As a mom of both young kids and older ones, I’ve learned how important it is for my children to find good friends. It’s been said that we are most like the five people with whom we spend the most time.. This is especially true for our kids. Kids pick up characteristics they see. They…
The Legend of St. Nicholas
Nick followed his dad through the snow-dusted parking lot. “Not my idea of fun,” he muttered. “Hey, you’re the one who waited until the last minute to buy Christmas gifts for your little brothers,” Dad reminded him. “True,” Nick admitted. Why was it so much easier to think about getting gifts than giving them?…
How to Spiritually Prepare Your Family for The New Year
How does your family prepare for the transition from one year to the next? One of my favorite traditions is to gather our family and recall how God has shaped our lives during the past 12 months. During this hallowed time, we discuss where we’ve been, share our hopes and dreams, and prayerfully consider where…
It’s Never Too Soon To Share Jesus With Our Kids
6 Over the course of our lives we may hold different jobs and fulfill many different roles, but the Bible makes one thing clear: the moment we become parents, raising children who know and love the Lord becomes our most important mission in life. Start children off on the way they should go, and even when…
Teaching Kids God’s Never-Ending, All-Consuming Love
“I hate you!” My almost-8-year-old daughter’s refrain rings from the hallway as she stomps to her bedroom. I call after her, “I love you now and I’ll always love you.” That’s my refrain. Getting our kids to understand the enormity of God’s never-ending, all-consuming love can be a challenge, especially when we can’t quite grasp…
Why You Should Bring Your Uniqueness Center Stage
Growing up I felt like I didn’t fit in. I was athletic enough to be on the team but not good enough to play in the games. I was friends at school with the popular kids but never invited to hang out with them after school was out. I wanted to play sports with the…
10 Great Thanksgiving Books for Children
Teach your children about Thanksgiving traditions, gratitude and giving thanks to God this month for all their blessings with this collection of 10 of our favorite Thanksgiving books for children. Reading time with my kids before bed is still my favorite part of the day. My sons are growing older and can read on their own now,…
Treat ‘Em Like Grandkids
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter. — Deuteronomy 5:13–14 A grandfather in Yona Zeldis McDonough’s novel The Four Temperaments reflects on having grandchildren: People…
How To Create A Safe And Nurturing Bedtime Ritual For Your Kids
Do you find it easy to fill your kids’ non-school hours and days with stimulating social, intellectual and recreational activities but challenging to get them to wind down at the end of a long day? If so, you’re in good company. As many parents discover, children are experts at finding creative ways to resist going…
God and Science Coexist
I taught high school science for 10 years in a large public school. Not only did I teach science, I taught astronomy and geology, two subjects where time is measured in millions and billions of years and evolution is a common term. On the very first day of the school year, I gave every class…