Did you know that 90% of kids learn about sex for the first time through pornography and that this usually happens by age nine? [i] With awful stats like these, we should be talking to our kids about sex long before age nine. Last week I asked my kids if I told them enough about the facts of life. They said I did OK when they were young but could have told them more as they got older. Don’t get me wrong, they weren’t ignorant, but because of the world we live in – I should have…
Everyone wants decent kids, right? But they don’t happen by accident. Do you remember saying, “My kids will never…” or, “I will never allow my kids to…?” And it all flew out the window once those mini tornadoes hit your calm, planned life. You ended up doing all sorts of things you never thought you would because parenting is just so hard and you’re trying to keep your head above water – never mind be proactive. Take it from one who parented like this for the first seven years. It was chaos. And I was…
Does our perception of love affect our relationships? I believe it does. It affects our relationship with God, our marriages, and how we parent. It also affects how we deal with sin – in our own lives, in those of our children, and in the church. Today I’m going to try and put into words the thoughts that have shaped my thinking about love and then see how they affect marriage and parenting. Let’s jump in. God is love. The Bible says so. (1 John4:8) And nothing can separate us from this love (Romans 8:38,39). We…
Are your kids difficult to manage? Do you fight battles with them every day? Do they push your boundaries and drive you nuts? While there are always two sides to every story, it may be that you are provoking your kids without realizing it. Here are some ways provoking your kids happens: [i] Never admit you are wrong. Excuse and justify your mistakes and don’t ever apologize. 2. Be a hypocrite. Have different expectations for yourself than for your kids. Make “Do as I say and not as I do” your motto. 3. Don’t keep your promises. Teach…
Do you have a teen that knows it all? They argue, always know better, and are downright disrespectful at times. How should you deal with this – crack down hard or ignore it? It’s hard to know. I mean, it would be great to have a teen that shows respect, values your opinion and advice, and agrees with you. Right? Or is that right? Is the goal really to have your teen reflect your own ideas without thinking for themselves? I don’t think so. Your child is becoming an adult. This means things could be a bit topsy…
Photo: instagram.com/wethebams For twenty odd years you’ve been telling your kids what to do and how to do it. Now they are grown and sometimes do dumb things. You’d love to say, “I told you so,” but is that the right thing to do? Young adulthood is a difficult period for parent and child. As the parent, you want your child to be independent and make their own way in life, but when they ignore your advice and make mistakes it’s hard to keep your mouth shut. What do you do when your grown kids…