There's a controversial new television show called Bleep my Dad Says. It's based on the colorful and irreverent exchanges between a father and his son. What began as a Twitter feed became a book, and now a syndicated sit-com, of profanity-laced life-lessons. Your children WILL repeat what you say, good and bad. So be mindful of your conversations, not only when you talk to them, but also with others. Will you...

Practically everything you purchase these days comes in a protective shell. The covering is designed to keep out dust and dirt, and to protect the contents from damage. Many of us parent the same way. We wrap our children up to protect them…we want to keep them isolated from harm and potential hurt. We have car seats, bumper guards, and baby wipes. As they grow, we try to keep them from bad influences and...

It's tough to stay in touch with your kids when you spend most of your time at work… and they spend most of their time in the classroom. One family handles it this way: When the kids get home from school, the first thing they do—even before they head to the refrigerator—is call their father. It's not just a once-in-a-while thing. Dad puts it on his calendar… and sets that time aside every day, so he'll be free...

Our kids are constantly evaluated on their abilities at school, in sports, in the arts and even at home. But what about you? What grade would your kids give you as a parent? Well, here's a way to make an A every time. Remember the 6 A's of parenting. First is Affirmation. When your children are sharing their feelings or opinions, they want you to listen to them, identify with them and affirm them. Second is...

When they can demonstrate maturity. That can be a tricky thing to pinpoint these days. Your teen may look like an adult physically, but emotionally still be child-like. You can't stand Tommy up against a door jamb and mark his emotional growth like you measured his height. Instead, you have to look for other marks to see growing maturity. Leadership expert, Dr. Tim Elmore has compiled a list of 7 Marks of...

In 1909, Sonora Dodd created the concept of Fathers' Day to celebrate the many sacrifices her father had made to preserve his family after her mother had died. She described her father as a selfless, courageous and loving man. Today, more than 100 Fathers' Days later, more than 24 million children in America live in fatherless homes. The absence of fathers from their children's lives has led to poverty, low...

The teen years can bring some tough emotional struggles. Most kids want to be popular and well-liked. If that doesn't happen, they can turn inward and withdraw into depression, or they can vent outward and do harm to themselves or others. What can you do? Well, the Journal of Youth and Adolescence says that religious worship significantly reduces depression among teenagers. It gets kids connected to something...