Being a dad encompasses more than fathering a child—it’s loving and being there for your child, even when it’s hard. No matter the personal situations, I think there are some core characteristics that make a man a good father. You might be surprised to know that I’ve been thinking more about what makes a man a good father—and that my contemplation has nothing to do with Father’s Day coming up on June 17. Rather, I’ve been thinking about fathers for... Read more
What can moms and dads do to help their children be obedient and pleasing to be around during the hours of 6 to 8 p.m.? That’s a recent question submitted by a dad, who added that “we find that at the end of the day the children are wound up and tired, usually leading to lots of fussing, rough play, and disobedience. My wife and I are also tired at the end of the day and it would help if... Read more
Have you ever looked at your kids fighting and seen an opportunity for personal growth? Most parents don’t view tussles between their offspring as anything but disruptive and damaging to the family. However, teaching our children the proper and biblical way to handle conflict can restore peace to our homes and set our kids on the path to relationship success. Children will experience conflict—in the home, at school, with friends, on the playground, on sports teams, etc. If we always... Read more
How should parents react when their child isn’t happy with their decision? One parent recently asked me for talking points to explain why her 8-year-old son couldn’t play the “Call of Duty” video game. But talking points aren’t going to get you where you want to be. By the way her question was worded, I could tell that what she wanted is with the “right” explanation that, when she presented it to her 8-year-old son, he will look at her... Read more
Kids have great ideas about how to earn some extra cash. How can you encourage your kids to develop their own entrepreneurial spirit? When I was 12, I wanted to have my very own newspaper route delivering the Progress-Index, a daily afternoon newspaper in Petersburg, Va. But because of my tender age, my mom called the carrier supervisor on my behalf to vouch for my dependability. The carrier had informed my mom that I would be the youngest person... Read more
Free-range parenting is back in the news, after Utah’s new law allowing parents the freedom to let their kids walk home alone from school or play by themselves at the neighborhood park. While it does seem rather silly to have a law that says “you know your kids best and what they’re capable of doing by themselves,” it’s refreshing that a state is supporting parental rights. But this law also recognizes that our children are so fragile they require 24... Read more
It’s time we ditch the fairy-tale version, and show our kids what real happiness in marriage is all about. On May 19, Prince Henry of Wales will wed Meghan Markle, an American actress, in a televised spectacle sure to give millions of little girls and big girls a taste of a real-life fairy tale. The second son of the late Princess Diana and Prince Charles, Harry will marry Meghan at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor. When his older brother, Prince... Read more
Every child experiences fear, whether it’s being afraid of the dark or thunderstorms, of heights or the monster under the bed, of roller coasters or dogs. Some children develop fears that appear irrational to adults and some kids develop fears that become debilitating. Having a fearful child can be tough for parents because it can be difficult to know how to guide our children through the fearful episodes. “Tragedies, news stories, scary movies, scary stories or even just active imaginations... Read more
When a child or teen isn’t responding to punishment, parents often incorrectly assume that the discipline isn’t working. What’s usually happening is that the child hasn’t come to a place where the consequences can work. Remember, there are two reasons for consequences: to strengthen a child’s conscience and to provide an impetus to do better next time. When a punishment isn’t “working”—in other words, the child’s behavior hasn’t changed for the better or made any steps in that direction—the temptation... Read more
My mother raised more than 40 kids over a half century—six where her own children, and the rest were foster kids, from babies to teens. In this week’s video blog, I read two Chicken Soup for the Soul stories that I wrote about my mom. In “A Full House,” I talk about my parents and their roles as foster parents, along with my experiences as a foster sister. In “A Mom to Many,” I discuss how my mom had more... Read more
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