Even though there’s violence dotting the globe, the largest battle of our day isn’t physical. It’s a war of words. All these words are supposed to lead the listeners to truth. Often the talk feels cheap even though the claim is each new idea, paradigm and argument is the most valuable. Is this word war […]
Truth Be Told…Influence of Family is Astounding! Read More »
It’s hard to see a good family friend or loved one stray from the things you both know and believe. Things inevitably end up changing. The relationships become different and sometimes strained. However, you still want to stay close to them. How is that to be achieved? And, how do you break it to the children without them thinking these good people are not so good?
Stepping Away From What They Believe Read More »
Relationships make or break the holidays. For some, holiday family parties are stressful because of unhealthy relationships. They know attending traditional family gatherings and sending Christmas cards to “loved ones” is important. However, that ball of hurt, frustration and disgust creeps into their throat whenever they think about past relationship problems, making attending family events
Healing Relationships with Family This Holiday Season Read More »
Sometimes, no matter how diligently parents try to teach their children and unify their families, they are met with opposition. Sunday Evening 1986 “It’s time for family council,” said Dad, as usual one Sunday evening. “How long is it going to take?” “We hate family council!” “Urgh!” “I’m tired. Can I go to bed?” said
Hope For Homes Everywhere! Read More »
It’s difficult to know what other people are processing about a situation or experience. Parents often assume they know the thoughts of their children, but sometimes they don’t. Each child is so unique, and their view of a situation is unique to them too. This is a story about a young girl we’ll call Megan.
13-Year-Old Girl Changes Lives by Changing Her Heart Read More »
While swimming with my family one day the calmness of our pool experience was interrupted by one very loud, very stressed mother. If only this mother was able to see the hearts of her children and everyone else in the pool area. If she could have taken a moment to do just one simple skill
1 Skill To Improve Calmness For The Whole Family Read More »
4 year old Avery Vidrine explained fathers like this, “They work hard, slay dragons, and love us!” This 4 year old girl obviously knows what it means to be a father and a protector. She has seen evidence in her own life. Her mother, Emily, said that Avery sends her father off to work every
Daddies Who Slay Dragons Read More »
The heart of every mother desires for her child to find his place in the world, but that same sweet mother’s heart just about breaks when her child goes into the world for his life’s journey. Within the past two years I’ve joyfully sent my two oldest children out of the country to help people
A Mighty Mother’s Heart! Read More »
Fighting over seat positions in the car, teasing, bragging, one-uping… Does any of this sound familiar? Do situations like these arise frequently in your home between your children? These situations are classified assibling rivalry.It can be very distracting and disruptive in the home.
What Inspires Sibling Rivalry? Read More »
Let’s be careful not to bully our children into not being bullies. In a recent Huffington Post article a mother talked about how she taught her daughter”to damn well treat people right.” (Sorry for the language. That washer exact quote.) In the article the motherthreatened her daughter with no ride to school if the daughter
What If Your Child Is A Bully? Read More »
What does it take for a family to remodel itself? Is it possible that it’s slightly like remodeling a home or room? We remodeled our home in three weeks. Can a family also be remodeled that fast? The answer is “yes!” This is how I have seen it happen over and over again in less
5 Steps For Remodeling Your Family Read More »
I’ve never liked the part in the Christmas song It’s Beginning To Look Like Christmas when it says “Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again.” Every time I hear this it makes me sad. Sad that parents wouldn’t enjoy their children and that they would want them to go away, and
Christmas Contention Resolved! Read More »
“What do you want your relationship with your child to be like?” I asked a group of dedicated parents attending one of my Teaching Self-Government workshops. “I just want to be my daughter’s friend,” said one mother, “but she doesn’t treat me like one, even though I try so hard.” “Who doesn’t want to have
Why You’re Not Your Daughter’s Best Friend Read More »
“Urgh!” my husband exclaimed, as he dropped on the leather couch in our family room. I could see he was frustrated. Maybe this was the moment I had been waiting for, praying for. Over the years I had seen my husband become more and more lazy in his parenting and communications. We used to be
What Dad Really Wants For Father’s Day Read More »
To me, a hero is the person who liberates us from our ignorance or rescues us from bondage by teaching us the truths we need. There was a time in my life when I didn’t see my mother as my hero. When I was a child, she seemed weak and emotionally fragile. Although I know
My Mother, My Hero Read More »
Sometimes wonderful moments of instruction are missed because parents are afraid that the teaching moment might cross the line into judging. “That boy obviously has a lack of character. When someone does something inappropriate right after the adult told him not to do it, he obviously has a lack of respect for his elders and
Judging or Instructing? Great Parents Do This! Read More »
Generally, most parents want their children to have good social skills. They want them to be well liked and to be kind, respectful communicators. Unfortunately, some of these very well-meaning parents might actually be destroying the child’s ability to become this kind, respectful and socially mature person, and they don’t even know they are doing it.
How Parents Sabotage Their Children Socially Read More »
“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” (Cynthia Ozick) When I was nine years old I had a terrible bicycle accident and broke my back in five places and fractured my skull. It is a miracle that I have been able to live a relatively normal life. However, through
Confessions of Ingratitude Read More »
I have a few poems that are my all time favorites. This is one of them. It reminds me that to have courage when I need it most I must already have it within me. I must nurture my courage each day as I step out of my comfort zone and do hard thing after hard thing.
Families all over the world recently gathered around their computers to see how to have a great family night. This video is fun for all ages. Could the “cure for the common cold-hearted world” be as simple as having weekly family night activities and laughing and loving as a family? For many years family experts
No More Boring Family Nights! Video of Awesome And Easy Family Night Activities Read More »