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 complex and 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 [...]

What if you discovered that the key predictor of your children’s success later in life comes down to one specific skill? This skill, if developed well, could lead to improved social abilities, better stress management, and greater academic achievement. Additionally, this skill has the potential to reduce substance abuse, lower obesity levels, and enhance success across all areas of life. Training and reinforcing the skill of delaying gratification leads to the development of self-control and [...]

Happiness is a lifted spirit, an optimism in outlook. To live a life where happiness is a regular companion is to be faithful and persistent, willing to persevere through life’s challenges. A lifted Spirit develops emotional reserves to maintain goodwill for family and friends where you can respond and not react. A lifted spirit is a skill that can be taught and should be a family character trait, not so much where you absolutely must [...]

“Time is free, but it’s priceless.  You can’t own it, but you can use it.  You can’t keep it, but you can spend it.  Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.” -Harvey Mackay Throughout our parenting journey, time seemed to be one of the hardest things to come by and manage.  There’s never enough time! Yet, we discovered that we did make time for the things that are important to us. In [...]

“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 bring our own childhood into the marriage and need to get on the same page when providing answers to our children’s request. Lis grew up in [...]

You have been blessed with wonderful children whose very nature is one of love and of learning. And you are their teacher in both. Season after season, you’ll have these saplings of yours that will look to you to guide them in the ways of love and the ways of the world. It’s just that simple. Like the gardener who always has a new crop of challenges of weeds and insects, sunny days and cloudy, [...]

To your child, God looks and acts like you. They will come to understand God’s love based on how they have experienced your love. Their self-worth will be based on that understanding - a love that finds the right balance of words and actions to encourage, coax, and mold appropriate behavior and effort. Their life is a divine journey of discovery guided by you. And for those parents who understand the depth of this blessing, [...]