Most families don't have a plan for dealing with anger. They just continue on, hoping things will get better. When families don't resolve their anger, however, they just keep trying to start over. Trying again is helpful, but we each need to have a bigger plan if we want negative patterns or anger to change. Five Steps toward an Anger-Management Plan There are five essential steps in helping children deal...

You pour everything you’ve got—your time, emotions, energy—into raising your kids, but you aren’t seeing any return on your investment.  As your kids move into the teen years, you may even begin to see a “dip” in your parenting portfolio.  But don’t lose heart. Remember that parenting is a long-term investment. So don’t look at the day to day returns which will fluctuate, but take a long term approach. You may not...

During busy times does your job or family become the main focus? University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt said that no matter what, he drove his kids to school, even during football season. Spending that time with them was a top priority. So what can you do to make sure you’re spending enough time with your kids during a busy season? Start by setting appointments on your calendar to spend one-on-one...

So many people are deep in debt and low in savings.  A recent study by Bankrate.com reported by CBS News found that nearly 30% of Americans report having more credit card debt than emergency savings.  Why? One reason is that many people were never taught how to handle their money.  Maybe it’s time to break the cycle and teach our kids the importance of managing money well.  Here are 7 tips for teaching kids about...

When our kids are young, we map out in our minds what we want for them.  We want them to be successful in school, in work, and in relationships.  But many unexpected things will occur in their lives.  Our kids will fail, face rejection, get sick, and make poor choices.  A key to parenting is to expect the unexpected when raising your kids.  Here are 3 reasons why. First, it helps you avoid overreacting.  Expecting...

Once when my wife and I were about to go out, my daughter said, “But Mom, I want you to stay here!”  My wife replied, “No honey.  I’m going on a date with Daddy.”  Wow, I felt like a million bucks. My wife was protecting her time with me and making us a priority. Our kids need to know how much we love them…that they are a priority to us as well…but, that they are not the center of the universe.  If they think they...

There’s no doubt about it: Everyone wants respectful kids. But more often than not, children’s attitudes and behaviors are far from respectful. To combat this, here are 3 ways to train your children to be respectful. First, understand the problem. Focus on how your child treats you—with both their words and their attitude—instead of getting sidetracked by the specific incident at hand. Second, come up with a plan....