Give the Gift of Connection
Chad Hayenga
Scared to launch your child into the “real world”?
If you’re the parent of an older teen or young adult, the thought of launching your child into the world can be frightening; particularly if they have shown very few signs that they will be able to handle “real life”…
What to Do When You Catch Your Child Looking at Porn
It’s everywhere. For most of us, as parents, it’s not a matter of “if”, but “when” your child will be exposed to pornography. But what do you DO if you catch your child looking at porn? How do you keep…
5 Practical Tips to Pray BIG as a Family
As parents, and as followers of Christ, many of us place great value on prayer. Are we prepared to pray BIG prayers? Or do we feel like we are just “going through the motions”? Figuring out how to pray as…
Stop the Crazy All-or-Nothing Thinking with These 4 Steps
Your child just said something completely exaggerated. It was all or nothing. All bad. Nothing right. And not the truth. It drives you crazy, right? But underneath the all-or-nothing thinking is likely a discouraged or anxious child. When your child makes…
Your child is “playing doctor” with a friend
The Connected Families Framework is an effective tool for parents to utilize in a variety of challenging scenarios, including teaching children healthy boundaries. It provides four powerful messages to kids; even in hard situations as we desire to pass along…
Youth Sports: Is It All Worth It?
Like many parents, I have a strong interest in athletics. I competed in four sports in high school and continued with track and field in college. My three kids have all competed in a variety of sports and to my…
Got an Attention-Seeking Child in the Classroom? Try This Strategy
So your child is the child engaging in all the attention-seeking antics in the classroom? Or, at least, that’s what the teacher tells you… Hearing from the school that your child isn’t doing well or is causing problems for the…
“I’m the Parent. I Don’t HAVE to Say Please”
Have you heard ungrateful demands (like the ones below) from kids who seem to expect you to drop your life in order to take care of them? “Mom! Where’s dinner?” “Dad, I need a ride to the gym!” “Bring…
So You Killed The Cat….Now What?
“Do you think we should tell the kids what really happened? What they don’t know won’t hurt them, right?” We received this question when a parent accidentally ran over the sleeping, aging family cat. What would you say if they…
Sometimes I Cry About My Parenting Mistakes
There are some mornings when I wake up with a knot in my stomach and questions on my mind. Sometimes I even cry about my parenting mistakes. Maybe you’ve been there too. (Or questions and worries nag you while you’re…