Family by God&#039;s Design

Adjusting to a Changing World

Scientists believe that human beings were designed for a different type of world than the one in which we live. They believe our bodies function most effectively when we live in a world of movement, nature, and short bursts of energy. Unfortunately, we now live in a world that encourages us to sit still—sit still...

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June 8, 2026

Strengthen Your Children’s Feeling of Being Me

As our children grow and mature, they need a positive body image—a body they sense as their own, a body they can listen to in order to better understand their emotions, and a body they accept as part of their identity. A study published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences reviewed decades of research on how...

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June 1, 2026

The Impact of Stress on Your Child’s Brain-Gut Communication…& So What?!?

Our bodies, when functioning well, are amazing models of communication and collaboration. Not surprisingly, stress impacts that communication. Researchers at NYU College of Dentistry’s Pain Research Center conducted one animal study and two human studies exploring the impact of stress on children’s digestive systems. One of the human studies involved over 40,000 children and the...

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June 1, 2026

Parents, Sync Up for Best Results

Many couples struggle to parent their children together. They have different ideas about how to discipline, what constitutes acceptable behavior and how to approach behavioral problems. They may even have different ideas about the goal of discipline. If couples do not deal with this difference directly, they will encounter marital stress while trying to nurture...

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May 25, 2026

The Health Risk of a Smartphone

Smartphones grow increasingly pervasive in our society and our children’s lives…and their influence begins at a younger and younger age. A study of over 10,600 adolescent participants compared the physical health of 12-year-olds who owned a smartphone with 12-year-olds who did not own a smartphone. The results of this study offer important warnings for parents....

development emotional development healthy development parenting smartphone technology

May 23, 2026

To Inspire Your Spouse’s Support

Who wouldn’t like their spouse to support their goals and promote their growth? I know I would. If you would like your spouse to support your goals and promote your growth, I have good news. Specifically, three studies involving over 1,000 adults in romantic relationships reveal a simple way to encourage our spouses to do...

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May 18, 2026

3 Ingredients of a Well-Fed Brain…and How to Get Them

We are designed for relationships. In fact, John Bowlby, who is credited with founding attachment theory, went so far as to say loving, secure relationships with our primary caregiver are as essential to life as water and food. And research suggests that “Loneliness Is More Dangerous Than Smoking 15 Cigarettes A Day.” At least one...

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May 16, 2026

Your Teen Will Love This Simple Way You Protect Them

According to the CDC, teens are experiencing a crisis in mental health. As parents, we struggle to protect our teens’ mental health, nurturing a lifestyle that will protect their mental health over their lifetime. This study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, suggests one of the simplest ways to protect teen mental health. Even...

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May 11, 2026

Infants, Screen Time, & The Brain

A study published in eBioMedicine followed 168 children for more than a decade. Starting in infancy, the research team measured the infants’ screen time and then conducted brain scans at 4.5, 6, and 7.5 years of age. Screen use during infancy impact brain development, especially during the sensitive period of infant brain development. Specific to...