Have Fun with Your Child ASAP Good parenting has an order of operations. Insides come first. A child should feel … More
Tag: Growing Up
The Connected Family
2014 is the first year in American history in which everybody has a mobile device. We are at the saturation … More
The Peril of Productionism
My wife and I struggle with what I call productionism. It is a variation of perfectionism. It is the … More
Connect With Your Young Teen
First Connect, Then Guide The best parents are the ones who are deeply connected with their children and offer support … More
Middle School Sports – The Good Stuff
Prepare for Happiness
Lately, I have been pondering the question, “What are some things that I can do to put myself in a … More
Helping Your Teen Deal with a Sports Injury
So, your teenager is injured and is out for the rest of the season. Of course, his or her initial … More
Living in Crisis
Our family is in crisis. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last. Three weeks ago, … More
Storm Preparation
A Creeping Crisis Some crises develop gradually. Some are excruciatingly slow. Perhaps it is the approaching death of a parent … More
Preparing for the Storm
If you have ever sat with a weather radio in a dark basement or closet during a tornado warning, or … More
The Sacred Honor of Being a Parent
A Unique Relationship Parenting is a unique relationship, wherein the parent is authorized by law and by God to protect, … More
Career Guidance for Young Teens
The Need for Early Guidance A few kids know from a very early age what they want to pursue as … More
Social Development and Kids’ Activities
Social life. Social skills. Social anxiety. Social media. Social Security. She’s so social! When we think of the “social development” … More
Speak Your Kids Up
Here is a sneak peak at the book I am writing about parenting: Kids need to see and hear their … More
Embracing Parenting
Here is a sample from my latest project. It’s a chapter from my not-even-close-to-being-finished book. Feel free to give me … More
From the Mouths of Babes
This from a 6th grade teacher who I respect a great deal: I teach a class titled Emerging Leaders, and … More
Weak Language
We often chastise young people for using “strong language,” but there is an equal or greater problem with kids, … More
Parenting Digital Kids
Life Beyond the Screens If you ask most teens what item is their most prized, important possession, they will say … More
Introducing Kids to Nature
How to Turn Kids On To Nature I can’t tell you how many times one of my middle school students … More
Mister Rogers
I’m a huge Fred Rogers fan, so I was skeptical when I heard about the video remix recently done about … More
Protecting Kids From the Inside Out
Unlike consumer products, parenting comes without instructions or guarantees. We all want our children to grow up happy, healthy, successful, … More
What Does it Mean to Grow Up?
This is the time of year when I start to see some signs of maturity in my 7th grade students. … More
Stop, Look, Listen
Our kids, no matter the age, need us to be with them, explaining what makes one thing beautiful and another … More
You win some; you lose some
Life is unfair – extraordinarily unfair. Sometimes the good guys lose, while the bad guys revel in their victory. Sometimes, … More
Loving Grandpa
One of my favorite 7th grade essays ever is this memoir about a grandfather. Ashley Aucker, is now a 25 … More
Raising Boys to be Real Men
Boys are misunderstood. Too often, they are disciplined and shamed by their teachers, parents, or grandparents because it is falsely … More
Middle School: Top Ten Things to Know
The following is an open letter from my boss, Steve Hall, Head of Middle School at Westminster Christian Academy, to … More
Same Lake, Different Boat
When you are a parent of a child with severe disabilities, you have to accept the fact that your life … More
Parenting With and Without Fear
Fear is universal. Columnist Dave Barry writes, “All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears — of … More
I Wish You Failure
Once again, I offer an article from NPR’s This I Believe. Jon Carroll started at the San Francisco Chronicle editing … More
