Category Discipline
My Daughter Asked for an iPod Again… But This Time Was Different.
My daughter approached me with a typical question — one I’ve heard one hundred seventy-three times (but who’s counting). “Dad, can I have an iPod Touch?” But this time, her approach was different. She made a good pitch — she had…
5 Awesome Ideas to Make the Most of Your Family’s Christmas
It’s that time again — time for Christmas carols, snowflakes, and Advent candles, but also time for hectic schedules, slushy boots, and the Christmas cookie sugar crash. Christmas (and Advent) can be a wonderful time to share meaningful connection as…
What Tone are You Setting for Your Home?
A mom of three kids ages 10 to 14 emailed me this story this week: A friend once told me she worked to greet her children with enthusiasm, even if they had just come into the kitchen from the living room. I…
How to Find the Good… Even in Misbehavior!
“…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute – if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise – let your mind dwell on these things”…
Christians and the Elf On The Shelf
Elf on the Shelf, Reindeer in Here*, or a host of other Christmas characters may have your head spinning. As Christians, is there value in these characters or do they take away from the true, grace-filled, birth of Jesus at…
What if Parents Talked to Each Other the Way We Talk to Our Kids?
Recently someone sent us this video from comedic mom group “The Break Womb” entitled, “What If Moms Talked to Each Other The Way They Talk to Their Kids…” It’s pretty funny, but it’s also a good reminder of how the…
The Critical Cry of Every Child to Their Parents
I love baseball. Before I ever even thought about marriage, I dreamt about the day I would teach my own children to play baseball. The first time I went into the backyard with three-year-old Daniel to teach him the game, I…
Why I Love the Huge Dent in My Floor
In our kitchen, there is a huge dent in the floor. I see it every day. It is a reminder to me of the day in which I learned something important about myself when it comes to discipline. It was…
When Connecting with Kids Just Feels… Awkward
Have you ever tried to connect with your child and just felt… awkward? This is not uncommon. Parents sometimes express to us that connection can be awkward, such as, “We just aren’t a huggy family.” Feelings of awkwardness around one form…
My Kids’ Messes Drive Me CRAZY!
For years I have struggled with the mess that our lively, spontaneous, creative, frequently disorganized children made at high speed. I used to call it “Trash and Dash.” Since their father has somewhat more “relaxed” standards of housekeeping than I…