From infancy to adulthood, there are things that scare us all—real or imagined. For children, fear can be an overwhelming emotion! They look to us, their parents, to help provide a safe place at home where they can find security, understanding, and guidance. Teaching tips for tough times: Pray With your kids nearby, speak to God aloud regarding concerns and fears your…
During this temporary time of severe health crisis in our world—and families are home for more hours together—there’s a delicate balance parents are now walking between the stress of what is happening day-to-day mixed with fear of the unknown. In this video clip titled “Coronavirus For Parents,” Jason Gibson, Director of the Babb Center for…
I had a moment recently with one of my teenagers, but not one of those heart-warming moments that you see on a Hallmark channel movie. We had to have this “convo” (aka “conversation” for those of us over 30) because there were some patterns I was seeing her demonstrate that I wanted to address. Nothing too…
In part 1 of this series, we discovered that teens really do need a lot of sleep to keep up with their growing bodies. A lot of changes are happening in them during this time of development—physically and emotionally—all requiring many hours of snooze time. In order for teens to get the sleep they really…
I can still hear my mom calling down the hallway to me during my early school years, “Time for bed, you need your sleep!” Only now, as a mother myself, do I understand the huge importance of sleep for children and adults. Newborn babies seem to sleep the days away, but as our precious kids…
Raising teenagers is one of those life experiences that can be both challenging and exciting at the same time. It has been my privilege to raise two biological children and two stepsons (twin brothers God brought into my life when they were young teenagers) to adulthood. Looking back, I can honestly say I enjoyed interacting and…
Suicide is on the rise.” I heard the somber statement again on this morning’s news. Recently, several cases of well-known, successful celebrities suddenly ending their lives have been mentioned over media outlets. We hear about them with shock and sadness—and so do our children! We may think about these headlines as sad or unfortunate. Kids,…
Summertime! It’s great for kids to be out of school and everyone more relaxed. But you may be thinking, What do we do now with everyone home all.day.long?? Sometimes our plans turn out differently than what we were thinking about earlier in the year, so it’s good to have a backup plan. Consider some of these…
Dads, do you ever think of the legacy you’ll one day leave with your children? The word “inheritance” is usually associated with material possessions such as money, but there is another kind of legacy that’s even more valuable. Although it can’t be seen, counted, or measured, a spiritual inheritance is the most priceless gift you…
Everyone has a theory about what makes up a real family. But this post isn’t about a theory. Rather, it’s about family—a “forever family,” as Mike McClanahan calls it. This is a peek through an open window of Mike’s household and expressly his heart, made up of five children—four of which he adopted in 2016. Mike’s story During…