As parents, we want to protect our children from every harm in the world. But unfortunately, we can’t always control what life throws at our kids—like bullying. Whether it’s emotional or physical bullying, many parents are unequipped to deal with this serious issue. So here are two key truths parents must keep in mind. First, bullying harms our child’s feeling of safety. To combat this, we must first comfort our...

Of course, parenting is difficult, but it’s exciting and enjoyable too! So here are 2 ways to have fun teaching your kids virtues. First, teach them the value of patience. Have fun with this by playing waiting games like “The Cookie Test.” In this game, tell your child they may have one cookie now or two cookies if they can wait until after dinner. Who doesn’t love learning when desserts are involved? Second,...

Your kids may be more comfortable texting than talking…and that can be frustrating. But there is hope. Here are 3 steps that you can take to encourage more talking and relationship building: set the scene, set values, and set guidelines. First, set the scene. Discuss why they seem to struggle with putting technology over relationships. Admit where you may struggle and encourage them with sympathy, instead of...

As parents, most of us are deeply committed to raising our kids well. But no parent is perfect. We all mess up—probably more often than we’d like to admit. So here are 2 common parenting mistakes and how to avoid them. First, we refuse to let our children fail. To avoid this, we need to understand that removing the possibility of failure dilutes our child’s motivation to excel. Second, we make the mistake of...

To be fair, technology has been a part of their everyday existence in ways we could never have imagined at their age. Don’t assume the worst about your tech-obsessed child. Here are some reasons behind their habits. First, kids use technology to avoid awkward situations and conversations. Being heads down on their phones is one way to avoid that feeling.  Second, kids feel F.O.M.O. anxiety these days which means...

You are your child’s best teacher—more so than their friends, their siblings, or even their favorite TV show. And, as your children’s biggest influence, you should take every opportunity to instill in them important truths. In his book Lessons Kids Need to Learn, author David Staal shares ways to teach your kids valuable lessons. Here are two of them.  First, teach them to serve others. This requires identifying...

From the blaming and bickering to the wailing and whining, sibling conflict can be a nightmare for parents. And who can forget their cries of, “Daaaaad, Luke isn’t being nice!” Times like these can leave us thinking that our kids’ quarreling will never end. But it can end once you learn how to foster friendship between your kids. How? First, do fun things together as a family. Playing ball in the backyard or board...