Give the Gift of Connection
Jim Jackson
What’s Good About Being an Angry Parent?
Anger is tough to understand. Many parents, in the name of putting a stop to their kids’ misbehavior, tend to react quickly. This reaction usually doesn’t give much thought to the deeper layers of what’s going on in both the…
Here’s How to Seize the Opportunity When Your Child Feels Distant
“My daughter is distant from me.” How often have parents repeated these words? Or maybe it’s your son that is emotionally distant these days. The truth is, all relationships hit low points at times. For some kids, distance is their…
Got a Smart Teenager (or Child) With Bad Grades?
How to Inspire, Not Nag
4 Ways to Deal with Your Child’s Violent Outbursts
Kids of all ages can be prone to violent outbursts. Sometimes these violent outbursts get out of control. When your child screams, hits, bites, or kicks it can leave you feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. Your tendency, when this happens, might…
What Kids Learn About Politics NOW Might Last a Lifetime
The debates rage on. The signs are everywhere. The TV ads are frequent and dramatic and often say terrible things about a person we don’t even know. With pre-election hype at a fever pitch in the United States, it is…
Should I Punish My Child for Swearing?
“S#*t,” “Oh My G-d.” …or “What the _____?” We’ve heard from numerous parents that this kind of language hurts their ears as well as their hearts. It’s tempting to do a search for “how to punish a child for swearing”,…
To Spank or Not to Spank?
If you work with Christian parents, it’s tempting to stay far away from the spanking debate. There are the “never spank” parents, the “immediate obedience or get spanked” parents, and everything in-between. The question over whether to spank or not…
Avoiding Power Struggles Is Simpler Than You Think
We all want to avoid power struggles with our kids. The tantrums can be exhausting. Asking sincere questions, even with small kids, is a great way to redirect defiance and, most importantly, to build wisdom and responsibility in our children.…
“Are We Gonna Be Okay?”
“Are we gonna be OK?” It’s a question making the rounds these days. When you think about your kids celebrating Easter during a pandemic, it gets especially real. I’m guessing this question circulated in a similar fashion amongst the small…
Being Present with Our Kids
Most of us would agree there are many theories on the best way to educate our children: public school, private school, charter school, home school, co-ops, or any combination of these. Regardless of which paradigm you have for the best…