Family by God&#039;s Design

Gender: A Social Construct or Hard-wired

Gender has become a hot topic today. As with all hot topics, we often end up “dying on a hill” of simplified rhetoric and avoiding the nuanced truth. Is gender socially constructed or hardwired? Yes, it is both. Some aspects of feminine and masculine characteristics vary from culture to culture and, as a result, are...

Family Shepherds Honor

development discipline gender parenting

September 10, 2024

And We Ask, “What Do You Say?”

When our children are young, we often ask them, “What do you say?” Really, there are two scenarios that prompt parents to ask this question. One, when our children receive something from someone else and they forget to say “thank you,” we remind them. “What do you say?” Hopefully they learn to offer thanks to the...

Family Shepherds Honor

discipline politeness

April 29, 2024

“Take 10” Before Answering Your Children

Sometimes it’s best to not give your children an immediate answer. I know they’ll complain. After all, they want an answer “now.” However, there are times to “take 10” (or 20 or 30 or even a whole day) before answering. Not all answers come easily or quickly. In fact, let me offer 4 times it’s...

discipline parent child relationship parenting self-control

September 25, 2023

Is It Criticism or Correction?

Parents rightfully desire to correct their children. They love their children and want them to grow wiser and more mature. They feel the duty…no, they feel a love that compels them to correct their children and promote their growth. I applaud that desire. Take note, though, that effective correction involves teaching. But parents often get...

Family Shepherds Honor

criticism discipline parenting teaching

September 18, 2023

Our Answer to One Question Determines Our Future

My wife and I were visiting Charleston, North Carolina when we saw this plaque. It reads: “I want people to see children as human beings and not think of the money it costs nor to think of the amount of time it will take, but to think of the lives that can be developed into...

Family Shepherds Grace Honor

discipline healthy development parent child relationship parenting

April 1, 2023

Your Child’s Brain on Physical Punishment

Over 5 decades of research have shown the negative effects of using corporal punishment to discipline our children. Now a study conducted by researchers at Florida State University looks at what happens to the “brain on corporal punishment.” In this study, 149 participants between the ages of 11 to 14 years performed “video game-like tasks...

anxiety depression discipline parenting punishment

February 20, 2023

Lay the Foundation for a Lifetime Relationship

What kind of relationship do you want to have with your child when they become young adults? It’s good to start thinking about your answer to that question before your children leave for college, because you’re finishing up the foundation for that relationship during the adolescent years. In fact, research from Penn State followed 1,631...

affection discipline parent child relationship parent child relationships parenting

January 7, 2023

OOPS, My Mistake VS. My Child’s Mistake

The other day I made a mistake…or should I say another mistake. It’s true. It was actually one of the many mistakes I’ve made over my lifetime. Anyway, I made a mistake. Fortunately, my life is full of gracious people who acknowledged my mistake and continued to love me. Sure, they got a little upset…and...

Family Shepherds Grace

consequences discipline misbehavior respect

January 3, 2023

Are You a Manipulative Parent?

I have often heard about the dangers of using manipulation when parenting. Manipulation in parenting contributes to an increased risk of rebellion, excessive guilt, and even depression in the child being manipulated. But what exactly is manipulative parenting? What practices make up manipulative parenting? We need to know the answers to these questions, so we...