Take the time to do some things each day that help you deal with all the chaos.
I fish. It’s what I do. Some have asked me what in the world draws me to stand by a pond and throw a little feathered hook in the water time and time again, often with very few results. I fish so I can de-stress. It’s mindless (somewhat) and I can leave all the emotion,…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/evan-wise-Gl1jwLrvl8A-unsplash.jpg13682048Chris Ownbyhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngChris Ownby2020-04-08 11:32:122022-08-11 09:17:12Are You Setting a Good Example of Self-Care for Your Family?
Let me set the scene for you. I’m working from home, sitting at my computer trying to crank out a report and meet a deadline in an hour. The following sequence of events happens: My 9-year-old son goes running down the hall and slides on the floor into the door as if he were sliding…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/photo-of-man-and-woman-having-fun-with-their-child-3820065.jpg13652048Reggie Madisonhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngReggie Madison2020-04-06 09:49:372022-07-28 11:59:12How to Not Blow Up on Your Kids When You’re Stressed: The Timeout
These journal topic suggestions can get you to thinking!
Journaling isn’t just for school. It can help your kids in a variety of personal ways that can also help you as a parent tune into your kids. Sometimes your kids will be willing to share their thoughts with you, but they will often put something into writing that they might not say to you. Let’s be honest —…
Are you keeping them safe, or keeping them from growing?
I have always prided myself on being a good friend—the type of friend that seeks to protect those I care about from hurt, harm or danger—even self-inflicted hurt, harm, or danger. I was in no way prepared for the gigantic increase in those protective feelings when I became a MOTHER. The idea that my babies (now 21,…
How can you be sure your child will know that you love them? When I was 6, I was shopping with my mom when my eyes landed on what I thought was very cool Christmas tape. I told my mom I needed that tape. She said no. So, I took matters into my own hands……
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/photo-of-woman-carrying-child-3889817.jpg11522048Julie Baumgardnerhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2020-03-02 09:56:252022-05-19 08:16:466 Ways Your Child Will Know You Love Them
In the March issue of The Atlantic, David Brooks writes a provocative and compelling article about the nuclear family and how he thinks it was a huge mistake.
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/jessica-rockowitz-6c4Uhhe68yQ-unsplash-1-e1597073348782.jpg193450Julie Baumgardnerhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2020-02-24 00:00:002022-05-19 08:52:16Is the Nuclear Family a Problem?
Kobe Bryant’s untimely death brought to the forefront a great conversation about being a girl dad. Elle Duncan from ESPN Sports Center spoke about meeting Bryant when she was eight months pregnant. He congratulated her and when he found out she was having a girl, and he high-fived her and said, “Girls are the best!” Bryant said that he and his wife had talked about having more children, but they joked: What if they had another girl? Duncan said, “Four girls…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/devi-puspita-amartha-yahya-3Md8M9zdqvY-unsplash.jpg20023196Julie Baumgardnerhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2020-02-10 00:00:002021-12-02 11:03:157 Ways to Embrace Being a #girldad
Panicking About Your Kids’ Phones? New Research Says Don’t is the title of an article in the New York Times. The writer says a growing number of academicians are challenging the true impact of social media and smartphones, questioning whether too much time on devices is actually the culprit for the dramatic increase in anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, especially in teens.Before you jump on that bandwagon, believing the claims, you might want to hear what psych…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/priscilla-du-preez-ptA_7ODacAk-unsplash.jpg13652048Julie Baumgardnerhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2020-02-03 00:00:002022-07-25 14:50:32What You Need to Know: Smartphones, Teens and Depression
Did you know…?Pedophiles and traffickers can message your children through YouTube.Human trafficking doesn’t just happen in big cities. It happens in every zip code.Boys are trafficked, too.Traffickers can be doctors, lawyers and CEOs.Foster care children, immigrants and refugees are at greatest risk for becoming victims.Your child has already been targeted by a human trafficker.Many children and teens are trafficked in plain sight. (Source: Military Moms Blog, October 2019)January …
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/artur-kraft-mZk3lQzf0Xo-unsplash.jpg13652048Julie Baumgardnerhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2020-01-27 00:00:002021-08-17 11:52:59How You Can Help End Child Trafficking
As a mom of two young girls, I struggle with the idea of being present vs. perfect. But I had this idea. A fun, whimsical baking sesh with my uber-helpful daughter, Jackie, baking a beautiful, homemade, delicious, vegan Frozen-themed cake for her 4th birthday party. I was determined to make it happen. I was going…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/grayscale-photography-of-mother-and-child-1089077.jpg13652048Tamara Slocumhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngTamara Slocum2020-01-13 12:51:022022-04-29 10:00:39Present vs. Perfect Makes For Unforgettable Moments
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/mckaela-lee-grhjIuEAb_0-unsplash-1.jpg13652048John Daumhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJohn Daum2019-12-17 08:51:352023-03-08 09:42:40When (and How) Should I Give My Child A Cell Phone?
Being friends with your siblings as adults looks a little different than being roommates with them when you’re little. Your relationship with your siblings, if you’re like me, has ebbed and flowed over the years. I have two sisters and I’m the one in the middle. I’m sure you can imagine there has been quite…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/becca-tapert-u5e1kqW6E3M-unsplash.jpg13652048First Things Firsthttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2019-12-04 15:20:102022-12-19 20:52:105 Ways to Stay in Touch with Siblings as Adults
With all of the expectations around the holidays, things can get kind of crazy. There’s bound to be disagreements about how, when or IF you do all the things. Think traditions, party plans, travel—you name it. The very time that’s supposed to bring families closer together is often filled with more fun stuff like extra…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/tim-umphreys-S_ARb3KEonk-unsplash.jpg13652048Julie Baumgardnerhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2019-12-02 00:00:002022-08-05 10:01:17Fun Ways for Families to Connect During the Holidays
Will Counseling Work For Me? Will beekeeping? Homeopathic remedies? Fixing your own transmission? Doing the same thing over and over again work for you? I dunno. You are unique. Going to a professional counselor might not work for you, but there are some very compelling reasons to give it a try. The better question might…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/youssef-naddam-iJ2IG8ckCpA-unsplash-scaled.jpg24483264John Daumhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJohn Daum2019-11-13 16:12:362020-09-30 15:01:28Will Counseling Work For Me?
We live in a day and time when parents feel like they run from one thing to the next seeking to give their children every opportunity to experience life to the fullest. Many people say there's nothing wrong with that.The reality is that children and their parents are experiencing high rates of disconnectedness. They are experiencing a lot of life, but at what cost?One of the most powerful ways for families to create connection is by sharing regular and meaningful meals together, which offers…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/group-of-friends-making-toast-3184193.jpg13652048Julie Baumgardnerhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2019-11-11 00:00:002022-07-15 08:43:32How to Connect at Family Mealtimes
Being a parent makes life better. Let me tell you why. I’m currently writing this while sitting at a coffee shop on a rainy afternoon, and there is a table of three very chatty, obnoxious, silly, giggly 12-year-old girls directly hovering over cinnamon rolls and muffins directly in my line of sight. One of them…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/anna-pritchard-7Xk0XlcGe2I-unsplash-1.jpg13652048Chris Ownbyhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngChris Ownby2019-11-06 15:52:102020-09-30 14:50:27How Being a Parent Makes Life Better
We sat next to each other on the hotel bed, the awkward silence between us laden with guilt, fear, confusion and trepidation. Something had transpired on the drive to our weekend getaway with my husband’s family, who had come into town for our youngest daughter’s dedication. A celebration, a joyous occasion, marked by a colicky…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/laura-fuhrman-bl7kgLtzdOQ-unsplash.jpg13652048Tamara Slocumhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngTamara Slocum2019-10-16 09:33:262020-09-30 15:37:386 Ways a Husband Can Support His Wife Through Postpartum Depression
If you feel like something just isn’t right, know that you are not alone.
“Why are you crying?!? What do you need?!?” I pleaded with my baby to somehow answer me. But when she didn’t, my anger quickly morphed into full-on rage. I tried to calm her, every way I knew how, but with slightly more force than was necessary. I shushed her, I swaddled her, I held her…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/zach-lucero-fwjsBPbRm4g-unsplash.jpg13652048Tamara Slocumhttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngTamara Slocum2019-10-15 14:17:582022-04-06 09:24:34What They Don’t Tell You About Postpartum Depression
I can’t believe that it is less than 90 days from Christmas! It seems like yesterday I was actually looking forward to school starting because it brought some structure back into my carefree summer lifestyle. Today, I am headlong into sports, extracurricular activities, and community service events. It’s far from carefree- it’s stressful. But that’s…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/andre-jackson-LdJrAEnYDa0-unsplash.jpg13652048Gena Ellishttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngGena Ellis2019-10-15 09:50:272021-12-10 11:11:30Leaning Into The Stress of Parenting
If you want to try to have a good relationship with them, this is for you.
In-laws are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. They might blow through boundaries. Your in-laws might meddle in your marriage. You might even be having a hard time living with your in-laws. Possibly, they’re totally toxic. This isn’t about any of those things. Sometimes, your in-laws are just difficult…
https://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/haley-phelps-twoahjAsoO4-unsplash.jpg13652048First Things Firsthttps://courses.firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngFirst Things First2019-10-09 11:49:332022-05-24 16:06:19What to Do When You Don’t Really Like Your In-Laws
Are You Setting a Good Example of Self-Care for Your Family?
I fish. It’s what I do. Some have asked me what in the world draws me to stand by a pond and throw a little feathered hook in the water time and time again, often with very few results. I fish so I can de-stress. It’s mindless (somewhat) and I can leave all the emotion,…
How to Not Blow Up on Your Kids When You’re Stressed: The Timeout
Let me set the scene for you. I’m working from home, sitting at my computer trying to crank out a report and meet a deadline in an hour. The following sequence of events happens: My 9-year-old son goes running down the hall and slides on the floor into the door as if he were sliding…
Journaling/Writing Prompts for Kids
Journaling isn’t just for school. It can help your kids in a variety of personal ways that can also help you as a parent tune into your kids. Sometimes your kids will be willing to share their thoughts with you, but they will often put something into writing that they might not say to you. Let’s be honest —…
Letting Your Child Fail
I have always prided myself on being a good friend—the type of friend that seeks to protect those I care about from hurt, harm or danger—even self-inflicted hurt, harm, or danger. I was in no way prepared for the gigantic increase in those protective feelings when I became a MOTHER. The idea that my babies (now 21,…
6 Ways Your Child Will Know You Love Them
How can you be sure your child will know that you love them? When I was 6, I was shopping with my mom when my eyes landed on what I thought was very cool Christmas tape. I told my mom I needed that tape. She said no. So, I took matters into my own hands……
Is the Nuclear Family a Problem?
In the March issue of The Atlantic, David Brooks writes a provocative and compelling article about the nuclear family and how he thinks it was a huge mistake.
7 Ways to Embrace Being a #girldad
Kobe Bryant’s untimely death brought to the forefront a great conversation about being a girl dad. Elle Duncan from ESPN Sports Center spoke about meeting Bryant when she was eight months pregnant. He congratulated her and when he found out she was having a girl, and he high-fived her and said, “Girls are the best!” Bryant said that he and his wife had talked about having more children, but they joked: What if they had another girl? Duncan said, “Four girls…
What You Need to Know: Smartphones, Teens and Depression
Panicking About Your Kids’ Phones? New Research Says Don’t is the title of an article in the New York Times. The writer says a growing number of academicians are challenging the true impact of social media and smartphones, questioning whether too much time on devices is actually the culprit for the dramatic increase in anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, especially in teens.Before you jump on that bandwagon, believing the claims, you might want to hear what psych…
How You Can Help End Child Trafficking
Did you know…?Pedophiles and traffickers can message your children through YouTube.Human trafficking doesn’t just happen in big cities. It happens in every zip code.Boys are trafficked, too.Traffickers can be doctors, lawyers and CEOs.Foster care children, immigrants and refugees are at greatest risk for becoming victims.Your child has already been targeted by a human trafficker.Many children and teens are trafficked in plain sight. (Source: Military Moms Blog, October 2019)January …
Present vs. Perfect Makes For Unforgettable Moments
As a mom of two young girls, I struggle with the idea of being present vs. perfect. But I had this idea. A fun, whimsical baking sesh with my uber-helpful daughter, Jackie, baking a beautiful, homemade, delicious, vegan Frozen-themed cake for her 4th birthday party. I was determined to make it happen. I was going…
When (and How) Should I Give My Child A Cell Phone?
What’s the right age and the right kind of phone for your child and how do you keep them safe in this digital age?
5 Ways to Stay in Touch with Siblings as Adults
Being friends with your siblings as adults looks a little different than being roommates with them when you’re little. Your relationship with your siblings, if you’re like me, has ebbed and flowed over the years. I have two sisters and I’m the one in the middle. I’m sure you can imagine there has been quite…
Fun Ways for Families to Connect During the Holidays
With all of the expectations around the holidays, things can get kind of crazy. There’s bound to be disagreements about how, when or IF you do all the things. Think traditions, party plans, travel—you name it. The very time that’s supposed to bring families closer together is often filled with more fun stuff like extra…
Will Counseling Work For Me?
Will Counseling Work For Me? Will beekeeping? Homeopathic remedies? Fixing your own transmission? Doing the same thing over and over again work for you? I dunno. You are unique. Going to a professional counselor might not work for you, but there are some very compelling reasons to give it a try. The better question might…
How to Connect at Family Mealtimes
We live in a day and time when parents feel like they run from one thing to the next seeking to give their children every opportunity to experience life to the fullest. Many people say there's nothing wrong with that.The reality is that children and their parents are experiencing high rates of disconnectedness. They are experiencing a lot of life, but at what cost?One of the most powerful ways for families to create connection is by sharing regular and meaningful meals together, which offers…
How Being a Parent Makes Life Better
Being a parent makes life better. Let me tell you why. I’m currently writing this while sitting at a coffee shop on a rainy afternoon, and there is a table of three very chatty, obnoxious, silly, giggly 12-year-old girls directly hovering over cinnamon rolls and muffins directly in my line of sight. One of them…
6 Ways a Husband Can Support His Wife Through Postpartum Depression
We sat next to each other on the hotel bed, the awkward silence between us laden with guilt, fear, confusion and trepidation. Something had transpired on the drive to our weekend getaway with my husband’s family, who had come into town for our youngest daughter’s dedication. A celebration, a joyous occasion, marked by a colicky…
What They Don’t Tell You About Postpartum Depression
“Why are you crying?!? What do you need?!?” I pleaded with my baby to somehow answer me. But when she didn’t, my anger quickly morphed into full-on rage. I tried to calm her, every way I knew how, but with slightly more force than was necessary. I shushed her, I swaddled her, I held her…
Leaning Into The Stress of Parenting
I can’t believe that it is less than 90 days from Christmas! It seems like yesterday I was actually looking forward to school starting because it brought some structure back into my carefree summer lifestyle. Today, I am headlong into sports, extracurricular activities, and community service events. It’s far from carefree- it’s stressful. But that’s…
What to Do When You Don’t Really Like Your In-Laws
In-laws are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. They might blow through boundaries. Your in-laws might meddle in your marriage. You might even be having a hard time living with your in-laws. Possibly, they’re totally toxic. This isn’t about any of those things. Sometimes, your in-laws are just difficult…
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