Christian Parenting Today articles from March 2002

Christian Parenting Today archives from March 2002

Just your average kid. (Parent to Parent).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Making decisions has never been my strong suit. But lately my brain has been on decision overload. The problem is my daughter. Well, not her exactly, but the fact that she'll be starting school in the fall and we have to decide where. So we're...

Letters from home.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2002... Agree to Disagree We are pleased to read your positive review of The Lord of the Rings ("HomePages," January/February). As long time fans of Tolkien and enthusiastic moviegoers, we were concerned that it would be categorically deemed as...

Go fly a kite. (Home Pages).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... As the warm spring breezes begin to blow, grab the family and head outdoors for a day of kite flying. Any kite will do, even that $1.99 Barney kite you picked up at the discount store. Generally, the lighter the kite, the better your chance at...

Safety Central. (Home Pages).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... If an emergency arises at home, it's vital for you, a babysitter, or caregiver to know what to do. The Safety Center Emergency Care Kit includes most of the lifesaving instructions and information you need to react quickly and possibly save the...

Sing-along songs. (Ideas that Work).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... As budding readers, my twin sons were eager to join in singing hymns at church but struggled to keep up. To help them, I obtained an old hymnal and called the church office late each week to learn which hymns we'd be singing that coming Sunday....

52 weeks of love. (Couple Time).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... My husband is a family practice physician and we have five children. I made my husband a "Week by Week--Time for You and Me" calendar. I used a small, spiral-bound scrapbook and decorated a page for each of the next 52 weeks. On each page, I...

Create extraordinary Easter eggs. (Home Pages).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Banded eggs: Wrap your egg with several rubber bands (use wide and thin bands for a 3-D effect). Dip the egg in colored dye, then let it dry. When it's dry, move the bands to other positions on the egg and dip it again. Stenciled eggs:...

Canine communion. (Life in Our House).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... My 3-year-old son Samuel liked to join me whenever we took our dog to obedience class. At one session, the command for the day was "take it," which lets the dog know when he can take a treat out of our hand. Samuel was practicing with our dog,...

All grown up. (Mom's Moment).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... "He made me do it!" This phrase is one of a child's favorites. It's called passing the buck. And while our kids are desperate to avoid responsibility for their actions, we know that children are rarely made to do something they shouldn't. ...

Movies for teens. (Home Pages).
March 1, 2002... The Bible doesn't shy away from controversial subject matter, but uses it to instruct us. Likewise, discerning parents can use films to help set a teenager's moral compass. These movies will provide rich material for heart-to-heart discussions....

Must see TV. (Home Pages).
March 1, 2002... Don't miss "Misunderstood Minds," a special 90-minute PBS documentary (March 27 at 9 PM ET; check local listings). The special features five children with a diverse range of learning difficulties and shows how these challenges have affected...

Erasable murals. (Ideas that Work).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Madelyn, my 3-year-old, loves to draw. My husband had some leftover white-board paneling from an old project that he cut into a 4-foot by 3-foot section. He put it on Madelyn's wall at toddler height with removable stick-ups. Then, he framed it...

Fertile prayers. (Home Pages).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Christians have known it all along. Now the medical community is taking notice of the power of prayer. A recent issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine cited a study that found prayer to double the chances of women having a baby through...

Say Cheesecake. (E-Fridge).(Recipe)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Here's a Web site from a mom's kitchen that's full of taste-tested family recipes. Each main dish, side dish, and dessert found on Recipestoday.com has the seal of approval from a few food aficionados--this mom's kids. An Italian menu of...

Family time with God from Heritage Builders.
March 1, 2002... Family devotions don't have to be formal sit-down events. Use these quick ideas to connect with your kids during meals, -in the car, or at bedtime. The more involved "Family Night" ideas will help you create memorable evenings (or afternoons)...

Flying with babies. (Baby).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Taking an infant on a plane can frazzle the best of parents. Here, veteran flight attendants offer advice for a smooth trip with your infant: Purchase an extra seat. Flight attendants strongly recommend using a certified child restraint...

Safe climbing. (Toddler).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... You've followed the safety experts' advice and tied up the cords to your blinds, locked cabinet doors, and attached rubber guards to table corners. Now your curious toddler will be perfectly safe, right? Wrong. The Consumer Product Safety...

Ready for preschool? (Preschool).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... As the mother of 3-year-old twins, I've often wondered whether my girls are ready for preschool. One minute they're diligently writing the first letter of their names, and the next minute they're wrestling over whose turn it is to use the...

What drawings reveal. (Early Elementary).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... If you've ever been handed a drawing by a child, you know children unconsciously pour themselves into their drawings, making each work a significant gift. Thoughtful consideration of your child's art can provide insight into his thoughts and...

Let them play. (Late Elementary).(unstructured time for children)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... We often have good reasons for enrolling our children in extracurricular activities. We want them to have fun, to learn something new, or just stay out of trouble. But by scheduling most of their free time, we deprive our kids of unstructured...

Teaching respect. (Middle School).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... It's every parent's nightmare. The phone rings. A teacher is upset. Your middle school child had a problem at school. "It was open disrespect," the teacher explains. Issues with authority are common in the middle school years. This is the...

Stress's ill effects. (Teen).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Does it seem as though your teen always feels sick? Do you find yourself ignoring her consistent complaints, rationalizing that she's "faking" and wants to take a day off from school? According to Allen McKinnon, a pediatrician and family...

Stop the whining: Sick of all the griping in your house? These two simple solutions can end it for good.
March 1, 2002... "But Mo-o-o-o-m!" We've all heard it: that high-pitched whine that ranks close to fingernails on the blackboard on the irritation scale. Most parents have figured out ways to get kids to do their chores, share their toys, and get ready for...

Teaching kids about race: Brenda Salter McNeil believes Christian parents need to push beyond their comfort zones to model the kingdom of God.
March 1, 2002... Interview by Jennifer Mangan Racism has long been an issue in our country. Recent months have again shown how racial and religious conflict can lead to hatred and devastation. As Christians, we believe that under Christ there is no "Jew...

How my son saved Easter.
March 1, 2002... It was with high hopes last Easter that I whipped together a batch of homemade salt dough, ready for the hours of fun family time with my children that would result. As I mixed, cooled, and kneaded, I imagined our cozy family of four all...

A severe case of Affluenza.
March 1, 2002... I knew we were in trouble the year my son turned 7. As his birthday party drew closer, I could feel my panic level rising. Phone calls from family and friends only made matters worse. They all asked the same question: "What can we get Luke for...

Pass it on: 10 ways to prepare your teen to share the Gospel.
March 1, 2002... When Kate Benson was 3 years old, her father, Tim, told her something she just couldn't keep to herself. He told her that God loves her but that people have a sin problem that keeps us away from God. He told her that Jesus is the answer to that...

"Don't you care about your kids?": How mothers wound one another and how to get over it.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... In talking with another stay-at-home mom, I mentioned that I have a college education. She looked at me like I had two heads and said, "Don't you feel like you're wasting your education by staying home with your kids? If I had gone to college,...

When your faithfulness seems wasted: Finding lasting value in the hard work of life. (A Father's Heart).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... During the bitter cold winter of 1498, the Italian city of Florence was blanketed in snow. And a young artist named Michelangelo Buonarroti had a heart as heavy as the gray clouds that hung low in the sky. The Grand Duke Lorenzo de Medici had...

Should we spank? (On the Family Front).
March 1, 2002... Q. My husband and I disagree on how to discipline our very active 2-year-old son. My husband uses a belt to spank our son when he misbehaves, but I feel like he's being too harsh. Whenever we talk about this issue, we end up fighting. My...

Wiggle Waggle Fun. (Book).
March 1, 2002... By Margaret Mayo (Knopf) $1695, 64 pages Ages 0-4 Babies love the sound of the human voice, especially when it's singing and telling silly little rhymes. If you need inspiration for singing to your wee one, give this book a try....

Rag Baby. (Book).
March 1, 2002... By Karen Henley; illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung (Tyndale) $12.99, 32 pages Traditional pictures and stories of Christ's death and resurrection can be frightening for young children. Rag Baby offers your child a gentle introduction...

Dream with Me Tonight Lullabies for All ages. (CD).
March 1, 2002... Vocals by Melodie Crittenden (Sandman Records) $12.98 This collection of bedtime tunes is composed by Nashville songwriter Lanny Sherwin, who says he "almost went crazy listening to existing lullabies while rocking [my] son to sleep."...

The Stray. (Book).
March 1, 2002... By Gerard A. Pottebaum; art by Mary Jo Scandin (Treehaus) $16.95, 32 pages The stories of the lost coin and the lost sheep take on a whole new meaning for young children in this version of two of Jesus' most famous parables. A group of 10...

What does love look like? (Book).
March 1, 2002... By Janette Oke; illustrated by Cheri Bladholm (Bethany House) $14.99, 32 pages Inspired by a true story, author Janette Oke writes about her young granddaughter Emily, who shared the Gospel on her first day as the new girl in school....

The Children's Busy Book. (Book).
March 1, 2002... By Trisha Kuffner (Meadowbrook) $9.95, 433 pages The third in a series of activity books for kids (the author also has busy books for toddlers and preschoolers), The Children's Busy Book gives you 365 ideas for crafts, games, and recipes...

Knights and Battles. (Book).
March 1, 2002... (Silver Dolphin) $14.95, 48 pages Knights, castles, jousting--who knew the Middle Ages were so... cool? This book is packed with fascinating information about one of the most tumultuous periods in history. Every page offers an in-depth look at...

He Chose You. (Book).
March 1, 2002... By Max Lucado (Tommy Nelson) $9.99, 196 pages For a child in the "tweenage" years, reading a book that's not assigned is a little like buying a pair of jeans--it better be a perfect fit or forget it. Max Lucado, the father of three...

How to be a happy, healthy family. (Book).
March 1, 2002... By Jim Burns, Ph.D. (W) $14.99, 190 pages Many parenting books give you the impression that if you simply follow steps A, B, and C, you'll put an end to tantrums, laziness, and rebellion for good. But Burns, a veteran youth and family...

The simpler family. (Book).
March 1, 2002... By Christine Klein (Robins Lane Press) $16.95, 186 pages Let's face it. Most of us wish our lives could be a bit more relaxed, but trying to simplify can seem, well, complicated. Whether your goal is to move from two incomes to one, to...

Make room for daddy. (Book).
March 1, 2002... By Elisa Morgan and Carol Kuykendall (Zondervan) $12.99, 208 pages Many resources encourage couples to understand each other's gender and emotional differences. But here, Morgan and Kuykendall advise moms and dads to discover how their...

God Is in Control. (Book and CD).
March 1, 2002... Written by Stephen Elkins; narrated by Twila Paris (Broadman & Holman) $14.99, 32 pages Testify to Love Written by Stephen Elkins; narrated by Jana Long (Broadman & Holman), $14.99, 32 pages The lyrics from these two popular songs...

Baby Matters. (CD-ROM).
March 1, 2002... From Parenting Solutions, $29.95 This software offers all the tools for the tech-savvy parent to create a memorable and practical baby book. Parents can neatly record everything from their child's eating milestones to his or her medical...

Running on empty: The parenting path demands endless strength. Good thing you don't have to go it alone. (Mom's Journal).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The last of my things were squeezed into my suitcase. I dragged the luggage and myself down the elevator, out the door of the hotel, and into the airport shuttle. I was zapped. Just the night before I had been filled to the brim with joy,...