Parent Newsletter

When my wife, Cathy, and I found out we were going to be parents for the first time, I was brimming with confidence. After all, I had college degrees in psychology and ministry, and had been working with parents and teens for nearly a decade. Cathy had a studied early childhood education in college, and had a wonderful way with kids. So – "How hard could it be?" we thought. Well, from the moment we brought our precious daughter, Christy, home with us, we knew that parenting was a lot tougher when you were actually responsible for your own kids!

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a road map to being a more confident parent? Just follow the "easy directions" and presto - a family with very few troubles and many happy moments. The good news is that there is a road map; the bad news is that it isn't always easy to follow. You probably know that the road map I am talking about is the Bible. What you might not realize is that a key portion of the parenting road map is found in the Old Testament, in a portion referred to as the Shema.

When it comes to discipline, our kids probably don’t know that, in many ways, we parents are making it up as we go along. Each child has a different personality, and along with it a unique twist on the discipline issue. But, here’s what I tell parents all the time: “Get on the same page.” As a couple, you need to use the same philosophy of discipline and grace. Consistency is the key to raising responsible kids.

I've learned a few things about thankfulness over the past few years that have absolutely been a life-changing experience for me.  When it comes to this subject, I meet two types of people in the world. There are those who are grumblers and complainers and those who are thankful and grateful. It is interesting to note that almost universally the person who is a complainer is much less happy than the thankful person. The odds are overwhelming that you can measure your degree of happiness in life by the type of person you are.

Last month, we asked our readers to give advice to parents about when, if ever, should a parent enter a teen’s bedroom without knocking. Here are some of the responses we received from you, our subscribers.

Typically, Thanksgiving Day is a day full of family traditions. While traditions are important, even the best of families can find themselves in a rut. Other families like to mix things up a bit, and look for some new ideas to spice up their Thanksgiving Day celebration. If you find yourselves in either of these categories, you might want to check out our Thanksgiving toolkit. It’s full of activities, readings and recipes to help you make the most of your Thanksgiving!