Christian Parenting Today articles from June 2004

Christian Parenting Today archives from June 2004

A child of the king.(Parent to Parent)
June 22, 2004... One of my greatest joys as a parent is discovering--and rediscovering--who my children are. Every few months I notice something new in them that I hadn't seen before: Emily's budding sense of humor, Isaac's tenderness toward his stuffed...

Bully busters.(Letters from Home)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... Here's what you had to say about our Spring 2004 issue: Thank you for the article "Could This Be Your Child?" I was just approached about a similar situation concerning my daughter. I am a single father and I really didn't know what to do...

Dealing with drinking.(Letters from Home)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... I think Dr. Maudlin did an excellent job of helping the woman who asked for help in dealing with her alcoholic husband ("On the Family Front"). My prayers are with her. I am a recovering alcoholic (8 yrs.), I grew up in an alcoholic home, and I...

Words of wisdom.(Letters from Home)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... The article "Wise Up" was great! I was searching for some way to teach my children a theme lesson when we complete our homework each day. Please keep more articles like this one. This allows us as parents and mothers to get some direction in...

Finding forgiveness.(Letters from Home)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... Wow! I think John Trent hit the nail on the head in "Temper Your Temper" when he said it is time to go searching for some forgiveness. As a father of 2 young boys, I have too often reacted without realizing the damage I could do with my words....

Practical parenting.(Letters from Home)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... I really enjoy your "Ideas that Work" section. I love reading tips that other people have found useful, and I've always thought it was a shame that only secular magazines carried things like this. Thanks for the Christian perspective, and the...

Can you dig it?(Home Pages)
June 22, 2004... Sooner or later, the summer sun will lead your family to the beach. And there's not a child alive who can resist a long stretch of sand just begging to be turned into a colossal sand castle filled with imaginary kings and queens. ...

Labor laws.(Ideas that Work)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... My 9-year-old thought that all the chores in our home got done magically, with no effort from him. I taught him that when I needed a task completed, I either did it myself or paid someone to do it. Therefore, I would be charging him ten cents...

Bible basics.(Ideas that Work)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... My young daughter thought the Bible was too hard to understand, so I bought a child's daily devotional book for us to read through together. When we're done, I write out a copy of the day's verse for her to study. The next day when we sit down...

Summer holidays.(Ideas that Work)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... To relieve summer boredom and have more time for family and God at Christmas, we literally begin Christmas in July, or even June. My daughter chooses at least one gift or decoration to make and gets it done before her school commitments start...

"I do" doodles.(Ideas that Work)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2004... If your kids have ever been involved in a wedding, you know that being the parent of a preschool participant can be as stressful as being the bride. Between hoping nobody cries and praying your little guy won't throw the rings at his sister,...

Never Mind the Joneses.(Our Favorite Things)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
June 22, 2004... Never Mind the Joneses By Tim Stafford (InterVarsity Press) $16 paperback, 208 pages [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Respected writer Tim Stafford offers a much-needed release valve for the pressure every parent feels to measure up to...

Preparing Your Son for Every Man's Battle.(Our Favorite Things)(Book Review)
June 22, 2004... By Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker (WaterBrook) $13.99, 270 pages [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The mere idea of telling our sweet innocent darlings about sex is enough to make even the bravest parent quiver. But this latest entry in...

As for Me and My House: 50 Easy-to-Use Devotionals for Families.(Our Favorite Things)(Book Review)
June 22, 2004... Edited by Tom and Lori Ziegler (Discipleship Publications) $11.95, 150 pages [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nearly every Christian family wants to do regular family devotions, but for most of us, it's just too hard to figure out how to...

Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions.(Our Favorite Things)(Book Review)
June 22, 2004... By George Barna (Regal) $19.99, 275 pages [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Researcher George Barna and his Barna Research Group have studied nearly every facet of Christian life to help our churches better meet the needs of an ever-changing...

Back seat derider.(Life in Our House)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... While riding in the car, my husband was teasing our 3-year-old by reaching into the back seat and grabbing her foot. "Whose foot do I have?" he asked. "Could this be Mama's foot?" "Daddy," our daughter replied gravely, "if you reach into the...

Gee, thanks.(Life in Our House)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... When I was two months pregnant with our fourth child, I stumbled into the kitchen one morning where I was greeted by my son and daughter, busily making their breakfast. "Wow, Mom!" exclaimed my 11-year-old daughter, "your stomach is already...

John the "Bath-ist".(Life in Our House)(Letter to the Editor)
June 22, 2004... While tucking Emma, my 5-year-old, into bed one night I asked her about her lesson at Pioneers Club that evening. She said they learned about John the "Bath-ist." When I asked about who he was, she said, "He bathized people when he dunked them...

Devos for dads.(father and son relationships)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2004... When my son was little, I found that it didn't take much effort to get him to spend time with me. He was eager to wrestle, explore, and just hang out with his dad. But as the teenage years approached, I knew I would have to make an extra effort...

Sleepy heads.(teenagers need sleep to perform well on tests)(Brief Article)
June 22, 2004... Teenagers and sleep. They go together like, well, like teenagers and food. But a recent study from the University of Chicago suggests that sleep can actually strengthen your teenager's brain power. Students in the study were asked to take a...

Fun stuff.(Family Time with God from Awana)
June 22, 2004... How to use this section: On this page, you'll find Fun Stuff, monthly activities for your family, and Did You Know, an interesting story to tell your kids. On the pages that follow, you'll find more activities while learning a new Bible verse...

Sunday school report card.(Church Life)
June 22, 2004... Perhaps you're thrilled with your church's Sunday school program. Or maybe you've wondered how to help it be even better. The following questions can help your children's ministries improve their weak spots and maximize their strengths. ...

Playing with God.(Early Childhood)
June 22, 2004... Q. I want to help my 3-year-old learn more about God, but it's hard to get her to sit still for a Bible story or even a video. How can I help her grow in her faith when all she wants to do is play? A. God loves your child so much that he is...

Making room for daddy.(Elementary)
June 22, 2004... Q. Ever since my son was a preschooler, my husband has labeled him a sissy because my son likes drama and art and computers, not sports and hunting. The two of them have no real relationship. How can I make up for my husband's neglect and...

The center of the universe.(Preteen)
June 22, 2004... Q. Our 11-year-old seems to think the whole world revolves around her. Why is she suddenly so selfcentered? A. This is an almost universal issue with preteens. Kids who were, just months ago, generous and outward-focused turn in on...

What your teen really needs.(Teen)
June 22, 2004... Q. With three busy teenagers, our family life is incredibly chaotic. The stress is impacting the kids and our marriage. How can we get our lives back on track? A. While it is probably wise to re-evaluate your family activity level and...

A real trip: a family missions experience could be the ticket to helping your kids develop a heart for God's world.
June 22, 2004... Are you sure you'll be safe?" "Maybe you should try something smaller first..." When we told friends and family we were thinking about taking a family missions trip, the general reaction was less than enthusiastic. They thought we were three...

Fan club: how to be your child's biggest cheerleader.
June 22, 2004... There may never have been a baseball, football, or basketball game ever played in which the competitors didn't glance into the stands to look for Mom and Dad. There has perhaps never been an awards ceremony, school play, or graduation in which...

Picture this: bring God's Word to life with a do-it-yourself backyard Bible club.
June 22, 2004... Imagine neighborhood kids flocking to your door asking, "Can we play Bible?" Picture them begging to hear Bible stories then running gleefully home waving a photo, shouting, "Look, Mom! I'm in the Bible!" All of that--and more!--happened at our...

Hey SuperMom! What's your secret?(Brief Article)
June 22, 2004... You get up every morning and go to work. But that's just the beginning for a busy mom like you! You also make breakfast... drop the kids off... clean the house... go shopping... cook dinner... do laundry... pack lunches. And you've still...

Help! I'm surrounded by preschoolers! Your survival guide for the first five years.
June 22, 2004... You know those commercials that say, "Research indicates the first five years are the most important in a child's life"? While that may very well be true, I have to admit that this message scares me every time I hear it. I mean, it's taken me...

Give a little bit: help your children become eager servants of God.
June 22, 2004... This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. --2 Corinthians 9:12 On a shopping trip in December, our 8-year-old son looked over our...

Musical beds.(On the Family Front)
June 22, 2004... Q. Our 4-year-old daughter falls asleep in her own bed, but she always climbs into bed with us during the night. Is this okay? A. The only way to sort through all of the widely varying theories on co-sleeping is to determine what works best...

The concrete truth: a hard lesson in slowing down.(A Father's Heart)
June 22, 2004... Blurred vision. A raging headache. Searing pain coming from a cut on the side of my face. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Then suddenly, the stark realization I was waking up, and it wasn't from a bad dream. I hadn't been asleep. I'd been...

The price of perseverance: what my son taught me about staying the course.(Mom's Journal)
June 22, 2004... Today marks the end of a season... Pop Warner football season that is. It's almost midnight, and upstairs my jet-lagged husband and son just collapsed into bed after a cross-country flight back from Florida where my 12-year-old son Chance's...