For every parent, there comes a day when you wake up to realize that your relationship with your maturing teen is about to change. They are most likely a high school senior, making guided decisions for their future and taking the necessary steps to prepare for their life apart from you. It’s a challenging time for most kids as they may seem to be hesitant or seem like they can hardly wait to get out [...]
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 [...]
Of all the things we teach our kids about greeting people, like looking people in the eye when they speak, using proper voice levels, the appropriate way to shake hands, and the general “how to” when talking to teachers, family members and their friends, we must remember to teach them to smile. So often we’ve encountered customer service people, store clerks, wait people and others who do not smile when they are speaking (sometimes they [...]
The 3rd and 4th Generation This is the last in a 4 part series about creating new patterns in your family that will bless the 3rd & 4th generation. 1) Stake in the Ground 2) Guard your Tongue and Tone 3) Can Do or Must Do 4) What’s Missing “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 [...]
The 3rd and 4th Generation This is the third in a 4 part series about creating new patterns in your family that will bless the 3rd & 4th generation. 1) Stake in the Ground 2) Guard your Tongue and Tone 3) Can Do or Must Do 4) What’s Missing “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 [...]
The 3rd and 4th Generation This is the second in a 4 part series about creating new patterns in your family that will bless the 3rd & 4th generation. 1) Stake in the Ground 2) Guard your Tongue and Tone 3) Can Do or Must Do 4) What’s Missing “The Lord…who keeps loving kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity [...]
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 [...]