It happened again. The summer flew by and school is upon us. I know several parents that struggle with the transition back to school. I know many more children who struggle with the transition back to school. Children around the world experience this same struggle and, just like us, their families work to make the...

August 26, 2017

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Letting Go One Step at a Time

by John Salmon

Our youngest daughter moved out of our house and into her college room today. I won’t get to tell her “good night” at the end of each day, hear her come down the stairs in the morning to start her day, or enjoy our “Tuesday Daddy-Daughter Days” now. On the other hand, I won’t have...

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Family Shepherds Honor

autonomy healthy development independence launching parenting

August 21, 2017

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The Most Important Questions Your Children Never Asked

by John Salmon

Remember the age when your children started asking questions? I don’t mean when they asked one or two questions. I’m talking about the age in which they did nothing but ask questions every waking hour of every day. They asked about everything. They even asked questions about the questions! It was a constant barrage of...

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Family Shepherds Honor

healthy development love parenting priorities

August 14, 2017

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Holding Your Family Hostage (A Letter I Received)

by John Salmon

Hello. I am writing to inform you that I have taken your family hostage. Some may consider me a kidnapper but you welcomed me into your home. You allowed me to get a hold on your family and eventually gain the position I now hold…the position of captor. I go by several names: Things, Stuff,...

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Family Shepherds

family intimacy time values

July 31, 2017

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Teach Your Children to Live Happy

by John Salmon

I’m always on the lookout for ways to promote happiness in my family and teach my children how to live happy lives (Family Fun Night). Researchers from the University of Zurich just added another tool to my Family Happiness Training Toolbox (Generous People Live Happier Lives). In this study, fifty people were given 25 Swiss...

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Celebration Family Shepherds

family fun night fun generosity happiness service

July 29, 2017

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An Ounce of Prevention

by John Salmon

Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That’s a wise saying for many areas of life, including parenting. It is much more satisfying to prevent the crisis rather than deal with a problem after it arises; to look ahead and avoid the trouble rather than deal...

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Family Shepherds

behavior boundaries limits parenting

July 22, 2017

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The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree…Or Does It?

by John Salmon

We hear certain folk truths all the time. Three folk truths I hear for parenting are: “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” “Like father, like son,” and “He’s a chip off the old block.” But a recent study published in the British Journal of Psychology (Read How Far Does the Apple Fall From the...

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Family Shepherds

kindness legacy parenting values

July 9, 2017

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Motivating Children with Tin Men Eating Artichokes

by John Salmon

Why did the tin man eat artichokes? That’s a good question…and the answer is coming up. An even better question is how to motivate our children to follow through with chores and other desired behaviors. Parents have struggled with this “age old problem” since the beginning of time and one answer involves tin men eating...

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Family Shepherds

chores curiosity parenting values

July 1, 2017

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4 Tips for Raising a Violent Narcissist…OR NOT!!

by John Salmon

Have you ever wondered how to create a self-absorbed, entitled, child who becomes violent when they don’t get their way? Probably not. I mean, who wants their child to become a violent narcissist. But, you might raise an entitled violent child unintentionally, by accident, if you don’t watch out. Dr. Calvete and her team of...

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Family Shepherds

communication family intimacy healthy development intimacy limits parent child relationship parenting

June 26, 2017

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Raise Kinder Children

by John Salmon

Want to raise kinder children? Me, too! A recent study (Reading May Make Us Kinder, Students Research Into Fiction Habits and Personality Types Reveals) conducted by a post-graduate student at Kingston University suggests a simple way to do it! The study asked 123 adults their preference: reading fiction or watching TV. The same adults were...

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Family Shepherds Honor

emotional health empathy kindness

Family by God's Design

Family by God's Design

Family by God's Design

Back to School Traditions from Around the World

Letting Go One Step at a Time

The Most Important Questions Your Children Never Asked

Holding Your Family Hostage (A Letter I Received)

Teach Your Children to Live Happy

An Ounce of Prevention

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree…Or Does It?

Motivating Children with Tin Men Eating Artichokes

4 Tips for Raising a Violent Narcissist…OR NOT!!

Raise Kinder Children