Social media is scary – do you realize your kids have access to things outside of your control with social media and technology?  Teaching social media and technology safety is an essential parenting skill in 2013. Without these skills, kids are vulnerable to online predators and to harassing behavior from peers and other adults. In teaching social media and online safety, here are things to consider:

1. Don’t allow your child to put their phone number or location on a social media profile or “check in” at a location that will be displayed on social media.  You may know where your child is, but do you want everyone else to know, too?

   Read More »

Throughout the media and the schoolyard, kids say, “He’s bullying me!” When we hear the word “bullying” we listen and jump to action. Or do we? Is it becoming overused like the boy who cried wolf?

Kids have always been mean to each other. With media reports of preteen and teen suicides and acts of violence tied to bullying, parents need to know what bullying is, what it isn’t, and how to help kids respond.

Read More »

This year, our children are beginning seventh grade, tenth grade, and the first and last years of college. As they get older, they talk more about things making a difference in their lives.  As I learn from my children, here are five essential parenting principles making a difference in the lives of our children.

1. Lessons children learn are often things we minimize.  As my children are reaching adulthood, values they’re choosing are influenced by little things I minimized. Certain books and stories we made available to them during their childhood years have significantly impacted their decisions and beliefs, along with principles and traditions I didn’t even realize we established.

   Read More »

As the busy school year gets started, it’s easy to get bogged down with school activities, sports and the rush of upcoming holidays. However, children of all ages need time with parents or guardians in their life even during the busy months of school.

When a child has one on one time with a parent, it says several things to them:

Read More »

Mom, are you coming to my game tomorrow night? my son asked.

It’s a common question in our busy house.  Usually the child asking is wanting to know how he’s getting home from the event. But in parent-child communication, you never know when a common question needs decoding.

With more children than parents in our family, it’s been our protocol that at least one parent is at a child’s event, which is tricky. Some nights I literally don’t know how we fit it all together.  As a couple, my husband and I discuss who needs to be where, recognizing the needs of everyone in the house.

Read More »

School is starting. Every school year there’s apprehension with kids and parents over new classrooms, new teachers, expectations and procedures. A question in the back of a parent’s mind is, “What if my child and teacher don’t get along?” 

Not every child and teacher complement each other.  Understanding the dynamics contributing to the teacher/student relationship can make a school year better.

Read More »

School started this week for thousands of students. I work in a school and love the excitement of the first day. There are faces filled with excitement, uncertainty, anxiety and anticipation. One parent recently asked me, “How can I build my child’s confidence?”

My answer? You can build your child’s confidence by following one principle:

Read More »

If you have more than one child, you know all kids are different.  They respond differently to the same situation, leaving parents frustrated. Kids are created with different personalities, temperaments and learning styles. Throw in birth order and gender differences and expect a parent to raise them when instruction manuals aren’t included.

Welcome to parenting!

Read More »

This is the last week of summer before fall sports practices start and our family returns to school in two weeks. While time slips away, I want to be intentional about making time with my kids before another school year starts.

Two of my children will be going to college and the other two will be in middle and high school this year. Being intentional about spending quality time with children has to be a priority or it won’t happen. Some ideas for making time with your children during the last days of summer include:

Read More »

Summer is racing past at our house. If you’ve got kids, it’s probably the same in your home, too. We’ve had a revolving door since school ended with kids coming and going to:

Read More »

My sons are coming home from a youth convention. They go every two years with our youth group. I’m anxious to hear what they’ve learned, how they’ve been challenged, and to how they’ve been inspired.  Then the real work starts – instilling values they’ve learned at the conference into their daily lives.

Read More »

A reader asked about how to handle the delicate situation of parenting on vacation, whether you have visitors or are vacationing with family or friends.

It brings up images of boys gone wild, jumping on the sofa while eating Cheetos with muddy shoes.

Read More »

Summer vacation is a time of both joy and frustration for parents at home with children. If you have more than one child, sibling conflict is expected during the long days of summer. If you have more than two children, sibling conflict comes with a pecking order.

How can you help the natural process of sibling conflict so it is doesn’t bring angst and dread to summer vacation?

Read More »

The other day I was in a sticky situation, making strawberry jam with berries from our garden.  It’s a messy project, one I don’t like to be interrupted from. While I was in the middle of the mess, one of my kids let me know they needed to talk. Sometimes the best parenting happens in sticky situations!

Read More »

Recently I wrote a popular post about Raising Girls. In the midst of writing it, I left my computer to raise boys.  Not because they needed laundry washed, but because I needed to address important, uncomfortable things. When I gave birth to my third son, a huge sense of responsibility to raise a men of integrity rested on my shoulders.  Growing up in a family of  all girls, I felt ill-equipped in understanding the foreign species of BOY.

Read More »