There are a million YouTube clips showing babies, toddlers, young children and tweens imitating adult behavior, speech and attitudes. While some of these clips are cute or even hilarious to watch, some are very inappropriate when you consider the child’s age. It makes you wonder if some people are not aware that it’s their own behavior that’s being imitated. Lis and Dave addressed the issue of role modeling and shared some terrific insights on how [...]
Parenting in the Digital Age can be challenging to navigate. In the first two parts of this series, our intention was to give you an overall understanding of the issues that come with technology and help you form a clear perspective to manage it thoughtfully in your home. This week we offer 3 areas, with specific tools and resources, to consider when implementing technology strategies and plans in your home. Communication is critical and must [...]
Last week in our Playing with Fire letter, we highlighted three areas that Moms and Dad should have awareness and understanding as they parent in the Digital Age. Health Effects – Brain Development, Melatonin & Dopamine Safety Issues – Cyber Bullying, Identify Theft, Online Predators Behavior Complications – Moods, Empathy & Relationships The research and information in these areas provides you with knowledge you need to form a healthy perspective without fearing the challenges that [...]
Do you have a 4 year old that uses a tablet or 13 year old that is glued to their phone? If so, you have a Screenager! A Screenager is any toddler, child or teen that actively uses digital media or technology. And while there are many wonderful aspects of our Digital Age, there are also many challenges that come with it! Over the next three weeks, our goal is to equip and encourage you [...]
Have you ever been asked a question about the very thing you just communicated and you can tell your message is not getting through? We’ve all been there and it can be frustrating. Active listening may be a “blind spot” for those we are speaking with and for us as the listener as well. If you’re honest, when was the last time you intentionally listened in order to comprehend meaning, to show love and honor [...]
Having a healthy and thriving family begins with a health marriage. We believe that the marriage relationship should be the first priority within the family structure… even before our kids! In today’s society, there is constant pressure to put our children first above EVERYTHING else in the family environment. This misguided prioritization can ultimately lead to child-centered parenting and even divorce. Don’t get us wrong. Our children are a top priority. And just because we [...]
Zig Ziglar said children spell love T-I-M-E. We remember how hard it was when our boys were young, to carve out time for them as we juggled work, housework, working out, errands, quiet time, kids’ activities and the list goes on. We were doing a lot of things with and for our kids, but the truth is that’s not the same as giving them time. It is important that kids know that they matter in [...]
The Howards are big football fans, so last week we happened to be paying attention when the Denver Broncos hired a new head coach, Vic Fangio. At his press conference, Coach Fangio coined a phase summing up his philosophy, expectations and vision for the Broncos. He said the we will not be a team that suffers “Death by Inches.” As a mom, it really got me (Shelly) thinking. The coach was talking about areas we [...]
"Be patient, be a good listener, be consistent..." these are just some of the more common “Top Parenting Tips” you'll find when searching around the Internet. And we would agree with many of those tips. However, we thought it would be fun, and encouraging, to provide you with our top ten parenting tips that have most impacted us over the years. 10) Have fun and enjoy your kids – It was very easy for us [...]
Parenting doesn’t come with a manual. Like many others in the beginning, Jon and I were surviving the sleep deprivation and just keeping our little ones clean, fed and rested. As their little personalities developed, we realized our two girls were very different. Using the parenting techniques that came naturally to us didn’t always give us the results we wanted. Jon and I soon realized we were not on the same page with how to [...]