This is part 2 of a 3 part series that went out to Dave’s Ironmen group. We thought it was worth a posting on OneFamily to provide some thought provoking couchtime conversation! “Today I tackle the easy discussion of psychological security as the main driver of a woman’s needs because there is no better word to describe a woman’s psyche than “Easy”. Am I right? Man is not meant to be alone. Nor is woman. [...]
This is part 1 of a 3 part series that went out to Dave’s Ironmen group. We thought it was worth a posting on OneFamily to provide some thought provoking couchtime conversation! “I can think of nothing more dangerous to my health than addressing this topic. I feel like a conservative speaking at Berkeley. The hubris of the idea that I can summarize a woman’s needs in a page and a half is laughable. But [...]
We were half hugging, Dave’s arms around Lis’ shoulders, Lis’ arms around Dave’s waist. Looking at the room that, just a short time ago, looked so different. We were different. Standing on the edge of an unknown tomorrow, looking into the room, wondering what was next. The year was 1989 and Dano was only a few days away into our future. We took the spare room and fixed it up. New paint, baby wallpaper half-way [...]
Lis is in Sweden visiting her mom, so this week’s OneFamily Letter rests on my shoulders. The story below is an episode that was a major fork in the road for the Marr family. Little did we know that when we took the kids inner-tubing down an icy run that our lives would take a sudden turn for the worse. Lis settled in to the tube and launched herself down the run. Halfway down a [...]
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 [...]
“Every day is Valentine’s Day!” This is the usual quip Rich jokingly says to Shelly every Valentine’s Day. Yet, joking aside, it does lead to a very important question. Are you intentionally expressing your love on a daily basis and is it being received effectively? Or is it only intentionally expressed on special occasions… like Valentine’s Day? Simply saying “I love you” every day is nice, but sometimes it’s meaning can easily become diluted and [...]
Finding the balance between permissive and authoritarian parenting styles can be challenging. Often times, when left unchecked, they can create behavioral issues with your children and put a strain on marriages. This typically happens when one parent is perceived as fun loving and easy going, while the other is perceived as the harsh disciplinarian. Generally speaking, your parenting style tends to be the opposite of how you were raised. See if one of these descriptions [...]
Imagine giving birth to triplets. Then imagine raising them all by yourself because the father wanted no part of you or raising three young lives. To make matters worse, you receive no financial support and continue to have health related issues from the delivery of those tiny little babies. Imagine thinking you’ve just finished raising your own child and then your younger, heroin addicted, sister gives birth to two baby boys and doesn’t want them. [...]
Every week we are confronted with the same agonizing dilemma, what should we write about that is of interest and value to you? We have 500 people receiving these emails, each with a unique perspective as to what’s worth investing the 5 minutes necessary to pick up whatever we’re throwing down. The young parents with teeny little ones have different desires than more seasoned parents of middle-schoolers, so we sort of work up and down [...]
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! Between Christmas shopping, decorating the house (Inside and Out), mailing out a billion Christmas cards, baking that never [...]