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 old saying goes that girls often choose husbands who are like their dads. How does that sit with you? Our girls are watching us for an example of what to expect from their future spouse. Are you kind to your wife? Do you encourage her? What about your daughter… do you hug her and tell her you love her? Are you there when she needs you? If you aren't, it's not too late to change. Sit down with your...

The best way for your child to learn to be a good decision-maker, is to involve them in your everyday decisions. For example, if you are in the market for another car, ask your child to research it with you on the Internet, go with you to the car dealer to look at cars, discuss with you the options…new or used, lease or purchase, low or high mileage. Sure, you'll ultimately decide, but bringing them into the...

November is National Adoption Awareness Month. There's a great need for loving, adoptive families. Children in the U.S., and around the world, are waiting for a family to call their own. A survey by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption found that 4 out of 10 adults have considered adopting a child, but many families don't pursue it. Misconceptions about adoption sometimes deter them from taking the next step…...

I was playing the simulated military game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with my teenage son…and I'm really bad at it. The mission is to kill the bad guys or be killed. In real life, what do you do when someone takes aim at you and starts to fire? Fire back, right? Well, that's our instinct, but our call of duty is to receive the "friendly fire," and not pull the verbal trigger…even though everything in us...

This week we are featuring the 5 most popular Family Minutes from 2010. Today is Number 3...If your kids have a difficult time keeping up with their responsibilities at home, then create a chore chart. The one in our house works like this. We list the kids' names across the top. Then, down the side, we list the chores, such as taking out the garbage, washing the dishes, cleaning their room and doing the laundry....

It's not some high-tech gadget you can pick up at a store… it's a sense of belonging. So how can you instill that in your kids? At home, let your kids know they're important to you, and to your family. Affirm their positive character traits, encourage their unique gifts, and let them know their thoughts and opinions matter. Then, when you're out in public, praise them to others – and proudly claim them: "This is...