Help 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 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.
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 MoreThree Strategies for Building Self Worth
How do we go about building our child’s sense of self-worth and self-concept, especially as they enter young adulthood? Strategy 1: Dialogue Building self-worth begins with the basic message that your son or daughter – and every human being – is inherently good and loved by God. Sometimes we assume that our children somehow know…
Read MorePreparing Your Child for School
Raise Them Well Personal Maturity Train the young in the way they should go;even when old, they will not swerve from it (proverbs 22:6). Sending a child back to school a decade or two ago was much easier than it is today. Back then, parents worried about buying the right supplies and getting the kids into…
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 10th Commandment – Self-Control and Contentment
As parents, we want to give our children the very best. But God calls Catholic parents to really examine what it means to give our children the best. My children will tell you that their friends get the best from their parents. Their friends have smartphones, video game systems, flat panel televisions, and the freedom…
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 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 MoreWhat Makes Being a Parent Difficult?
I have a few friends who just had babies. They are veteran mothers, welcoming their fourth or fifth babies. But the wonder and awe and joy is still evident in them as if the little bundle they carry is their very first. It’s great to share their joy and excitement. When you are preparing for…
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