Discipline that Connects™: Four Powerful Messages All Kids Long to Hear
0This post is part of a series on “Discipline That Connects™: Four Powerful Messages All Kids Long to Hear”. Over the next four weeks we will expand on four powerful messages that parents can focus on as Biblical goals when discipline challenges hit the fan. …
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Sore Losers: Why They Melt Down and What You Can Do [Video]
Playing games with our kids can be a fun way to connect. But what happens when one or more of the children struggles with losing gracefully? Enjoyable playtime can quickly morph into a frustrating outburst. Kids are upset, other players are uncomfortable, and everyone may …
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How Family Meetings Can Un-Spoil Kids
One day, my wife and I looked at each other and noticed ourselves doing many things for our kids that they were fully capable of doing for themselves. We also noticed that our kids, to varying degrees, would plead ignorance or inadequacy…
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Can Family Meetings Really Work?
Family Meetings: just the words send some parents into a state of anxiety while kids yawn and get immediately distracted. But with a few simple guidelines, family meetings can be fun, build cooperation, unity, and even leadership skills!
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Are Your Easter Traditions Leaving a Legacy of Faith?
We live in a time and place in history that makes living a routine lifestyle extremely difficult. Yet research reveals that one of the most important ways parents can build faith and values into their children is through traditions and rituals. When night-time prayers, shared …
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Planning a vacation this year? Read this first.
Your kids are watching you. Constantly. All the subtle messages from the way you live life are being absorbed by their active little minds, even if neither you nor your child are aware of it. How you do vacations is no exception. So it’s a …
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How a Pipe Cleaner Can Stop Your Child’s Meltdowns!
Does your child sometimes unexpectedly meltdown at the drop of a hat? Does unexpected change or inflexibility lead to frequent tantrums? If so, you’re not alone! Despite Jen’s best efforts, her goal of trying to stop her son’s meltdowns just seemed to make them worse. …
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7 Practical Tips for Picky Eaters
It is truly a God-given desire to feed your child healthy food. Unfortunately this good desire can easily go awry when your child turns up his nose at what you consider to be essential nutrition. A child’s rejection of certain foods is often rooted in …
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T.E.A.C.H.ing Values in Real Life
Renee and Randy were in a common repeating cycle with their 5-year-old, Peter. “We felt like we were constantly on eggshells because of his daily meltdowns.” We showed them the T.E.A.C.H. framework, and their next report was a great review of how effectively they applied …
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5 Ways to T.E.A.C.H. Your Kids Values
There are lots of things we want our kids to learn, from how to ride a bike to how to be a faith-filled, responsible adult. Some, like getting dressed, are easy to teach. But how do we teach our children the values they’ll need to …
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The Best Plan for Teaching Faith!
We had it all figured out. With strong desire to be more intentional about teaching faith at home, we’d put together a little lesson plan for a family Bible study. Complete with some fun object lessons and activities, it was sure to be a hit! …
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Did God Spank Moses?
The story of Moses at the burning bush is (thanks to Cecil DeMille and Charlton Heston) one of the most famous stories in the Old Testament (see Exodus 3 & 4). But have you ever read it as an example of parenting? In the story, …
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3 Steps for Success in Christmas Chaos!
Holidays and other gatherings can be a lot of fun — but they can also be busy and overstimulating for kids! Being proactive about preparing your children for challenging situations in advance can go a long way toward keeping the peace and teaching your child …
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Building the Family Team: A Solution to Chore Wars
7-year-old Bryce was a master “chore evader.” When asked to help with chores, this distractable drama king would slump over and whine, “But I wanted to play!” His parents, Sandy and Jeff, had run out of ideas and came to me (Lynne) for help. …
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Should We Lie to Our Kids about Santa?
Note: For some of our readers this post may touch a nerve. Please know we write in a spirit of wanting desperately to see the story of Jesus magnified far above all other stories – fueled by recent days of hearing story after story of heartache …
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Thankfulness in Three Dimensions
As we prepare for the upcoming day of “giving thanks”, take a moment to reflect on these three dimensions of thankfulness. First Dimension: Thankfulness for Blessings Big and Small When we think of thankfulness, we often give thanks for things — turkey, pumpkin pie, or …
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The Joy of Family Chores: A Tale of Two Moms
In a family, we all need each other. We are a team, and we share in the responsibility of the household. “God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be” (1 Cor. 12:18). Each child …
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Dealing With Rejection: A Surprising Use for a $20 Bill
Kids are rejected from every side. Sometimes the rejection or criticism comes from a teacher that just doesn’t “get” your kid. Sometimes it comes from an angry family member. Sometimes it’s rejection from peers, gossiping, getting picked last in gym class. These daily rejections can …
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How to Have Positive Politics in Your Home
On Tuesday we talked about the importance of practicing what you preach at home. Practically speaking, if you want your kids to learn respect and responsibility, you need to set the stage for it at home. Here’s an idea for developing great “politics” in your …
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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 …
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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 …
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“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 …
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“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. …
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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 …
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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 …
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