Parenting Articles

If you are like many parents, the teenage years hit your home like a tornado. In your child’s opinion, you went from being a Zen Master of all things related to life and morphed into their own real world version of Homer Simpson. This child who once was the source of such joy and affirmation in your life now causes you to perp...

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I didn’t mean for it to happen. As much as I wanted to come up with some justifiable reason for my loss of temper, there wasn’t one. I overreacted. And my 12-year-old daughter got the brunt of my anger. Before I knew it, words were coming out of my mouth that were beyond what was called for in the situation. Instead of const...

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“I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.” – Psalm 119.93 We have all had those days when you feel like nothing is happening; nothing is changing. You are at a standstill. There is simply no spark. In the middle of this dessert your teen walks in with a crisis that needs fixing or a pr...

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If your family is like mine, you love basking in the pleasure of summer break. There are no tests, science fair projects, homework, or anything else that resembles school. This also means your child is at home all day long, everyday, with lots of idle time on his hands. We all know what the idle mind of a twelve year old can bec...

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I recently watched the Hatfield and McCoys miniseries from the History Channel. The acting was superb and the storyline was compelling, but it left me with a feeling of unease. The conflict between the two families started over a supposed stolen pig, but after generations of fighting the two families couldn’t even remember the...

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In fall and spring a ritual takes place among millions of 14-24 year olds that has nothing to do with school. For one hour every Thursday night they tune in to watch a group of castaways that have been left on an uninhabited island far away. They watch these ordinary people on Survivor form alliances against one another, compete...

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I love art museums. My wife and I have gotten to visit some of the finest museums in the country. I feel peaceful and unhurried when I walk along the long hallways of giant paintings of masters from long ago. When I look at a classic painting I see definition, purpose and meaning. Whether its an etherial seascape or a couple of...

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Sitting down for a regular healthy family meal can be a real challenge for working parents. Add to that having a teenager in your home who has an ever-changing schedule and a family meal can seem nearly impossible. But the benefits of those few minutes together as a family is too good to pass up.   Improves Your family Heal...

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The issue of teen drinking continues to be a source of pain and broken trust for many parents. I’ve seen a growing number of parents  respond to the issue by making the home a “safe haven” for drinking alcohol. The rationale is, “teens are going to drink alcohol. I don’t won’t them to get hurt of hurt someone else ...

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What really motivates teenagers? If you’re like me, when you watch teen-oriented media like Pretty Little Liars, Secret Life of the American Teenager, or Glee, it’s easy to conclude that teens desire sex, alcohol, and money. Certainly each of these vices are unhealthy traps that teens fall into, but a new study shows th...

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