Every mom desires to do her job well. But how can a mom know she’s doing it right?  And with all of the parenting options out there, how can a mother feel confident with her choices? The answer lies in a new book, The Passionate Mom, written by my wife Susan. The book shows mothers what they can start doing today to turn their passion for their children into a plan to protect them and provide them a promising...

It’s all too easy for parenting to feel like a project, rather than a relationship. So how can you recapture the joy of motherhood? Here are 3 simple ways. First, stop comparing your child to other children. Instead, learn to appreciate them as a unique creation with their own strengths. Second, give yourself permission to be imperfect. Get rid of the impossible expectations you’ve set and find comfort in simply...

Society has standards for what fatherhood should look like. But each father has unique strengths that make for unique parenting. So here are 3 ways dads can color outside the lines. First, consider whose lines you’re trying to color in. Ask yourself, “Am I making decisions to impress others? Or am I making decisions that are best for my family?” Second, determine what success looks like for your family. Make a...

Let’s face it: We all live busy, busy lives. But sometimes, it can be too much…too fast. So here are 4 ways to simplify your life. First, shed some stuff. The less cluttered your environment feels, the less cluttered you will feel. Second, learn to say, “No.” A great way to protect yourself and guard against over commitment is by setting limits. Third, purposefully unplug your technology. This means cutting down...

Pornography presents a distorted view of sex. It undermines a young person’s ability to enjoy a natural, loving, sexual relationship in marriage one day. So to help your child avoid being crippled by pornography, here are 2 truths you need to know. First, your child may have already seen porn online. Unfortunately, research reveals 90% of teen boys and 60% of teen girls have seen some form of pornography. To help...

Being a mom is perhaps the most difficult and most rewarding job on the planet. So what’s the key to doing it well? Here are some simple ways to be a great mom. First, be available. Make spending time with your kids a priority. Next, be loving. Look your children in the eyes and tell them you love them on a consistent basis. Third, be generous with praise. Affirm their character and their gifts as often as you...

All moms have the difficult, yet rewarding, job of raising kids. But today, I’d like to share with you how being a mom to boys can sometimes be harder. First, boys are less talkative.  While girls confidently share their feelings, boys tend to clam up. This can leave moms in the dark as to what’s going on in their sons’ lives. Second, boys feel pressured to be athletically talented. In a culture that idolizes...