At the Knoxville Zoo a few weeks ago, I watched a scene unfold that so many families will recognize. It was 1 p.m.—prime “tired and hungry” hour. A little boy, about two-and-a-half, was unraveling. His grandfather, clearly overwhelmed, was dragging him along and snapping, “Stop crying,” with the occasional swat and a promise that he’d…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/pexels-pnw-prod-7677671-scaled.jpg20481366Lauren Hallhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-10-26 08:00:002025-10-20 13:14:59Discipline That Builds, Not Breaks
My two-year-old loves chocolate milk, especially in the morning with breakfast. Every day she asks for a big glass to drink with her fruit and toast. Most mornings I mix it up for her, but one morning we were out of chocolate syrup. Tragedy followed. The crying and the gnashing of teeth, the wallowing on…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/pexels-yankrukov-4965022-scaled.jpg13652048Lauren Hallhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngLauren Hall2025-10-19 08:00:002025-10-18 22:52:03The Comfort of Discomfort for Both Parents and Children
Here’s what my friend told me over coffee last week. “They have so many opportunities,” he said about the teens he mentors. “If I had half the opportunities around me at your age that you do right now… I would not be sitting where I am.” I asked him what was holding them back. He…
Discipline That Builds, Not Breaks
At the Knoxville Zoo a few weeks ago, I watched a scene unfold that so many families will recognize. It was 1 p.m.—prime “tired and hungry” hour. A little boy, about two-and-a-half, was unraveling. His grandfather, clearly overwhelmed, was dragging him along and snapping, “Stop crying,” with the occasional swat and a promise that he’d…
The Comfort of Discomfort for Both Parents and Children
My two-year-old loves chocolate milk, especially in the morning with breakfast. Every day she asks for a big glass to drink with her fruit and toast. Most mornings I mix it up for her, but one morning we were out of chocolate syrup. Tragedy followed. The crying and the gnashing of teeth, the wallowing on…
How Families Turn Exposure into Opportunity
Here’s what my friend told me over coffee last week. “They have so many opportunities,” he said about the teens he mentors. “If I had half the opportunities around me at your age that you do right now… I would not be sitting where I am.” I asked him what was holding them back. He…