Puberty
Using a Family Media Plan to Protect Your Children – and to Teach Virtue
Does your family have a media plan in place? I love technology. When used and managed properly, technology can change the dynamics of a family in very good ways. Last Christmas the one gift I wanted to get for my family was a large, flat-screen television. But we didn’t connect this television to cable or…
Read MoreHumility and Parenting: Taking an Accurate Look at Yourself
Download the PDF This past year has been a difficult parenting year for my wife and me. Our children have provided some unique obstacles for us. They gave us ample opportunity to grow in parenting virtues. One lesson that we learned came from a rather abrupt statement from a Christian parenting coach whose audio program…
Read MoreThe 8th Commandment: Do Not Bear False Witness
I can remember it like it happened yesterday and not 40 years ago. My 10-year-old brother was hiding under a table in the basement. He had his hands over his ears and his eyes were squeezed shut. I climbed under the table with him, placing my hand on his knee. He lifted his head in…
Read MoreHelp Your Child See and Respect Dignity in All People
Raise Them WellSocial Maturity TRAIN THE YOUNG IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO;EVEN WHEN OLD, THEY WILL NOT SWERVE FROM IT (PROVERBS 22:6). A mother of a 4-year-old is anxious that her child will take toys away from other kids at preschool. A father of an 8-year-old son learns that bullying is happening at school. A…
Read MoreIs Your Family a School of Prayer?
Download the PDF The title of this article may stop you in your tracks. As a parent, were you even aware that your family is supposed to be a school of prayer? In his general audience for January 4th, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI gives us a beautiful reflection that explains the importance of developing a…
Read MoreBeing Before Doing
Click Here to Download the PDF Even though I am both a teacher and a public speaker today, as a child I never thought I’d ever feel comfortable speaking in front of people. You see, I didn’t grow up with a lot of self-esteem. I was a smart kid and did great in school. But…
Read MoreThe 7th Commandment – Justice & Human Dignity
When I tried to foresee what challenges my wife and I would face as parents, I never imagined that one of them would be stealing. To me, “Do not steal” was such a basic Commandment – sort of like “Do not kill.” Only really bad people committed these sins – or people with major psychological…
Read MoreHelp Them Think Before Acting on their Emotions
Raise Them WellEmotional Maturity TRAIN THE YOUNG IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO;EVEN WHEN OLD, THEY WILL NOT SWERVE FROM IT (PROVERBS 22:6). Let’s Pray That . . . Families will joyfully work to put God at the center of all they do. Parents will show their children the joy of self- control. Moms and Dads…
Read MoreWhat to Do When You Think You Aren’t a Good Enough Parent
Click Here to Download the PDF Parenting is hard work. It is not easy to embrace parenthood and stick it out. That is why a group of parents asked me to join them in a discussion about parenting. They wanted me to listen to their situations and offer some ideas for hope. A mom talked…
Read MoreIs Your Family Important to You?
Raising a family in the way of love requires conscious effort on behalf of parents. Parents show how important their family is to them by the amount of energy and attention they put into their family’s development. This month’s reflection question asks parents to reflect on how their actions reflect the importance of their family to them.
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