Category Discipline
Teaching Kids True Repentance [video]
When kids make a mistake, especially when they hurt others, most parents would agree that it’s important to learn repentance — for kids to feel sorry for what they’ve done. But in our pursuit of this goal, many parents settle…
One Mom’s Journey from Fighting to Dancing
Julia was fed up. Her kids fought daily about their responsibilities, and Julia was at the end of her patience. Daily power struggles were beginning to define their relationships as the kids grew more discouraged and Julia more determined to stop the “misbehavior.” So Julia came to us for help.
Practical Ways to Connect in the Middle of Discipline [video]
Parents often think about how to connect with their children — but what we don’t always realize is that parents can connect even when children are misbehaving! (In fact, sometimes the middle of misbehavior is the most powerful time to…
Don’t stuff your kids’ feelings
Kids usually do the best they know how to express their feelings. The best they can do is usually quite immature and unrefined. A problem occurs when, instead of validating our kids’ best efforts to express their feelings, we minimize,…
Whose Problem Is It?
Deep inside most parents is a strong urge to control their children. It may seem beneficial or even “work” for a few years, but there are diminishing returns if the goal of control is not given up significantly by…
“How can I be loving and supportive when I think my spouse is wrong?”
Recently we received this question from a mom in response to one of our posts. Q: When I watched the video about Jim and daughter Bethany’s conflict I realized that Lynne answered the phone but didn’t intervene. My impulse would…
“My parents yelled, and I turned out fine…”
Q: "Why did my husband and I turn out to be respectful, well-adjusted, polite adults even though we were raised with spanking and yelling?"
Great question, and one we hear often.
How to Not Take Sides When Siblings Fight
In our family, one of the realities we face is siblings who fight. I tend to want to stop my children’s rivalry in its tracks, but I have found that I sometimes contribute to the problem rather than solve it. Ultimately, I really…
A Prescription for Connection [video]
A pediatrician friend of ours once had parents bring in their child and request a diagnosis of Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) so they could get a prescription. But our wise friend took a look beneath the surface to what was…
How do I talk to my kids about sin?
Recently we received a question from a parent who, after reading this blog post, was confused about how to use scripture to talk with her kids about sin.——— Q: How can I talk to my kids about sin?I think the word sin…