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...
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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...
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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....
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After raising 5 teenagers, my wife, Susan, and I have learned a few keys about communication. So here are 7 C’s for communicating with teens. First, be calm. Rather than go into a conversation angry or upset, be sure to keep calm. This creates an environment for you and your teen to talk without the pressure of emotions. Second, be confident. Teenagers can be very persuasive. But it’s important to stand your...
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Behind the bratty child may be a workaholic parent. Behind the gossiping man or woman might be an emotionally removed spouse. And behind the alcoholic son may be an abusive or alcoholic father. We know the truth all too well: Hurt people hurt people. So how can you keep your hurts from leading you to hurt others? Here are 3 ways to break the cycle. First, explore old wounds. Admit you’ve been hurt and try to...
Growing up, your son will ask some significant questions. Instead of allowing the world to provide answers, it’s up to you to give your son the truth. Here are 3 questions your son will ask himself and how you can answer. First, he’ll ask: What’s my purpose? Your job is to help identify his gifts and guide him towards the answer. Second, your son will ask: Do I have what it takes? Only you can answer this question...
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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...
