For the Howards, this is our favorite time of year. It’s a great time to reflect upon our blessings, enjoy many family traditions, and refocus our perspective on our life’s priorities. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! However, in all that wonderfulness, it can also be the most stressful time of the year… Especially this year! Many of us are missing loved ones and friends this Christmas Season as we practice [...]
During the COVID pandemic, we noticed several behavioral issues with our kids. We have two sons ages 3 and 6. The added stress of working from home while helping our kindergartner with remote learning and keeping an eye on our preschooler had us at our wits end. It got so challenging that we began to wonder if we needed to get my 6-year-old tested or take him to a child psychologist! He was having huge [...]
Young parents and even experienced parents cannot anticipate the wide array of challenges that come with raising their children. Many couples are “winging it” and can be blindsided by children’s unexpected emotions, behaviors and logistical issues that arise. In these stressful moments, any parent can feel overwhelmed and frustrated and their best intentions go out the window. This is when parents wish they had been laying a solid foundation for their marriage and children early [...]
Is your family characterized by having an attitude of gratitude? When creating family identity do you cultivate and teach gratitude? Among the many reasons we love the Holiday Season, Thanksgiving to Christmas, is that it provided us a wonderful opportunity to build our family identity through family traditions that encouraged Trevor and Alex’s hearts towards internalizing the virtue of gratitude. Family Identity Through Family Traditions Family identity is an anchor for you and your children. [...]
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. During this COVID time and as we prepare for the [...]
When you’re a young parent, you are likely in your 20’s or early 30’s. And because life is still new and coming at you pretty fast, there are so many things to learn and juggle that some elements just aren’t noticed or given the weight they should. That’s just the way of things. As life progresses and you get your footing, you gain the time and mindshare to look a little more deeply into the [...]
For many of us, 2020 is probably not on your Top Ten List of things you are grateful for right now. But what if it was? What if there was gold waiting to be discovered just below the surface of pandemic hardships, the contentious election year, the social unrest and the losses we have faced this year? We are 24 days away from Thanksgiving Day and we want to suggest that practicing gratitude can finish [...]
Dinnertime discussions - If we were to list the things that made our family so connected, dinner time conversations would be near the top. Rich and Shelly wrote on this topic (here) which is worth a re-read. Our take on this critical family engagement opportunity has brought back many great memories. Dinner time was a priority, particularly Sunday night. Although occasionally Dave was working into nighttime activities during the week, he made it a priority [...]
There is a significant link between the moral education of children and engaging whole brain learning that leads to greater emotional Intelligence and self-regulation. Raising morally responsive children can be a complex and challenging job, but it will not happen without intentionality on the part of mom and dad. To be intentional means you make the moral education of your children a priority by setting goals, establishing standards and a proactive plan. Most of us [...]
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. - Reinhold Niebuhr These are troubled times. Some families have been hit hard, some less so, and some even harder. If we look at economics alone, money is like oxygen, how do people react when deprived of it for any length of time? It’s completely understandable that [...]