Family by God&#039;s Design

Sedentary Activities Good for the Family Brain

Sometimes we just need to relax, kick up our feet and rest. But not all sedentary activities are equal when it comes to the brain. A study conducted by researchers at the University of South Australia looked at 397 adults over 60-years-old and found that some sedentary activity had a more positive impact on the...

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activities brain development cognitive health exercise rest

June 22, 2024

The Success of the “Good Enough Parent”

Donald Winnicott, a British pediatrician, coined the term “good enough mother” in the 1950’s. Today, however, many parents fear that “good enough” just isn’t good enough. They strive to become the “perfect parent.” But becoming a “perfect parent” just isn’t possible. In fact, striving to become the “perfect parent” will backfire and create even more...

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activities development parent child relationship parenting play

December 4, 2021

Building Your Children’s Impulse Control for a Lifetime

We all want our children to develop the ability to control their impulses, to practice “response inhibition” at the appropriate times. After all, good impulse control contributes to better academic success, goal achievement, occupational success, and social relationships. A study published in 2021 suggests an interesting way to help children gain impulse control that will...

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activities exercise healthy development impulse control

November 6, 2021

Help Children Learn with These 2 Surprising Twists

You can encourage your children to learn their schoolwork (and anything else really) with these two surprising twists. Give them a break. Neurobiologists have found that taking a break while learning and studying helps us retain the information for a longer period of time. Sure, cramming may get a person through the test (there is...

Family Shepherds

activities exercise learning school

January 9, 2021

Diet, Fitness, & Sleep…Oh My!

You can promote your family’s happiness, well-being, and even their flourishing by building a healthy family environment. It sounds too simple…too good to be true, I know. But a survey study from the University of Otago in New Zealand confirms it. In this study, researchers collected data on the sleep habits, exercise habits, and dietary...

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activities diet happiness sleep

October 31, 2020

The Top 10 Ways to Promote Happiness in Your Family

Promote happiness in our families? I know I’d like to do that. How about you? Well, researchers in the UK may help us find an answer. They used smartphones to assess the happiness of “tens of thousands of individuals” engaged in various activities (39 specifically) at random times. Not surprisingly, the top activity contributing to...

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activities family intimacy happiness intimacy outdoors

March 11, 2019

A Teen Epidemic & Containment

The epidemic of depression and suicide is spreading among our teens (13-18-years-old) like wildfire, especially among girls. Consider these statistics: Suicide rate has increased 31% from 2010 to 2015 among teens. Even more disturbing, the suicide rate has increased 65% among adolescent girls over the same time period! Symptoms of depression have increased 58% among...

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activities depression healthy development suicide teen

June 23, 2018

Summer Boredom Stoppers

“School’s out for summer!” I hear this familiar refrain from almost every student I meet. But, I also know from experience that many will begin to say the all-too-familiar phrase, “I’m bored,” in a matter of weeks. If you hear that phrase in your house, here are some summer boredom stoppers you might want to...