The Politics of Respect — In Our Homes!
0Republican, or Democrat? Mitt Romney, or Barack Obama? With pre-election hype now at fever-pitch a week before the polls, it is easy to get either fed-up or worked-up with politics! Being an informed voter is certainly important, but we think the most important politics for …
Read More
Are We Teaching Our Kids to Bully?
I saw her coming, eyes flashing and surveying the crowded checkout lines. Her cart was full. Mine was too. I shifted my gaze to the lines as well. It was time to go and there was no way I was going to let her find …
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Uncommon Thoughts About Bullying
We’ve worked with many bullied kids, and with just as many who did the bullying. They were often the same person. As part of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, we’re continuing a series of reflections and tips that we’ve found helpful in parents’ efforts to curb bullying …
Read More
The Diamond in the Rough of Bullying
This is the first in a series about a thoughtful and graceful approach to bullying. It’s a little longer than usual. Hopefully you’ll see why. You learn that your child has been bullied at school. Your blood pressure skyrockets. You want justice NOW! “THIS IS …
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Consequences That Actually Work! (Part 3 – Restitution Consequences)
Over the past few weeks we learned how effective natural consequences and logical consequences help children learn to make better choices. Today we conclude with Part 3 of our series on Consequences That Actually Work! Restitution consequences With a strong focus on relationships, “restitution consequences” …
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Consequences That Actually Work! (Part 2 – Logical Consequences)
Last week we kicked off our series on Consequences That Actually Work with a post on the importance of natural consequences. Today we look at what to do when natural consequences are not enough. Logical consequences When children are not motivated by natural consequences, they …
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Consequences That Actually Work! (Part 1 – Natural Consequences)
Over the next several weeks we’ll be sharing three types of consequences that make sense, are easy to implement, and most importantly will really help your children learn the value of making a better decision next time! Natural consequences Many consequences, or results, for misbehaviors …
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Video: Sensory Input Techniques to Calm and Focus your Child
Got a child with sensory sensitivity? Check out Lynne’s helpful therapy techniques to help calm and focus your child!
Read More
Why “Asking Too Much” Can Be a Good Thing
When Moses told the nation of Israel to follow God’s commandments and “impress them on your children,” (Deut. 6:7) he was not speaking just to parents but to an entire community. He knew individual families were vulnerable. He knew that a family was only as …
Read More
6 Destructive Lies We Tell Ourselves — And How to Fight Them!
Sometimes we humans seem to act unpredictably or irrationally. But every action has a purpose, rooted in an underlying or “core” belief. Our core beliefs are what guide our behavior. The way core beliefs are formed is complex. Our environment, the media, our peers, and …
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Is There “Miracle Grow” for Good Behavior?
The energy we give to kids based on their behavior is like fertilizer. Whether it’s behavior we want from our kids or behavior we don’t want, our energy feeds it for future growth. To fertilize desired behavior requires thoughtfulness. We hope this simple acronym helps …
Read More
Cooperation Made Easy! (…At least this time.)
A few years ago, I took my two young nephews camping. Just the three of us. One morning I got up early to think and pray about our day. The previous night had been fun but exhausting, so I enjoyed the refreshing solitude, focused my mind …
Read More
Your Child Is Not Your Report Card
As the school year begins, here are a few brief reminders about responsibility and report cards. 1. Your child is not your report card. Many parents feel that their child’s poor behaviors mean that they are bad parents. Whether a child rudely rejects Grandma’s hotdish, …
Read More
When Kids Fight
Siblings have conflict. Even a little pushing and shoving can be normal. The fighting itself is not necessarily the problem, it’s what kids learn about conflict and resolution over time that’s important. This blog addresses physical fighting between siblings, but the principles apply to verbal …
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
5 Reasons to Laugh With Your Kids
1. It feels great! Few things in life feel better than hearty laughter. 2. It brings people together! Few things are more connective than enjoying a huge belly laugh together with those you love. Laughter releases a variety of “feel good” chemicals in our brain …
Read More
Our Millennial Children
This infographic from OnlineSchools.com explores data on the technology-saturated environment in which our kids and teens are growing up. Things sure have changed since we were kids! Courtesy of: Online Schools For further reading on kids and technology, check out the following resources: What …
Read More
“Spread Yourselves THICK!”
“Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial.” ~I Corinthians 6:12 Our oldest child, Daniel, made a grand pronouncement one morning upon learning that we all had to go to church early and stay through three services because of our ministry commitments. “You …
Read More
“I Called the Cops on My Six-Year-Old Son!”
Sometimes our kids don’t take things seriously because they just don’t understand the weight of their own actions. When that happens, we as parents need to think outside the box to help them understand the consequences now so that they won’t have to reap harsher …
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
How to Love the Children of Your Reality
We all have dreams for ourselves and our children. When we run into difficulties with our kids, we feel a threat to those dreams, and sometimes we start to panic. What if he can’t get into a good college? What if she becomes a shopaholic? …
Read More
“What Were You Thinking?!” or, How to Handle Impulsive Behavior
Q: How do I deal with my son’s often impulsive behavior? First and most importantly, everything we’re about to say is most effective when it’s rooted in a strong commitment for your son to walk in all that God has laid out for him (Eph. …
Read More
Prep Your Kids for a Responsible School Year
When kids make poor choices at school, either behavioral or academic, parents usually get pretty upset. If we are honest, it’s mostly because we think our kids’ bad judgment or irresponsibility reflects poorly on US! But really, their behavior is THEIR “report card” and not …
Read More
6 Ways to Combat Back-to-School Anxiety
Heading back to school can be an anxious and stressful time for your kids — and for you! Here are a few proactive tips to help smooth the transition this fall: 1. Identify and face any anxieties you may have about the situation. Anxious children …
Read More
How to Turn Misbehavior Into Success!
Few watching Jonathan Horton faithfully anchor the 2012 US Men’s Gymnastics team would guess that, apparently, he was quite a squirrelly youngster! But “squirrelly” is definitely the right word — as the video above describes, he climbed to the top of a store shelf as …
Read More
How to Help Your Kids Like Each Other
After a long summer, is sibling conflict driving you crazy? Here’s great proactive strategy… At times children naturally enjoy each other. But conflict is inevitable. If parents allow it, isolated conflicts can turn into a persistent rivalry that has the power to dominate their children’s …
Read More
Michael Phelps’ Secret… and What It Tells Us About Parenting
Michael Phelps is now the most decorated Olympian in history. On Wednesday night, he won his 18th and 19th medals, making him — according to many — “the greatest Olympian ever”. So what is Phelps’ secret? Well, it could be his high-altitude sleeping chamber. But …
Read MorePodcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Connected Families | Learn to Parent with Contagious Love and Faith!