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Am I Too Soft? Setting Limits When You Feel Like a Pushover Parent
Knowing when to stand firm as a parent and when to extend mercy can be a difficult challenge. And even if you’ve figured out it’s time for firmness, you still need the determination and focus to follow through in the…
Parenting from a Donkey
Jesus was a different kind of king. This was evident in many ways, and highlighted by the unexpected way He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Custom was that a king entered a town with a full show of prestige, power,…
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…
Why We Think “Showing Kids What’s What” Doesn’t Actually Work
Rick was feeling impatient with the way his wife was dealing with their children’s misbehavior. He shared his thoughts with me during a recent conversation: “I’ve always been the kind of dad that likes to get things done efficiently. When…
What Does It Mean to “Be The Parent”?
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,…
Is “Being the Parent” Actually Good Parenting?
I just read another decent parenting book by a well-known author. It’s got some good ideas in it about how to manage kids’ misbehavior. But like so many of the parenting books I read, it is laced with what I…