Family by God&#039;s Design

3 Simple Ways to Bond With Your Child

Children who have a strong bond with their parents feel more secure. They listen to their parents better and internalize positive values more readily. Children with strong parental bonds are less likely to become drug users and tend to earn better grades. With all this in mind, parents want a strong bond with their children....

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April 15, 2017

Encouraging Your Teen to Talk with You

Teens are notoriously secretive. But, your actions will encourage or minimize their secretiveness. It’s true. You can take certain actions that will encourage your teen to talk with you. In fact, put these five actions into practice to increase your teen desire to talk with you. Listen. Perhaps the greatest gift you can give your...

Family Shepherds Honor

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April 10, 2017

Are You Teaching Your Teen to NOT Talk with You?

Most parents want their teens to talk with them. They long for intimate conversations and fun interactions with their teen. But, teens are notoriously secretive. They are becoming their own person and may avoid talking about certain things with mom and dad. When all is said and done, however, teens really do want a relationship...

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March 20, 2017

The Habits of a Successful Family

Remember the saying: “Our choices become our actions. Our actions become our habits. Our habits become our character. Our character becomes our destiny.” I found variations on this saying attributed to a number of sources ranging from Gandhi and Lao Tzu to Michael Hyatt and James Hunter. Doesn’t really matter who said it in the...

Celebration Grace Honor

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February 25, 2017

Parenting Advice from Ann Landers

I ran across this short letter from Ann Landers on parenting. I decided to just copy it in its entirety. A lot of wisdom for parents in these “12 Golden Rules!” Dear Ann Landers: Several years ago, you printed Twelve Rules for Raising Children. I carried the column in my wallet until it became so dog-eared and...

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February 4, 2017

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7 Lessons to Strengthen Our Daughters

Our daughters hear all the mixed messages society shouts out about femininity and the role of women. What they ultimately believe will be greatly influenced by their family. Even more, I believe fathers have a great responsibility to influence their daughter’s perception of what it means to be female and how to express their femininity...

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January 30, 2017

4 Traits of Great Fathers

While studying for a Sunday School lesson recently, I ran across some very interesting words to describe the role of fathers. Paul used them to describe his own care for the Thessalonians. He said, “You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you...

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December 26, 2016

What We Can Learn About Parenting From FDR’s Father

I recently started reading a biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), the 32nd president of the United States. (If you’re interested, I’m reading FDR by Jean Edward Smith.) Self-assured and optimistic in the midst of hardship, FDR “rescued the nation from economic collapse” and “led the nation to victory” in WWII. Elected for four terms,...