Christian Parenting Today articles from July 2001

Christian Parenting Today archives from July 2001

Why Moms Need Each Other.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
July 1, 2001... Right now, my daughter is in her room screaming. The problem? The hard-boiled egg I made her for lunch a half an hour ago is now "too cold." Never mind that it was "too hot" 10 minutes ago. Ahh, the joys of parenting. I recently went to...

Letters From Home mail that matters.(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2001... Growing Up Too Fast I was glad to see the recent article on early puberty, however, I was saddened at the gross misrepresentation of the facts of this medical condition. As a pediatric endocrine nurse, our office sees numerous girls and...

Get Hooked on Fishing.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Fishing with your child is bonding at its best, but it's an activity that takes preparation. Here's what you need to know to have a great time, from buying the pole to bringing home your catch. And the rest is fishtory! Plan ahead. Most...

COUPLE TIME.(handling old disagreeable subjects)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... My husband and I learned in a counseling session that if the other person says or does something that bothers you, it needs to be discussed within 24 hours of it happening. Once those 24 hours have passed, whether or not you discuss the problem...

Take a Hike.(finding time to exercise by walking a few minutes daily)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... If I had a quarter for every time someone said to me, "I don't have time to exercise," I could buy myself a new pair of walking shoes--and then some. Sure, it's hard to find the time to exercise when you have little ones, a job, a home to...

Just Call Him Regis.(child uses language from)("Who Wants to Be a)(Millionaire" in Sunday School)(Humor)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... One Sunday after worship service, I picked up my 4-year-old from Sunday school. When I got to the classroom, his teacher pulled me aside and asked if my son watched the game show, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" I answered, "Yes, he loves the...

A Tomato by Any Other Name.(child learns to eat vegetables by being fan of Veggie Tales)(Humor)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... My 6-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, is a huge fan of Veggie Tales, but she does not like to eat her vegetables. Realizing Elizabeth wouldn't be too happy, I went ahead and served salad at a recent dinner. My husband and I were surprised when she...

Hearing, Seeing, Doing.(teaching about wisdom and learning based on the Bible)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her (Prov. 8:11). You'll Need: Paper, tape, crayons, markers Get Started: Read each Gospel's account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 (Matt. 14:13, Mark 6:30,...

Get a Jump on This.(educational toys from LeapFrog)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... A toy that outsells the Razor Scooter and a new litter of robotic dogs deserves attention. You're probably thinking it's some Pokemon doodad or yet another update of PlayStation. Believe it or not, it's an educational toy--and it's the first...

God's on the Line.(how children act when a parent is on the telephone)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... When my children were little, all I had to do was begin talking on the telephone and they would magically appear. They'd wrap themselves up in the telephone cord and stretch it out of shape. They'd mouth things to me with contorted faces, pull...

Pillow Talk.(dust mites found in synthetic pillows and feather pillows)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Contrary to popular thinking, synthetic pillows may not be better than feather pillows if you have allergies (unless you're specifically allergic to feathers). In recent research, synthetic pillows were actually found to have more dust mites...

"God, Can You Hear Me?".(anecdote about child speaking to God)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... It was a beautiful day, and my 4-year-old daughter and I were driving with the windows down. As the car picked up speed, it started to get really windy inside, so I rolled the windows up. From the back seat I heard my daughter ask, "What are...

Fighting Temptation.(teaching about temptation from the Bible)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Cor. 10:13). You'll Need: Three paper cups, a dime, paper, crayons,...

Happy camper.(child's experience with camping)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... My husband and I were a little concerned about how our 17-month-old daughter, Jane, would react to sleeping in a tent on her first camping trip. To help her get used to the idea, we set up the tent in the backyard and let her play inside before...

Cool Art.(child puts art work in refrigerator)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... On our way home from church, our 2-year-old was very excited about the picture she had colored in Sunday school. We told her how much we loved the picture and suggested that she display it on our refrigerator. When we got home, she carried her...

Our Mornings are Unmanageable.(parenting tips)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Jennifer wrote: My 9-year-old daughter is quickly frustrated by all the tasks she must complete in the morning before school. What can I do to help make it a good morning for the both of us? Here are your suggestions: Plan ahead. Preparing...

Cookingwithkids.com.(bread)(Brief Article)(Recipe)
July 1, 2001... Cookingwithkids.com has lots of kid-friendly recipes. Here's one that's creative too: Flowerpot Bread is a fun project to do with your kids this summer. Great as a gift or just for home sweet home, this recipe is easy as pie. Believe it or...

A Piece of the Rock.(vacation souvenirs for children)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... With four children, it's expensive to buy souvenirs from each stop we make while on family vacations. To cut down on spending, we encourage our children to find a special rock from each area we visit as their souvenir. We put the rocks in...

Art Hang-Ups.(how to display child's artwork)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Want to display your little darling's artwork someplace other than the refrigerator door? You will need clothesline or rope (colored rope would be fun), clothespins (they come in colors, too), cup hooks and picture frame mats in various sizes...

First Smiles.(babies first smiles are thought to be instinctive and learned smiles emerge at about 4 weeks of age)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Little brings parents more pleasure than when their baby first smiles and laughs. While past generations have tried to convince parents that these early smiles are merely gas (since when does that make anyone smile?), it's more likely a...

Curb Motion Sickness.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... You've driven about 50 miles when you hear your toddler from the back seat say, "Mommy, I feel sick." You remember your car trips when he was a baby and there wasn't a problem then. What happened to make this healthy kid develop an allergy to...

Too Much TV?(children sometimes develop attentional inertia, becoming mesmerized by television)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... In the poem "Jimmy Jet and His TV Set" (from the book Where the Sidewalk Ends) Shel Silverstein describes a boy who watched too much TV. Jimmy Jet watched so much TV, in fact, that he "grew a plug that looked like a tail." So the family...

The Truth about Consequences.(impact on child's behavior)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... You've probably heard plenty of parenting advice that says the use of consequences is an effective discipline tool. But in order for consequences to impact your child's behavior, you need to introduce them at the right time and in the right...

Managing Mood Swings.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Buckle up your seat belt--living with a preteen is a bumpy ride. Your 11 year-old may discuss the next election at the dinner table, then fall apart when she can't find the perfect outfit for tomorrow. Your 9-year-old may be on the principal's...

The Privacy Zone.(child's private space)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Every door is locked. The vibration of your feet in the hall near the bathroom yields a frantic, "Don't come in!" When you scan a scrap of paper to see whose it is, your teen says, "That's mine! Don't read it!" You've entered the privacy...

Story Power.(children may learned emotional intelligence from books)
July 1, 2001... Teach your child emotional intelligence through great books "IN THE GREAT GREEN ROOM there was a telephone and a red balloon and a picture of a cow jumping over the moon" To this day my oldest son--now a strapping 17-year-old--gets...

MOM vs. DAD.(parenting techniques)
July 1, 2001... Why your different parenting styles are actually good for your kids After a girls' get-away weekend, my friend and I returned to her usually orderly home-now a housekeeping disaster. Dirty dishes were crammed in the sink, pizza boxes and...

The Friendship Factor.(child's friendships as measure of mental health)
July 1, 2001... What your child's friendships tell you about his spiritual, mental, and emotional well-being A mother once asked me about the mental health of her son. He had gone through some difficulties, and she wanted to know how to gauge his...

No Time for God?(advice for busy mothers on rekindling their spiritual lives)(Interview)
July 1, 2001... Author Julie Baker shares how busy moms can rekindle their spiritual lives. ADMIT IT. You love your kids, you love your husband, but what you'd really love is a moment of peace and quiet, a little time for yourself. We moms are so busy...

Winning the Music WARS.(teenagers and popular music)
July 1, 2001... Help your child make musical choices you can both live with my son and I were in our car and the radio was tuned to the local Christian radio station. At the time, my son was 13 and a fan of rap and grunge--a chord-heavy sound made popular...

Let the Children Pray.(encouraging a child's love of prayer)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... How to nurture your child's God-given love of prayer C'mon everybody, we get to pray now!" shouts 7-year-old Jeremy. Jeremy's siblings, Jason, 12, and Allison, 4, drop everything and come running to join Jeremy and their parents in a time of...

RAISING Kids Who Care.(teaching compassion)
July 1, 2001... How volunteer work can help your child learn compassion if you wander down to the Greater Philadelphia Food Bank on the third Saturday of every month, you'll find the warehouse bustling with people sorting jugs of juices, canned soups and...

My Princess in Pink Plastic Shoes.(toddler wears costume to hardware store)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... GREAT I thought. I can use this as an excuse to get away, stroll leisurely through the Super Hardware Mart and be a good husband at the same time. You see, my wife asked if I'd like to run and get a few things for her. It was like asking a bass...

Remembering the Best.(man forgives estranged father)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Why I chose to forgive my dad It's not very big, particularly considering how much it represents. It's just a medium-sized shadowbox frame containing my father's faded army cap, two rows of campaign ribbons, a purple heart with clusters...

Scared of Bed.(helping a child's fear of bedtime, explaining divorce)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Q. My 7-year old son is terrified to sleep in his room since he "saw a ghost" eight months ago. We pray, talk about trusting God and his guardian angels, and how the mind can play tricks on us, but nothing seems to work. We play Christian music...

Night-Night, Baby.(Review)
July 1, 2001... by Elizabeth Nathan (Grosset Dunlap) $6.99 I've never met a touch-and-feel book I didn't like because babies have so much fun participating in the story. Night-Night, Baby whisks the child through the tactile senses of the bedtime routine:...

Newborn, Toddler.(Review)
July 1, 2001... By Sara Hickman (Sleeveless) $14.95 each According to singer-songwriter Sara Hickman, some parents have a hard time being spontaneous, creative, and musical with their kids. Hickman was so struck by this discovery that she released Newborn...

Bug Juice.(Review)
July 1, 2001... Disney, Sundays, 8:30 p.m. EST Between the manipulating contestants on Big Brother and the oversexed housemates on MTV's The Real World, today's crop of reality TV can be a parent's nightmare. If reality TV is appealing to your young teen,...

The Boy Who Wouldn't Go to Bed.(Review)
July 1, 2001... written and illustrated by Helen Cooper (Puffin) $5.99 Even the most determined child will have a hard time fighting the sandman after reading this book. Instead of going to bed, the boy rakes his little red car on an imaginary journey...

Wee Sing Musical Bible.(Review)
July 1, 2001... created by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp, illustrated by Shelley Dieterichs (Tyndale Kids) $12.99 Anyone who is familiar with the Wee Sing line of children's products knows that these folks know how to create music children...

The Get Well Soon Book.(Review)
July 1, 2001... by Kes Gray, illustrated by Mary McQuillan (Millbrook Press) $12.95 Balloons and boardgames are nice gestures when a child is sick, but why not give the gift that lasts--a book. The Get Well Soon Book takes a child's mind off his own...

Elsie Dinsmore: A Life of Faith: Elsie's Endless Wait.(Review)
July 1, 2001... Based on the books by Martha Finley (Mission City Press) $9.99 Long before there were American Girls, there was Elsie Dinsmore. This series of stories featuring a spunky heroine living in a bygone era is more than 130 years old, but...

Writing Strands.(Review)
July 1, 2001... by David Marks (Writing Strands) $19.95 each The written word is one of the most powerful tools God has given us to communicate his truth. That's why highly recommend this series, which systematically and logically takes a child from...

Mind Benders.(Review)
July 1, 2001... by Anita Harnadek (Critical Thinking Books & Software) $7.95 each All students, not lust homeschoolers, should work their way through this series. Ideal for the middle grades and taking only minutes a day, these enjoyable puzzles will...

Exploring Creation with General Science.(Review)
July 1, 2001... by Dr. lay L. Wile (Apologia Educational Ministries) $75 This is the first volume in a series of excellent creation-based science texts for junior and senior high, and as such it seeks to provide an overview for students at or near...

The Well-Trained Mind.(Review)
July 1, 2001... by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer (W.W. Norton) $35 This has already been called "the hottest book in homeschooling," and it is indeed winning praise from all quarters. The Well-Trained Mind gives you virtually everything--down to...

The Voice.(Review)
July 1, 2001... written and illustrated by R. W. Metlen (Paulist Press) $12.95 At first glance, the simple text and line drawings might make you think this is a book for preschoolers. But one read will tell you that this book has a profound message that...

It's Me, Marva!(Review)
July 1, 2001... written and illustrated by Marjorie Priceman (Knopf) $15.95 Need a book that will keep your kids entertained for a good long time? Try this fun story about Marva and her adventures with color and optical illusions. As hapless Marva goes...

The Hidden Diary: Cross My Heart Make a Wish.(Review)
July 1, 2001... by Sandra Byrd (Bethany House) $4.99 each Eleven-year-old Lucy is stuck on Catalina Island for the summer while her scientist father does research. Just when her prospects for having a fun summer look dim, Lucy finds a mysterious diary from...

The 7 O'Clock Bedtime.(Review)
July 1, 2001... by Inda Schaenen (ReganBooks) $14.00 Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest ones. That's certainly the point behind this book's intriguing premise. Author Schaenen's claim is that something as basic as getting your kids to bed at a decent...

The Amazing Dad.(Review)
July 1, 2001... by Giovanni Livera and Ken Preuss, illustrated by Rob Smith, Jr. (Perigee) $14.00 When we choose our favorite books of 2001 at the end of the year, I know this one will be on my list. Packed with fun, simple ideas, this book is for any dad who...

What's a Christian to Do with Harry Potter?(Review)
July 1, 2001... by Connie Neal (WaterBrook) $10.95 No matter how you feel about the ubiquitous Harry Potter, it's clear that Christians need to think carefully about our response to this publishing phenomenon. Neal's intent is nor to prove a point one way or...

Give It a Rest.(plan to do nothing to find peace in busy life)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... God is calling you to follow him. Have you got the time? A few years back I sat on my then-10-year-old's bed and fretted over whether I should undertake another book project. My schedule was already packed, and I was feeling stretched too...

Classic Movies.(Review)
July 1, 2001... Your Kids Will Love Like best-loved books, these films with kid appeal have stood the test of time to become part of our heritage. Filmed during Hollywood's wholesome heyday, they were never rated (NR). BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1946,...