The current generation of fathers has been decimated by the tragedy of divorce. Many men saw their parents divorce, and some have been through a divorce themselves. These men have often told us that they wish they had seen a good marriage in action when they were young. They had a deep desire to see a committed, loving relationship between the two people they loved the most, and they are still missing that model now that they have children of their own.
The Associated Press and MTV released the results of a poll on the nature of happiness among America’s young people—ages 13 to 24. “What makes you happy?” the poll asked. It will surprise (or shock) many that the number one response was spending time with family. Next...
Each new school year brings excitement, hope and sometimes, uneasiness for our children. Recently my college-age son and I fell into a conversation that lasted the better part of an evening.
Once children enter your life, you begin to learn many aspects of life that are different now that you are a parent. One of those aspects is to not get so upset by things that otherwise would ruin your day. You also quickly learn one of the most vital tests parents can keep in their arsenal — the sniff test.
Do you want to raise your children with a proper view of politics? For that matter, what is a proper view of politics?
by Ron Deal – Stepfathering can be challenging — and perhaps that’s why many stepfathers disconnect from their stepchildren. But stepfathers can have profound and important leadership roles.
Children in eleven U.S. cities are giving moving tributes to their fathers as they read their prize-winning essays during Father of the Year celebration events. Each essay has a story behind it, and Haley Hubbard, a 12th grader from Tulsa, brought the entire audience to tears as she stood with her stepfather and read this essay:
Pre-teen and teenage kids can pose a tremendous challenge for stepfathers. As they develop their identity and self-esteem, they are very sensitive to dramatic changes in their family structure and living situations.
Whether you realize it or not, your stepfamily has likely assumed a specific integration style. By that, I mean a set of assumptions about how your stepfamily 'ought' to come together. I like to use cooking as an analogy to identify some integration styles that stepfamilies attempt to utilize. Let’s start with the ones that generally don't work.
Orville is about to become a stepfather, and he wrote to me with a question: the 8-year-old son of his fiancée minds his father very well, but wreaks havoc at home. "What should I do?" Orville writes.
You love your children; you deeply desire to see them grow up healthy and happy. But what is the most important thing you can give your children to help them grow up feeling loved, nurtured, self-confident and at peace?
She’s your number one asset and ally as a father, and showing her love and respect is one of the best things any father can do for his kids.
As fathers, we would do well to admit up front that none of us has "arrived." We all have room to improve, and we should all be diligent about figuring out where we need to grow and then actively seeking to be more effective in those areas. As a research-based...
People attending our events have requested more practical information on discipline, and we know all dads (and moms) will benefit from the practical ideas presented by Dr. Bob Barnes. He teaches that children learn best from experiencing the natural consequences of...
by Foster Cline M.D. The teen years can be the best of times and the worst of times. At no other time in your child's life can things be more trying. One common mistake made by loving parents is that they don't give teens enough responsibility soon enough. Too often...
by Jamie Bohnett In the mid-1990's, I was a dad of a teenage daughter and three other children under ten. Through my involvement in various fatherhood events in the Seattle area, I heard about the "Welcome To Fatherhood Party" from a dad named Griggs Irving. The idea...
A recent survey by CareerBuilder confirms the challenge among working dads to navigate the demands of work and family life. According to the survey, 38% of working dads, if given the choice, would take a pay cut to spend more time with their kids. Nearly one in four...
Everyone has worry and fear in their lives, and as parents this worry and fear is exponentially increased. There are constant questions like, "Are my children healthy?" "Do we have enough money?" "Am I doing a good job?" The list could go on indefinitely, with the...
The current generation of fathers has been decimated by the tragedy of divorce. Many men saw their parents divorce, and some have been through a divorce themselves. These men have often told us that they wish they had seen a good marriage in action when they were...
The Associated Press and MTV released the results of a poll on the nature of happiness among America’s young people—ages 13 to 24. “What makes you happy?” the poll asked. It will surprise (or shock) many that the number one response was spending time with family. Next...
by Ron Nichols Each new school year brings excitement, hope and sometimes, uneasiness for our children. Recently my college-age son and I fell into a conversation that lasted the better part of an evening. We talked about what he’s interested in, course work he’s...
Once children enter your life, you begin to learn many aspects of life that are different now that you are a parent. One of those aspects is to not get so upset by things that otherwise would ruin your day. You also quickly learn one of the most vital tests parents...
by David Warnick Do you want to raise your children with a proper view of politics? For that matter, what is a proper view of politics? After the elections are over, we can get on with the important task of teaching our children what politics is really about....
by Ron Deal Anyone who has been a father and then a stepfather knows that they aren't the same. While many aspects of these two roles are similar, it is the unique ones that lead to disillusionment. Franklin put it this way: "I've been to every Promise Keepers...