“Summertime and the livin’ is easy.” That may have rung true for Bess in Porgy and Bess, but summertime is anything but “livin’ easy” today. We have a constant rush of activity, even in the”long, lazy days of summer.” Children have swim practice, soccer practice, hockey conditioning, baseball practice, band camp, dance class, football conditioning,...

June 15, 2013

Avoid Pushing 5 of Your Children’s Buttons

by John Salmon

I hate it when people “push my buttons.” Don’t you? Our children do not like to have their buttons pushed either. Effective parents learn to identify those buttons and avoid pushing them. I must admit, I still push a few buttons on accident; and, when I do, disaster ensues. So, I decided to look into...

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Family Shepherds Honor

discipline father limits mother parent child relationship parenting schedule

April 13, 2013

Family Rest: A Lost Family Art

by John Salmon

Whew, what a blur this month has become! My children have activity after activity, some out of state and some next door. Some mark major life transitions (such as graduation from high school) and some are great opportunities (such as participating in state level academic programs). Then, there is the typical run-around involved in keeping...

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Celebration

play rest schedule time

March 30, 2013

Get Your Own Life! Leave Me Alone!

by John Salmon

Have you ever felt like your child just wanted you out of their life? You want to be a good parent and remain involved with them, but they just seem to want to do things independently…on their own. Let’s face it: they want to do things without you! I know one of the main goals...

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Family Shepherds

healthy development independence parenting schedule teen

March 2, 2013

Nourish the Snow White in Your Life

by John Salmon

I love the Disney animation “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”—a classic story of jealousy turned to hatred, the love that battle against that hatred, and the final victory of “true love’s kiss.” Although this classic, an adaptation of an even older Grimm fairy tale, was released in 1937, it is still reenacted every day...

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Celebration Grace Honor

admiration differences family relationships gratitude happiness marriage parenting power of words schedule

March 3, 2012

Leading Children by Still Waters

by John Salmon

Last summer, several families at Camp Christian walked to a nearby stream. The fast moving rapids of the stream had carved out and smoothed the surface of a natural slide that ended in a pool at the bottom of a small waterfall. You could sit at the top of the “slide” and allow the rapids...

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Family Shepherds

emotional health family camp limits rest schedule time

October 10, 2010

The Sunday Driver

by John Salmon

I got caught behind a “Sunday driver” the other day. Doesn’t he realize that, in the words of Gershwin, we “live life in staccato not legato?” We live life on a freeway, not a country trail. Our days are consumed with rushing from one thing to the next, dodging obstacles in the road, and bypassing...

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Celebration Honor

family intimacy family meals family relationships rest schedule

Family by God's Design

Family by God's Design

Family by God's Design

Oh Man…Over-Scheduled Again?!

Avoid Pushing 5 of Your Children’s Buttons

Family Rest: A Lost Family Art

Get Your Own Life! Leave Me Alone!

Nourish the Snow White in Your Life

Leading Children by Still Waters

The Sunday Driver