Getting the kids situated in a new school year can be all-consuming.  There are new schedules, new activities and new challenges.  Just dealing with all of the newness can wear you out.  Well, in the middle of the madness it’s easy to push aside spending time with your spouse.  So, even though it will take some planning, try to schedule a date night, just the two of you, at least once every couple of weeks.  Or,...

If they are, remember your position.  You’re there to be an encourager, not to be overbearing.  No child wants to be embarrassed by a parent who’s screaming and yelling uncontrollably.  I was coaching my son’s baseball game a few years ago and I got frustrated with the umpire’s calls.  So, what did I do? I got mad…threw my hat on the ground and walked off the field. Youth sports can bring out the best…or the worst...

It may be Jesse Owens. Born the son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave, Jesse Owens, using his God-given athletic ability, went on to compete in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany.  In attendance was Adolph Hitler.  Hitler touted his so-called belief that the Aryan people were the superior race. However, Hitler had to sit in the stands and fume as Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field. ...

I appreciate a strong work ethic. But I also know it’s challenging to teach our kids the importance of work. Here are some things you can do to meet that challenge…10 Ways to Teach Work Ethic to Your Kids. First, create opportunities for them to work at a young age and do so often. Second, let your children do some of the  jobs at home such as cutting the grass or cleaning the bathrooms. Third, make sure your...

Maybe the last love letter you wrote was when you were dating.  Do you remember how your heart raced?  And do you remember how much they loved to get them?  Now try to remember why you stopped.  Well, it’s not too late.  Pull out a clean sheet of paper and tell your spouse that you love them for who they are.  Praise them for their unique talents, gifts and abilities and tell them what you cherish in your...

A friend of mine says a favorite memory of her father is how he would let her draw on his back. No, not with pens or markers, but with her finger. She would draw a picture and he would try to guess what it was. When my kids were growing up, I was the “tickle monster”—I chased the kids around the house, playfully tackled them to the ground, and got big laughs when the tickle monster attacked. You see, those are the...

Be a great coach.  Children who started out in Little League are playing in baseball’s All-Star game tonight.  Because of the encouragement and validation their coaches gave, they were able to make it to the big leagues.  Coaches want to win. But more importantly, a great coach wants kids to have fun, get exercise and learn good sportsmanship.  A child wants to be valuable to the team…to be an All-Star.  To make...