To really love your child, you must know them.  And knowing your child comes through spending time talking with them.  My wife has done an awesome job of this with her “Pillow Talk” questions—open-ended questions she asks to get our kids talking.  This way, they were able to stay connected in the midst of their busy lives.  I encourage you to share meaningful conversations with your kids by using these 20...

Disciplining our children takes dedication and effort. It also helps to mix in a little creativity. So get out of the discipline rut with our twenty one creative consequences. If you have younger children who are messy, try this: set the toy somewhere out of reach but within sight for a few days. Seeing it, but not getting it, will remind them to pick it up and put it away next time. Here’s another one…want your...

In marriage, there are two people and two sides to every story.  When it comes to affairs, both spouses can often point to things that led to the infidelity.  The person having the affair cannot justify it…it’s never a good thing…but there may be some things that pushed them in that direction.  Here are some ways to push your spouse toward an affair.  First, don’t really listen.  Be sure to glance down at your...

It’s great to do things as a family, but children love it when they get Mom or Dad all to themselves. So carve out a little time with each of your kids as often as you can. Now that summer break is almost here, try to take off one day for each child during the summer. Take them on a special outing for the day. It doesn’t have to be anything big… have lunch together, toss the football in the backyard, walk around...

Last night, Susan and I got into an argument.  So is this simply a confession? No. I’d like for good to come out of it. Here are the cardinal relationship rules that I broke last night.  First, I broke our 9pm curfew on having serious discussions. We’re usually tired and cranky after that time so we shouldn’t talk about important topics. Last night, it was really late, about 11:30pm. Second, I broke the one issue...

Unfortunately, it’s really easy to spend money. The best way to avoid wasting your hard-earned money is by forming financial priorities. So here are 3 specific financial priorities for you and your family. First, shelter is a priority. But, keep in mind, it’s not about having more garage doors than your neighbor—it’s about choosing a home based on safety, local education, and affordability. Second, nourishment is...

We’re creatures of habit: We enjoy going to the same places and doing the same things week after week. And there’s nothing wrong with that, right? Well, sometimes habits cause you to miss out on new adventures. So break your routine with these 3 family activity ideas you should make your kids do. First, go on a cultural adventure. Check around town for a cool museum exhibit or musical performance. Second, do...