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...

There are many times when we must stand strong as parents and say “no” to our children, especially when something is not what’s best for them.  Because I often say “no” to my kids, I am always searching for more ways to say “yes.” So, every time one of my kids asks me to do something with them, I do my best to figure out how to make it happen even though it’s inconvenient or even though I had other plans.  When it...

In a study done by the University of North Carolina, underage children were able to buy cigarettes on the Internet in 76 out of 83 attempts. These kids were monitored by the researchers in the study. How closely do you monitor your own children’s use of the Internet? Do you know what your child types into Google’s search engine? What ground rules have you discussed, what safeguards do you have in place? Help your...

MajorLeague Baseball manager Tommy Lasorda once confessed that, as a relief pitcher,he was so anxious he would sometimes deliberately try to balk. Problem was, theumpires wouldn't call it and he was forced to face his fears. Several decadeslater when Lasorda was managing Orel Hershiser, he told Orel, "Tomorrowwhen Dale Murphy comes to bat and sees the name Orel, he's going to laugh atyou and then pound you deep....

The dictionary defines courage as the ability to face difficulty, danger, or pain without fear. I think courage is the ability to look difficulty, danger, and pain square in the face and do what needs to be done, even though you are afraid. And your children learn how to be courageous by watching you. They learn courage when they see you step out of your comfort zone. They practice courage when you challenge them...

Parenting is never boring. There is always some new thing to enjoy or challenge to tackle. And while the parental climate is always changing from one stage of your child's life to the next, there are 12 truths about parenting that remain constant. First, parenting is "heart work." It's not about outward obedience; it's about the inward attitude of your child. Second, parenting requires prayer, patience and...

Talking to your kids about sex is probably as uncomfortable for you as it is for them. But if you think it's ok to avoid that discussion—think again. The January 2011 issue of Seventeen Magazine interviewed teens for a national survey on sex, and the findings are disturbing. Teens are increasingly putting themselves at great physical and emotional risk by having pre-marital sex. And sadly, almost a fourth say...