Every parent wonders, sooner or later, if the values they are teaching their kids will actually stick with them. Personal experience and visits with hundreds of parents have convinced me that planting certain seeds in your child’s life will strengthen your positive influence on them.  Here are a few of those seeds. First, focus on making memories that will last. Camping, fishing, hiking, biking, family...

Jeff Foxworthy has been making people laugh for years.  But he takes his role as a husband and father very seriously.  So much so that he'd often hire a plane to get back from a late gig so he'd be there to take his daughters to school the next morning.  In the same way, are you doing everything you can make sure that you spend as much time with your family as possible?  It's very important to provide for your...

Think back to your teen years.  It seemed like everyone had their eye on you.  Everything was a big deal.  When things went wrong, it seemed like the sky was falling and the world was coming to an end.  Dealing with disappointment is hard at any age, but especially during those teen years. Here’s how you can help.  Begin by listening first, not talking.  Your teen needs to know first that they are heard.  When you...

One of the best things you can do as a parent is to strive to live a model life that is worthy for your child to follow. Here are 5 things you should model for your child. First, model consistency. Whether you’re with your family, friends, or coworkers, your child needs to see that you are the real deal…that you’re same person wherever you are and whoever you are with. Second, model self-denial. It’s easy to live...

You raise strong girls by having a father actively involved in their life. How do fathers influence daughters? First, fathers are role models. Remember the saying, "Monkey see, monkey do?" Well it’s no different in parenting! Daughters follow what their fathers do. Second, fathers are encouragers. When girls are faced with tough decisions, their dads’ encouragement means the most. So whether it’s alcohol,...

Girls in their tweens and teens are posting videos on YouTube asking the question, “Am I pretty or ugly?  It’s no secret, the teenage years are full of insecurity. But the Internet is a dangerous place to seek affirmation and attention. It opens your child up to cruel, damaging comments as well as sexual predators. As a parent, it’s your job to affirm and love your child well so she doesn’t look for it in all the...

I think most parents have moments of uncertainty or even fear about sharing their mistakes with their children. But we shouldn’t let our bad choices, or the fear of looking like a hypocrite, stop us as parents. Here’s why you shouldn’t be afraid to share your mistakes with your kids. First, history is a good teacher. Your past bad choices don’t disqualify you from opposing those choices now. Being transparent...