for asthma. The results? A bountiful diagnosis of asthma […]
When Life Gets Sucked Out of Our Family
Sometimes technology feels out of control. I am chief offender in our home. Two hours can pass and, if I’m completely honest, I don’t really remember much of what I did, saw, or believed was so important. I recently came to realize that I was spending hours with various screens (computer, e-reader, phone, etc), as […]
What’s Our Family About, Anyway?
Have you ever wondered what your family is “all about”? I asked this of coaching clients Ted and Dawn recently. They had come seeking help because their kids seemed ever more defiant, selfish, and irresponsible. Eager to understand their family I asked them, “What would your kids say are the driving values you want to […]
Do You Have a Positive View of Your Child’s Future?
The Search Institute has done years of research on how kids turn out to be healthy, contributing members of society. They are probably most well-known for their list of 40 developmental assets that kids need to be successful as adults. Number 40 has always intrigued me: Positive View of Personal Future. In essence, when kids […]
Does Your Family Have a Purpose?
Our family likes to have plans in the works for the upcoming year. A possible Florida trip this spring to see family? What about our family’s favorite summer vacation spot in the Colorado Rockies? In order to make these dreams a reality, with the family calendar looking more like a 3-D puzzle, some advanced planning is […]
How to Make Sure Your Kids Will Want to Stay
What if the way you disciplined your kids had the power to turn their hearts toward or away from the safety of your love, your home, and even God?