Jim Jackson
How God Created Us for Connection…and Science Agrees!
Have you ever worried that your relationship with your child is at risk? Is there a growing disconnection between you and your kids? Do you wonder if your firm discipline might be disenfranchising your kids? Or perhaps you’re wondering if…
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 ads on TV are frequent, dramatic, and often saying terrible things about a person we don’t even know. With pre-election hype at a fever-pitch in the United States, it is easy…
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…
We Say “Stop!” They say, “NO!”
Working with parents for over twenty years, we consistently see the following scenarios play out with kids of all ages: Parents say “Do this!” Kids refuse. Parents say “Stop!” Kids do it anyway. Parents say, “Come!” Kids dash the other…
What Changed My Mind About Dad
Dear Connected Families family, I write to you today with a heavy, but hopeful, heart. The reason? My dad passed away on October 14th, and his funeral was October 25th. His passing was expected, but came much faster than we…