BIG THINGS are coming August 1st! Check back then to see what's new.
BIG THINGS are coming August 1st! Check back then to see what's new.
BIG THINGS are coming August 1st! Check back in then to see what's new 👀
BIG THINGS are coming August 1st! Check back in then to see what's new 👀
BIG THINGS coming on August 1st! Check back with us then to see what's new 👀
BIG THINGS coming on August 1st! Check back with us then to see what's new 👀
Building a Brilliantly Blended Family
Any couple involved in a remarriage can tell you there are definitely some complicating factors. Extended family is even more extended. There are typically at least three people involved in parenting decisions, if not more. Visitation with the other parent involves consulting more schedules, and co-parenting is often complicated. Here are some blended family facts…
Finding Purpose in the New Year
Some people eagerly anticipate the arrival of a new year, hoping for new opportunities. Others feel stuck in a rut and could really care less. At the ripe old age of 28, Dr. Jeff Fray, psychologist/consultant, had met all of his life goals.
Tips for A Caregiver During the Holidays
If you’ve ever been a caregiver during the holidays, you know how stressful it can be when caregiving tasks already fill your day. Heap the expectations of a joy-filled season on top of that, and there is real potential for feelings of guilt, anger, resentment and complete fatigue to take over. Many caregivers are constantly…
How Connected is Your Family? Take A Family Connectedness Quiz!
Ready to take a short connectedness quiz?Who is your child’s favorite teacher of all time?What is your spouse’s favorite thing to do in his/her spare time?What is your child’s favorite meal?Given the opportunity for a night out, how would your spouse prefer to spend the evening?What person outside the family has most influenced your child’s life?What household chore does your spouse dislike the most?What accomplishment is your child most proud of?If money were no object, …
6 Things to Remember When Your Kids Mess Up
Many parents would agree that a great deal of parenting time is spent teaching children right from wrong, the importance of honesty, responsibility, good character and much more. These are many of the essential qualities they will need to be successful in life – especially when your kids mess up. No matter how much effort…
Where Have All the Fathers Gone?
Several years ago a company donated Mother’s Day cards for prisoners to send to their mothers, and they actually ran out of cards. The company also donated cards for Father’s Day, but guess what? This time, inmates only used a handful of cards. This shocked the company. A Pew research piece may offer some insight…
Embracing the Second Half of Life
A few years ago my mom attended the Wednesday night program at her place of worship. Afterward, she called me and shared the speaker’s topic: “Your Kids Don’t Want Your Stuff.” Then she asked me the dreaded question: “You really don’t want all these treasures I have accumulated through the years?”While I appreciate the sentimental significance of some of her things, I honestly appreciated the speaker’s point. This is just one of the complicated moments the second half of life often brings.Our daughter sur…
10 Things Healthy, Happy Families Do
Have you ever had one of those moments where everything seemed to be going right and suddenly, for some unexplained reason, a meltdown occurs? It makes having a happy, healthy family seem far-fetched. It could be your 4-year-old, your 14-year-old, or even yourself. A perfectly fine moment ripped to shreds in seconds and you ask…
8 Ways to Manage Family Time
The beginning of the school year, for some, actually feels more like a new year. Families are getting acquainted with new schools, new teachers and new schedules, not to mention a buffet line of new opportunities for extracurricular activities. If parents aren’t careful, they will have kids involved in three different activities, going in opposite…
Parenting and Your Child’s Independence
Parenting to encourage your child’s independence is not easy. I remember the day well. I went to pick up our daughter from school. She got in the car with a smirk on her face and blurted out, “Why did you let me fail my tree project?” I asked her exactly how I let her fail…
How to Stop Children from Lying
Ever caught your child in a lie? I have. My son would ALWAYS tell me the truth when he was younger – no matter what. As he has grown, telling the truth has been a bit more challenging for him. In middle school, he would lie at the drop of a hat. I would get…
3 Ways to Help Your Kids Launch
I remember it like it was yesterday. She bopped up to the front door of her new school in pigtails, all ready for her first day of kindergarten. After giving her a big hug, I walked back to the car with leaky eyes, feeling all the feels. I was excited for our daughter’s new adventure, but I knew the page had turned and things would be different from that point forward.
Boys and Porn
In Dr. Phil Zimbardo’s TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) talk about the demise of guys, he states that boys are flaming out academically and wiping out socially with girls and sexually with women. In response to Zimbardo’s talk, Dr. Gary Wilson explains why guys are flaming out and what we can do about it. He…
Steps for Keeping the Peace in Broken Homes
“How do I get my ex to be consistent with discipline?” “Sometimes I find it very hard not to talk bad about my ex in front of the children.” “Nothing makes my blood pressure go up faster than when my ex says they will do something and they don’t.” “I honestly believe my ex does…
Steps to Demonstrate a Positive Fatherhood Model
We can all demonstrate a healthy and responsible fatherhood model for our community. Pass this information along to friends, family, co-workers and neighbors.With friends and in your own family…Participate in marriage and family enrichment programs and encourage friends to do it, too.Honor the covenant of marriage and be an accountability partner for fellow married friends.Help mothers to be supportive of fathers’ involvement with their children, and ask your wife how you can be more inv…
Aging Parents and Broken Families
“In 2010, the first Baby Boomers turned 65. By 2030, 20 percent of America’s population will be over 65. As the Baby Boom generation moves into later life, the proportion of American elders who are divorced is skyrocketing,” says researcher and author Elizabeth Marquardt. “The McKinsey Global Institute predicts that by 2015, 46 percent of…
Can Your Kids Ask You About Sex?
Research says that young people who “sext” are more likely to have sex, and that dating violence is on the rise. So, picture this scenario: Your child sits down at the dinner table and asks, “What is sexting? What is sex?” or “How do babies get inside their mommy’s tummy?” In response, would you: A.…
My Kid Lies and I Don’t Know What to Do About It
Does your kid lie and you don’t know what to do about it? Here’s a classic example. “You tell your parents that you’re spending the night at my house and I’ll tell my parents that I am spending the night at yours and then we both can go to the party.” Except the parents ran…
The Scars of Youth and Fortnite
They say that our scars are our stories. If this is true, then Jude, my 12-year-old son, now has this story to tell: “I was playing Fortnite, and I tried this new exploit I saw in a YouTube video, and it worked! I was so excited, I jumped off my bed and busted my lip…
Helping People Finish Life Well
How can you help people finish life well? Several years ago Carol Courtney found herself in an interesting position. Her mother called to say that her father was in the hospital due to breathing problems. As a healthcare professional, all kinds of things were running through Courtney’s mind. “I knew he had been having episodes…