We recently heard a terrific message, by Andy Stanley, how leaders can be more effective, innovative and open to creative exploration, when they have an attitude of “Wow” versus “How.” Many great ideas and creative thoughts get shut down and lost when executives or managers focus on the “how” of an idea instead of encouraging further creative exploration with a “wow” response. The same can be true in parenting. Are you a Wow Parent or [...]
“OneFamily has been so empowering in helping us to be on the same page with parenting. It's equipped us with the same language to use in our goals and a shared vision for our family & children!” Trish, Parker “I found (OneFamily) extremely useful and relevant to my family's situation. I plan to utilize many of the great teachings from both the class material and our awesome leaders.” Levi, Highlands Ranch “As a parent of [...]
When our boys were young, we mistakenly thought our summers would eventually get less busy as they got older. Between summer vacations, sports, camps and family visits, our summer schedule got completely booked… and this summer is no different with our teens. And while the anticipation of it all is very exciting and fun, we made sure to always schedule Family Fun Night in the midst of all the busyness. For us, Family Fun Night [...]
It's summertime! Do you know your neighbors? Do you know their first names? Last year we attended an event where we were challenged by these same questions. Embarrassingly, Rich could only admit to knowing about half of the 15 neighbors in our cul-de-sac and only 6 of them by their first name (Shelly knew a few more). Not very neighborly! Sure we are pleasant enough and we readily acknowledge all of our neighbors with the [...]
Holidays are a great time for families. But it can also be a great time to reflect on the meaning of the holiday... and it can be fun as well! Here are some fun facts that you can share or make a game of guessing the answers. Fun Independence Day Facts The image shown on this letter is the oldest known "rough draft" of the Declaration of Independence in Thomas Jefferson's handwriting. Jefferson's original draft [...]
OneFamily is all about equipping, encouraging and sustaining couples as they journey in their marriages and parenting. Many of the concepts, principles and ideas that we share each week, in our OneFamily letter and quotes, are derived from the Growing Families curriculum we have taught for the past 15 years. As a result, we would be remiss if we didn’t make you aware of a fantastic opportunity to learn and connect with other families that [...]
Of all the expressions of unwanted behavior that we encounter during the course of parenting, Whining and Temper Tantrums seem to span all ages. Toddlers and Teens resort to whining when they don’t get their way, just as 3rd graders and high schoolers can throw temper tantrums when they get frustrated. Unfortunately, you may even notice this behavior in adults as well. With summer getting started, based upon our own experience, there tends to be [...]
According to research, we are considered the last “low-tech” generation and, generally speaking, our kids have (or will have) more knowledge than we do about technology and how to use it. This brings up a lot of questions. We need to ask ourselves, who or what is the authority in our kids’ lives, or our own lives for that matter? Who is in control? What kind of example am I to my family and friends [...]
What if you knew the greatest predictor of your children’s success, later in life, came down to one particular skill? A skill that, if well developed, could lead to better social skills, handling stress, and higher SAT/ACT scores? How about a skill that could lower levels of substance abuse, lower levels of obesity, and create more success in every area of life? Training and reinforcing the skill of Delaying Gratification leads to the development of [...]
Nosotros creemos que la relación del matrimonio es la primera prioridad dentro de la estructura familiar…¡Hasta antes que los hijos! En la sociedad de hoy en día hay una presión constante de poner a los niños antes que TODO lo demás en el ambiente familiar. Esta prioridad equivocada últimamente podría llegar a la crianza centralizada en los hijos y hasta el divorcio. No nos mal interprete, nuestros hijos son nuestra mayor prioridad, y el establecer [...]