The teen years can bring some tough emotional struggles. Most kids want to be popular and well-liked. If that doesn't happen, they can turn inward and withdraw into depression, or they can vent outward and do harm to themselves or others. What can you do? Well, the Journal of Youth and Adolescence says that religious worship significantly reduces depression among teenagers. It gets kids connected to something...
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I was playing the simulated military game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with my teenage son…and I'm really bad at it. The mission is to kill the bad guys or be killed. In real life, what do you do when someone takes aim at you and starts to fire? Fire back, right? Well, that's our instinct, but our call of duty is to receive the "friendly fire," and not pull the verbal trigger…even though everything in us...
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It's not some high-tech gadget you can pick up at a store… it's a sense of belonging. So how can you instill that in your kids? At home, let your kids know they're important to you, and to your family. Affirm their positive character traits, encourage their unique gifts, and let them know their thoughts and opinions matter. Then, when you're out in public, praise them to others – and proudly claim them: "This is...
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Last night, as I stood at the kitchen sink, my son tried to push me aside, without saying a word. Well, rather than just correct him, my wife and I decided to employ a little role-play. As I stood at the sink again, she played the role of my son and said, "Dad, will you please excuse me? I'd like to wash my hands." I said, "Sure, come on in." and then moved out of the way. You see, telling our kids how to do...
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We're conditioned to react negatively to the word "no." We don't like to hear it… and we don't like to say it. We thrive on saying "Yes" to ourselves—to our own wants and desires—to a new car, the latest gadget, an expensive vacation. So why are we surprised when our kids expect instant gratification. If we can't say "No" to ourselves, how will they learn to say "No" to themselves and realize the rewards of...
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Fall "sweeps" month begins today, and that means TV shows will resort to more sensational programming to boost their ratings and advertising dollars. So be prepared for even more sex, violence and vulgar language than usual for the next 30 days. While there isn't much you can do about what's on TV, there's a lot you can do about how much you'll allow into your home. Why not consider skipping TV for awhile, and...
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The marriage rate has been on a steady decline over the past five decades. Why this disturbing trend? It's because some people think that living together rather than getting married is the way to go. The number of unmarried couples living with each other jumped from 1.6 million in 1980 to 13.6 million in 2008. Are there consequences for co-habitation? Well, findings from Pennsylvania State University indicate...
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