Ever wondered how your kids view you? Check out this mom’s simple plan to see herself through her kids’ eyes: I was intrigued by a TED talk about the benefits of teachers videoing themselves teaching in their classrooms. They use…
The following is based on a reflection written by our eldest son, Daniel. We’ve adapted it a bit to speak more to parents. ~Jim & Lynne What a relief it is to know that even if I somehow managed…
Easter: The day when we sit through church together, and then VROOM! On to the… Ham. Potatoes. Egg hunts. Chocolate bunnies. Bright baskets overflowing with treats. It’s easy for our Easter celebration to focus on fun, lively traditions that have…
The Search Institute has done years of research on how kids turn out to be healthy, contributing members of society. They are probably most well-known for their list of 40 developmental assets that kids need to be successful as adults.…
Julia was a spitfire. When she was a tyke, she was ready to take the world by storm. All who knew her mom, Maggie, knew of this little one’s intensity. Creativity, exuberance, a ferocious snuggle instinct, and excellent vocabulary…
Anna Braasch, Connected Families Executive Director, has brought a much-needed perspective on parenting adopted kids to our team. Formulaic parenting sounds good, but as Anna discovered, it didn’t work with her kids. We adopted our first child from Ethiopia when…
Parents frequently say, “It’s my job to ‘be the parent’, not my kid’s friend!” Or, “My kids need to learn that I don’t have to explain everything. Sometimes they just need to know that it’s time to obey without explanation,…
Often times in the day-to-day messes of family life we need practical, specific ideas for how to communicate with our kids. Below are three of our most popular and practical tips — ideas that will provide a concrete tool in…
It starts with our example. Angry kids almost always have angry examples to follow. If those examples are parents, and those parents stay angry over the years, little can be done before their adulthood to re-teach kids about healthy anger.…
You have good desires for your kids. You probably want them to learn neatness, diligence in homework, good eating patterns, and all sorts of other helpful habits. But if you are anxious as you try to help them learn better…