As parents, we want our children to have a great future. A great future has one ingredient that we cannot overlook. Adding this ingredient into the mix will help direct our children into a positive future. What is that ingredient? A memory! That’s right—a positive future demands a memory. Think about it… ...

June 8, 2013

The Amazing Power of a Label in Family

by John Salmon

Labels help us explain things like our occupation, food, or moods. After all, it is much easier to say, “I’m a therapist (or teacher or chemical engineer or accountant)” than it is to explain all the nuances of what you really do. At the same time, labels can limit us. Kierkegaard once said, “Once you label...

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Family Shepherds Honor

communication label parenting power of words self-image

June 1, 2013

A Dozen Lessons Our Children Need to Learn

by John Salmon

Family shepherds want to teach their children important life lessons. Here are 12 lessons I believe important. The greatest pleasures in life are earned through hard work and patience. Relationships require effort, kindness, patience, and forgiveness. It is alright to struggle, experience frustration, and even fail. In fact, failure is the seed of success. Treat...

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Family Shepherds

character parenting teaching wisdom

June 1, 2013

My Life Is About To Change

by John Salmon

Please, allow me a slight digression from my usual blog. This is a transitional week for my family…my life is about to change! Yes, the time has come for my oldest daughter to graduate from high school. We are very proud of her. She is bright and intelligent, a lovely person and a talented musician. She...

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Celebration Family Shepherds Honor

leaving home parent child relationship parenting priorities teen wisdom

May 25, 2013

Are You Manipulated or Accepting of Your Child’s Emotion?

by John Salmon

“No, you can’t have a cookie. We’re eating supper soon.” As soon as the word “no” came out of my mouth, my daughter’s eyes watered, her lower lip protruded, her chin began to quiver and a tear gently rolled down her cheek. I watched…my heart went out to her…what should I do? “Give me your...

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Family Shepherds Honor

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May 18, 2013

4 Benefits of Negotiating with Your Child

by John Salmon

As parents, we play an ever-changing role in our children’s lives. We remain limit-setters and boundary markers throughout our children’s lives; but, our limit-setting role changes as our children mature. We want them to internalize “non-negotiable boundaries” and learn to establish more negotiable boundaries independently. So, we negotiate some boundaries with them. Yes, negotiable boundaries...

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Family Shepherds

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May 11, 2013

How To Discipline Your Little Einstein

by John Salmon

Children are smart. I may be preaching to the choir, but I have to say it again, “Children are really smart!” They are like little scientists, observing everything and figuring out what makes it tick. They study the properties of objects by banging, shaking, throwing, and squeezing them in order to discover what is hard...

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Family Shepherds

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May 4, 2013

The Most Powerful Discipline Weapon Known to Man

by John Salmon

If you are looking for the most powerful discipline weapon known to man, you have come to the right place. It will sound simple…too simple. In fact, I’m almost embarrassed to even mention this disciplinary tool. Still, it is powerful. This disciplinary weapon is powerful enough that most adults still recall how their parents used...

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Family Shepherds Honor

attention discipline parenting teaching

April 27, 2013

Planting Seeds of Beauty in Our Daughters

by John Salmon

“Women are their own worst beauty critics.” A new Dove campaign helps reveal this truth by having women, after having a short conversation with another woman, sit behind a veil and describe their physical appearance to an FBI sketch artist. After he sketches the woman based on her own description, he makes a second sketch...

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Family Shepherds Honor

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April 20, 2013

5 Ways to Help Your Teen Build Identity

by John Salmon

The teen years are full of exploration and questions. Most likely, your teens will even engage you in “discussions” about the answers to those questions. You will watch, listen, and discuss questions like: What values do I believe? What career will I pursue? What lifestyle will I live? What kind of person do I want...

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Family Shepherds

acceptance healthy development identity parenting teen valued

Family by God's Design

Family by God's Design

Family by God's Design

Teach Your Child to Remember the Future

The Amazing Power of a Label in Family

A Dozen Lessons Our Children Need to Learn

My Life Is About To Change

Are You Manipulated or Accepting of Your Child’s Emotion?

4 Benefits of Negotiating with Your Child

How To Discipline Your Little Einstein

The Most Powerful Discipline Weapon Known to Man

Planting Seeds of Beauty in Our Daughters

5 Ways to Help Your Teen Build Identity