01 Sep What I’ve Learned about a Heart Based Approach
The heart is the center of all things. Inside a child’s heart are many things- certain issues they’re holding onto, feelings, things that bring them passion and joy, their experience of closeness or lack thereof to their parents, feelings of guilt or conviction and temptations and desires. Understanding your child’s heart can not only help “solve” some behavioral issues but it can help prevent them as well. Lastly, a heart-based approach recognizes God has the ultimate heart changer.
26 Aug Sibling Conflict: A Child’s First Class in Relationship School and You’re the Teacher!
One of the saddest things for parents is sibling conflict. You realize the long-term negative consequences of the fighting, teasing, and bickering between your kids. You want your children to have close relationships as they get older but it seems that they’re determined to undermine...
26 Jun When Positive Change is Slow in Coming
Waiting is hard. Whether it’s a new attitude or an annoying behavior that needs to stop. It takes time for a child’s heart to change. Waiting for God to change the heart requires patience, hope, and clear vision.
19 Jun Ways to Connect Your Kids to God’s Spiritual Strength
We all want to be in the habit of regularly praying for our kids. We know that and we should do it more. But what do you pray for. The list is long but one of the big things we want for our children is that they connect with God for themselves. That’s what will bring maximum spiritual power to your child’s daily life.
26 Mar Yelling isn’t Necessary – But Firmness Is
Firmness says that a boundary is secure and won’t be crossed without a consequence. Harshness, on the other hand, uses angry words and emotional intensity to make children believe that parents mean what they say. Ask yourself an important question about your own parenting. What cues do you give your kids that you mean business? Is it anger or is it firmness?
19 Mar How to Love Your Kids When They Need Correction
Children need firmness, direction, limit-setting, instruction, and correction. But don’t forget, they also need a lot of love. Of course, you know that, but it’s good to be reminded every once in a while, especially when the business of family life gets intense. Love can...
12 Feb The Heart is a Wrestling Place
The heart is where we wrestle with things. When experience, teaching, and values need to be integrated into life, it happens in the workshop of the heart. Information comes into our heads on a regular basis but much of...
16 Jan Attitude: A Window Into a Child’s Heart
Getting the job done is important, but what about the rolling eyes or huffing and mumbling? Is a bad attitude inevitable? Sometimes parents excuse the attitude by saying, “At least he did what I asked.” Others use excuses like, “She’s tired,” or “He’s only eight”...