The 3rd and 4th Generation This is the first in a 4 part series about creating new patterns in your family that will bless the 3rd & 4th generation. “The Lord…who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” Exodus 34:7 You stand at the [...]
We recently read about an idea that really resonated with us. It described how children need their parents’ blessing. A blessing from mom and dad communicates unconditional acceptance and affirmation while greatly impacting a child’s identity. Your blessing frees their hearts and minds to grow into all the good things you as a parent want for them. For Dads, its especially important to know the impact your blessing has in the lives of your children. [...]
Parenting is a year-round process. However, we found that summertime seemed to be a really productive and effective time in our parenting. Maybe it was because many of the school year obligations and hectic schedules got dialed back and the excitement of sunshine, family vacations and barbecues filled our home. Whatever the reason, we used our summertime excitement as a special time of the year to “super charge” some of our parenting initiatives while enjoying [...]
“Can I ride my bike to the park with Ryan?” “No, not today sweetie!” Starting during the toddler years and continuing all through the adolescent years, there is a parenting tendency that seeps into a child’s psyche and deeply influences their motivations, efforts, and even their very personality. As parents we brought our own upbringing into the marriage and needed to get on the same page when providing answers to our children’s request. Lis grew [...]
If we’ve learned anything in the years we’ve lead parenting classes, it is this: The parenting process is a series of relational transitions. In our Parenting Phases letter, we described four stages and the relational phases: Birth to Toddlerhood – Discipline Phase Toddlerhood to Childhood – Training Phase Childhood to Teenagers – Coaching Phase Late Teens though Adulthood – Mentoring/Friendship Phase It’s often difficult for parents to transition through each of these phases and make [...]
With Mother’s Day approaching, Shelly reflects on four areas from her motherhood journey. _____________________ I feel truly blessed and grateful for the journey I’ve been on with Rich in raising our boys, now 23 and 21 years old. We were in our mid-thirties when Trevor and Alex were born and we thought we would be great parents. We quickly discovered all the ways parenting was going to challenge us. As a mom, the experience has [...]
Moms and Dads attend OneFamily parenting classes to find answers. Should a child sleep in the parent’s bed? Is offering a reward for good behavior a bribe? If you take away a privilege, how and when should you restore it? Are timeouts really effective? How do you get your children to play nice with one another? Should you spank, and if yes, then for what reason and how should you do it? How should you [...]
When looking at your child’s behavior, have you ever considered their emotional health? Certainly, there are many factors that influence emotional health, but over the years we have seen many situations were focusing on your child’s love language can greatly improve their overall disposition and behavior. You've probably heard of The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, by Gary Chapman. Or perhaps you took the test as a part of a pre-marital [...]
“You can do anything for 1 minute” is not just an easy phrase for parental encouragement, it’s a brick in the foundation of a child’s life. It isn’t long after babies become toddlers that parents should begin the long process of building character through self-discipline. Every era in childhood will present new opportunities for parents to develop in their children the strength to face the hard-earned ability of sticking with a task through the desire [...]
Our mindset has everything to do with our happiness and success in every area of life. What we’ve experienced over the last year has certainly amplified that in so many ways. Dealing with the impact of the Pandemic has definitely affected our mindset. Navigating change, disappointment and uncertainty takes a lot of emotional work. We’ve all been under more stress and feeling more anxious which can manifest in some harmful ways if we let it. [...]