All too often, moms and dads want their kids to pursue the same dreams they once had. The dad who was captain of the football team wants more than anything for his son to be the star of the team. The mom who was a concert pianist now drags her daughter to piano lessons every week in hopes that she’ll be in the spotlight. Instead of making your goals their goals, it’s important to let your kids dream their own...
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Many parents walk a fine line between caring for their children and spoiling their children. But the difference is not too complicated. Caring is always giving your children what they need. Spoiling is always giving your children what they want. When children become accustomed to getting what they want, how they want it, and when they want it, they develop a very self-focused, selfish mind-set. So, here are a...
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Susan and I were already blessed with three children, but then, our hearts were stirred and moved to adopt two children from Siberia, Russia. The kids were 9-years-old and 12-years-old when they came into our home. They came carrying pain, hurt, insecurity, and instability. That was 10 years ago. We now look back at the last decade and remember the struggles we went through but also the joys we’ve experienced....
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Many kids would rather stare at a screen than stare at the pages of a book. And when playing video games becomes obsessive and all consuming, then problems will soon follow. The signs for addiction are obvious. It’s the 8-year-old who has a meltdown when he’s told to put his iPad away. It’s the teenager who lets his grades slip because he can’t turn off the Xbox. To help control this growing issue, here are ways...
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Words matter. Words either build up or tear down. And, as parents, we can never underestimate the power that a few careless words will have on our kids. Here are some things not to say to your kids. First, don’t say nothing. When a dad chooses work or television or friends or sports over his child, the impact is lifelong. Be sure to share conversations with your children daily to build a deep, lasting...
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Our kids are now all out of the house in college or starting a career. But we still get to spend a lot of time with them. We like hanging out with them and with their friends. I think it’s fair to say that their friends enjoy time with us too. It’s because we invest in them. How? First, we’re available to them. Just like with our own kids, we’re available when asked to coach them and help them with anything they...
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The answer is simple: you have a huge impact on your child. But it’s up to you whether that impact is ultimately good or bad. Giacomo Bono—co-author of the new book, Making Grateful Kids, shares with us all about what it takes to make a good impact on our kids: gratitude. So how do we teach our kids to be grateful? First, demonstrate a spirit of gratefulness yourself. Second, teach your child to see obstacles as...
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