Christian Parenting Today articles from March 2003

Christian Parenting Today archives from March 2003

Parenting without fear. (Parent to Parent).(Editorial)
March 22, 2003... Putting together a magazine that will be read by more that 100,000 people is never easy. It's impossible to make everyone happy with every page. But, boy, do we try. Still, every now and then we rake a calculated risk and run an article...

Any day holidays. (Homepages).
March 22, 2003... Nothing binds a family together like special occasions. The unique traditions you embrace for Christmas, Easter, and even birthdays and anniversaries help define your family identity. But why settle for just a handful of holidays? Any day,...

Cross-country care. (Homepages).
March 22, 2003... Remember getting a care package when you were away at camp or even as a college student? There's just something about getting a box of goodies from someone you love that makes you feel, well, cared for. Awesome Care Packages, an Internet care...

Online fun. (Homepages).(websites for Christian children)
March 22, 2003... With spring break coming up, will undoubtedly be looking for something to do. These ten Web sites offer plenty of fun activities and inspiring ideas to entertain your kids, as well as solid Christian content you can feel good about: 1....

Ideas that work. (Homepages).(parenting ideas)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2003... Book Bonanza I found a fun way to encourage my daughters to read. I use a roll of carnival tickets from a neighborhood event and tell my girls that they will get a ticket for every book they read. Then I write out a list of ways they can...

Beyond the birds and the bees. (Homepages).(talking to teens about sex)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2003... Admit it: It's easier to ask your boss for a raise than to talk to your child about sex. But a new national survey from Seventeen magazine and the Kaiser Family Foundation reports that these conversations are more crucial than ever. The...

Family time with God from Awana.(Calendar)
March 22, 2003... For Christian parents, integrating faith into family Life is a top priority. One of the best ways parents can model a living, active relationship with Christ is to emphasize the importance of the Bible in your family's day-to-day life. You...

Books that build character. (Oodles of Stuff).(I Love You, Christopher Bear)(A Bad Day for Christopher Bear)(Christopher Bear Makes Friends)(It's Mine, Christopher Bear!)(Christopher Bear's First Christmas)(Book Review)
March 22, 2003... The Tales of Christopher Bear series * I Love You, Christopher Bear * A Bad Day for Christopher Bear * Christopher Bear Makes Friends * It's Mine, Christopher Bear! * Christopher Bear's First Christmas By Stephanie...

Todd's day, God's way. (Oodles of Stuff).(Book Review)
March 22, 2003... By Laura Derico, illustrated by Peter Wilkes (TYNDALE) $7.99, 12 PAGES Laying the foundation of godly character in our children takes daily, intentional work on the part of parents. But that doesn't mean character formation has to be a...

Watch out for Joel! Series. (Oodles of Stuff).(Bad Bug Blues)(Long Shot)(Book Review)
March 22, 2003... * Bad Bug Blues * Long Shot By Sigmund Brouwer, illustrated by Tammie Lyon (BETHANY BACKYARD) $3.99 EACH, 32 PAGES EACH Kids come up with some amazing ways to get into trouble. Take Joel, the 7-year-old protagonist in this...

The great cheese squeeze: a Gruntly & Iggy adventure. (Oodles of Stuff).(Book Review)
March 22, 2003... Written and illustrated by Bryan Ballinger and Keith Lango (ZONDERKIDZ) $14.00, 34 PAGES The first in a new series from Big Idea (the VeggieTales people), this silly book features absolutely no vegetables. Instead, you'll meet a...

Secret agent Dingledorf and his trusty dog splat series. (Oodles of Stuff).(The Case of the Giggling Geeks)(The Case of the Chewable Worms)(The Case of the Flying Toenails)(Book Review)
March 22, 2003... * The Case of the Giggling Geeks * The Case of the Chewable Worms * The Case of the Flying Toenails By Bill Myers (TOMMY NELSON) $4.99 EACH, 80 PAGES EACH Myers, author of the popular Wally McDoogle series and...

Growing into grace. (Growing Up: Early Childhood)).
March 22, 2003... Psalm 139 tells us that God is present in the life of even an unborn child. Once that child is born, our job as parents is to nurture her understanding of that relationship. And we can do that from day one. Scottie May, assistant...

Targeting truth. (Growing Up: Elementary).(raising Christian children)
March 22, 2003... The barn was covered with circle targets, each with a bullet hole in the bull's eye. But the farmer wasn't a crack shot. He just shot first and drew the circle around the hole later. This is the way a lot of our children approach truth....

Bored with God. (Growing Up: Preteen).
March 22, 2003... Prior to the teen years, children naturally find church and Christianity engaging. A few fun moments in Sunday school or a cozy prayer time with Mom and Dad can be enough to keep them interested. But young teens often start to perceive a...

Raising culture-conscious kids. (Growing Up: Teen).
March 22, 2003... There is no question that the way we parent is impacted by the world we live in. And what a world it is! Instead of Ozzie and Harriet, we've got Ozzy Osbourne. We have to help our children deal with AIDS, Ecstasy, and terrorism. Movies,...

Holy headscratchers: 7 tough questions kids ask about faith and life... and how to answer them.
March 22, 2003... I was sitting in church listening to the sermon one Sunday when I heardmyl0-year-olddaughter whisper, "Psst, Psst, Mom!" I leaned over to hear her better. "If the devil was an angel who sinned, can other angels sin?" she whispered much louder...

Sick of bickering? Sure-fire ways to stop sibling squabbles.
March 22, 2003... There are days when the chaos of motherhood brings with it this vision: My husband returns from work. The house looks as if ifs been ravaged by a tornado. The children are duct-taped to the kitchen chairs with their socks stuffed in their...

Baking your daily bread: a spiritual lesson from the kitchen.
March 22, 2003... A favorite food at our house is homemade bread: any kind, any shape. When my children smell bread baking, they anxiously await a slice fresh from the oven. But one afternoon as I readied the ingredients and pondered the bread making process,...

What would Jesus say? Christ knew a thing or two about changing hearts with his words. Here's how you can follow his example and help your kids obey.
March 22, 2003... "I thought I told you to clean up this mess!" The backyard still had toys scattered everywhere, but my children just carried on as if I hadn't spoken a word. I was getting frustrated. I was getting mad. Then my husband came to the rescue. He...

Kids in church: sure they squirm, giggle, talk, and wiggle, but including your children in the worship service is worth the distraction.
March 22, 2003... Here's how to help them stay tuned in. My days of quiet contemplation at church ceased three and a half years ago when my first child, Elise, was born. Before we had kids, my husband and I were able to pray with reverence and concentrate...

Bye-bye bunny.(emphasizing the religious side of holidays)
March 22, 2003... How to return the holidays to Christ (and we promise, your kids won't mind) "Why didn't Santa come to our house?" our 4-year-old son asked. "Was I bad or something?" An ominous silence filled our once joyful minivan as I looked...

My forgiving Valentine: would my son choose revenge... or grace?
March 22, 2003... There is little that pains parents more than to see our children suffer. Sometimes suffering shows up in very tangible ways such as struggling with a serious childhood illness or losing a parent to death or divorce. Sometimes suffering...

I was a homeschool dropout: I thought teaching my kids at home was the best thing for our family. But God had another lesson plan.
March 22, 2003... It was a typical homeschooling day. My 8-year-old, Jason, walked into the living room and saw me reading the morning paper. He scowled. "What are we going to do today? Nothing, as usual?" The accusation stung. "We do lots of things!"...

Delay of game: how to keep your family first--even during playoff season. (A Father's Heart).
March 22, 2003... Not long ago, I read a story about a guy named Dave Smith. In 1965, Dave was a senior in high school, and a rabid baseball fan. Since he'd been old enough to hold a ball, he and his father had gone to as many Los Angels Dodger games as they...

7 signs of a strong children's ministry. (Church Life).
March 22, 2003... Whether you're changing churches or simply want to up the oomph factor in your children's programs, consider these signs of success: 1. Staff, teachers, and other leaders see children as part of the church body. Ministries geared toward...

"My daughter's too serious". (On the Family Front).
March 22, 2003... Q. My 10-year old has a hard time making friends. She is a very serious child who acts mature for her age, even though she's the youngest child in her class. She enjoys being in Girl Scouts, Awana, and many other activities, but she doesn't...

Getting the signal: paying attention to your child's "warning lights". (Mom's Journal).
March 22, 2003... The other night at about ten o'clock I blissfully hopped into my minivan after an evening of running errands sans kids. I started the van and was about to head home when suddenly a red neon light appeared on my dashboard. Usually I...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
March 22, 2003... We mistakenly left the author's name off of the HomePages article, "The Gift of Books" (Winter, page 12). The article was written by Ten Brown. We regret the error.

Life in our house.(anecdotes about children)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2003... Side by Side I was sitting down to read a book to my three children and they all wanted to sit next to me. Finally I said, "Mommy only has two sides, so only two of you can sit next to me at a time. We'll have to take turns." My...