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The Pressure to Fit In
Sometimes we think of peer pressure as something that only affects our kids. But it is a natural part of our makeup, and it affects us all. I was at a Harley rally with one of our Heartlight parents...
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Establishing Family Rules
When I was growing up there was one major rule—don’t make mom or dad mad. If we broke that rule, we got whacked when Dad got home. It was a “My way, and there is no highway” kind of arrangement. I...
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Encouraging Independence in Your Teen
“I can do this on my own!” “I don’t need any help!” “Quit treating me like a child!” How do you respond to statements like these from your teenager? Do they upset you, or do you see these as signs...
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Breaking the Cycle of Criticism
We learned it when we were young: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” But it’s not true! I can still vividly remember the harsh words said to me by a teacher in...
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Teaching Teens Character
One of the most important things we parents can do is to teach our kids to make good choices. But good choices can be counter-intuitive. So, how can they be taught when the immediate rewards are...
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The Over-Involved Parent
One of the most difficult things about parenting is to keep your level of involvement in balance as they get older and need more independence and less controlling. I get asked a lot, “Am I doing...
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Super Parent…Not!
Have you ever met a super parent? Despite my fondest hopes and dreams, I wasn’t. I didn’t do everything right with my children. I made mistakes. If I could do it over again, there are a lot of things...
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Getting No Respect from Your Teen?
R-E-S-P-E-C-T . . . anyone in my generation who reads those seven letters will recall Aretha Franklin’s heart-felt desire to be treated right, put to song. All of us have that need. Young and old...
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Misbehavior Can Be Sparked By Loss
Loss in the life of a teen is like is an empty space in their heart aching to be filled. It can range from their loss of popularity to their loss of a parent. It can be an adopted child’s loss for not...
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Are You and Your Teen Connecting?
I’m talking a lot lately about the enormous wave of disconnectedness that is sweeping our culture — particularly among our teens. The reason I’m so focused on this topic is that this sense of not being...
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Decision-Making Muscle Building
Are you helping your teenager build decision-making muscles, or will they be as weak as children when they leave home? Teens need to be allowed to make more and more decisions, but as they do they will...
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Adoption Issues to Be Aware Of
You may have heard the news story not long ago – an adoptive family in Tennessee put their 7-year-old Russian-born boy on an unaccompanied one-way flight back to Russia, explaining that he had...
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Parable for Dads
Have you ever considered the father figure in the Parable of the Prodigal to be the focus of that story, not the wayward son? After all, the word “father” is mentioned many more times than the word...
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When It’s Time to Act
For parents, there is no worse feeling than watching your child spin out of control while nothing you do seems to make any difference. If your teenager’s behavior is giving you feelings of...
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Experimenting With Drugs
If you’ve seen an unexplainable or drastic change in your teenager’s honesty, grades, behavior, attentiveness, or friends, it may not be hormones. It could be that they are experimenting with...
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Helping Your Child Own Their Spiritual Journey
Statistics show that 85% of kids today are leaving the church upon graduation from high school. When I was a teen, I wasn’t brave enough to say: “I don’t wanna to go to church today.” For today’s...
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My First No-Mom Mother’s Day
This will be my first Mother’s Day without needing to purchase a gift for my mom. Mom passed last month after the deteriorating health of her frail body finally gave up and said it was time for her to...
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Pass the Blessing
“And [Jesus] took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them.” Mark 10:16 The word “blessing” is a rather archaic word. Other than a courteous response to a sneeze,...
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Making This Christmas Better Than the Year Before
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the...
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Updating Our Parenting Styles
My fashion style hasn’t changed in over thirty years. I have twenty pairs of identical jeans in my closet. I have a drawer full of plain t-shirts. I have suits dating back to the Ford...
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