Christian Parenting Today articles from March 2004

Christian Parenting Today archives from March 2004

Mom on the run.(Parent to Parent)
March 22, 2004... It's always amazing how little it takes for a perfectly lovely day to fall apart. Everything was going fine this morning, then I decided to unload the groceries. Trip One: I walk in from the car with an armload of boxes (we're warehouse...

Easter celebrations.(Home Pages)
March 22, 2004... From the joy of Palm Sunday, to the mystery of the Last Supper, to the darkness of the Crucifixion, and finally to the wonder of Easter morning, there are all kinds of opportunities to worship, contemplate, and celebrate during the Lenten and...

Ideas that work.
March 22, 2004... Phone Home Here's fun way to teach your preschooler your home phone number. Instead of singing the familiar lyrics to the song, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," sing your seven-digit home phone number. Even my 4-year-old can remember our...

Faith and families.
March 22, 2004... Need a little more motivation to get everyone out of bed and off to church? New research shows that in the long run, regular religious activity is one of the best ways to keep your family strong. An ongoing study at the University of...

Safe kids.
March 22, 2004... Now there's a quick, easy way to make sure you've got your children's fingerprints, medical records, and important contact information on hand. Two moms from Louisiana developed an at-home fingerprint kit so parents could keep essential...

Trade offs.(Home Pages)
March 22, 2004... If you're an eBay fan, wait till you try bartering! Bartering is an age-old-system of trading goods and services, and who needs goods and services more than parents. A stay-at-home mom has developed an online bartering community just for...

Our favorite things.(Always Near Me)(A Time for Everything)(PageLand)(Amazing Bible Stories for LeapPad)(Am I Praying)(Children's Review)(Book Review)
March 22, 2004... Always Near Me A Time for Everything Written and illustrated by Susie Poole (ZonderKidz) $6.99 each, 24 pages each Ages 2-6 For preschoolers, faith is a complex mixture of mystery and practicality. They are able to understand that...

Life in our house.(Home Pages)
March 22, 2004... God the Builder One night my daughters were admiring the almost full moon. My 6-year-old, Mia, decided to give her 4-year-old sister, Anna, an astronomy lesson. "Anna," she said, "every day the moon changes a little bit. Sometimes the...

RX for kids.
March 22, 2004... The next time your kids spend the week with friends or with their grandparents, send along a medical guardianship letter. This allows your child to receive medical treatment in your absence. The letter should include: * the name of the...

Teacher Roulette.(Church Life)
March 22, 2004... If you grew up in the church, you may have warm memories about that one Sunday school teacher who made an amazing difference in your young life. Times have changed in many churches. Your kids might have different teachers every week. While...

Fun Stuff.(Family Time with God from Awana)(Calendar)
March 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...

Grasping God.(Growing Up)
March 22, 2004... Q. I want my preschooler to know about God, but it's so hard to know what he can understand. What are the basics I should teach him right now? A. As parents, we want so much for our children to know and love God that we often become...

Sharing faith.(Growing Up)
March 22, 2004... Q. Half the boys my 8-year-old son plays with have never been inside a church. Many could only guess at who Jesus is. How can I encourage my child to share what he believes with friends his age? A. The elementary years are the perfect...

"But why?".(Growing Up)
March 22, 2004... Q. Our 11-year-old is becoming very stubborn and challenging everything we say. It's as though she has to question every decision and every request we make of her. What's going on? A. Your daughter is going through a very normal, but very...

Parenting with A.W.E.(Growing Up)
March 22, 2004... Q. It feels like we're always arguing with our 15-year-old. We're tired of the constant conflict, and I'm sure she is too. What can we do? A. As parents of teenagers, many of us could find reason to be mad at our kids most of the time....

Paradox parenting: a surprising approach to shaping your child's character.
March 22, 2004... Ask most people what it takes to be a good parent, and they'll probably mention things like love, patience, knowledge, and an unending sense of humor. While those are all necessary ingredients in the parenting mix, my experience of working...

Wise up: studying Proverbs with your child can be a life-changing experience--for both of you!
March 22, 2004... When I was 12, nothing excited me more than the prospect of turning 13. I couldn't wait to be a teenager. The mere mention of the word brought wonderful visions of make-up and parties and the hope of one day being able to drive and date. It...

Chaos theory: somewhere between the doggy doo, the runaway kitty, and the blanket maze, I found a surprising dose of sanity.
March 22, 2004... As the mother of two small children, I was in a constant state of exhaustion mingled with a nagging notion that there was always something waiting to be wiped, washed, warmed, whisked, plucked, patted, preened, sterilized, sewn, sorted,...

Could this be your child? What to do if your kid turns out to be the bully.
March 22, 2004... You get a call from the principal at your son's elementary school. There's been a fight and now your boy's in the office, nursing a black eye. You're halfway out the door when you ask the principal, "So who's the bully? I hope he's getting...

Into the world: God's guidelines for helping your kids impact today's culture.
March 22, 2004... The day is forever burned in my memory. A shooting had occurred in the cafeteria of my son's high school, just a few tables away from where he was casually eating his turkey sandwich. No one was seriously injured, but the whole community was...

Who would get the kids? If you and your spouse were to die suddenly.
March 22, 2004... In any classroom of 25 kids, only 4 have a legal arrangement outlining who will care for them should both of their parents die. That leaves 21 children vulnerable to feuding relatives, the social service system, and the courts, should they...

Going solo.(On the Family Front)
March 22, 2004... Q. I'm the single mother of a 12-year-old boy. I could really use some ideas on how to stay connected to him as he moves into his teenager years. A. In my experience, 12-year-old-boys are the quietest creatures on the planet. It's...

Temper your temper: make your words a source of grace--not pain--in the heart of your child.(A Father's Heart)
March 22, 2004... "You broke a good hanger... A GOOD HANGER! You're a mess!" the father thundered at his son. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It was the day before Thanksgiving, and the Los Angles International Airport was buzzing with thousands of impatient...

Through the wilderness: Neesa Hart's eight-year journey through financial uncertainty taught her what it means to trust.(The First Page: Special Advertising Section)(Advertisement)
March 22, 2004... Unlike many authors, Neesa Hart never aspired to be a writer. "It never even occurred to me," she admits. It was politics she loved. Growing up in Washington, D.C. "where everything is political," Neesa got hooked early on. She worked...

News & Notes.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
March 22, 2004... Any idea what MELODY CARLSON, author of Armando's Treasure, has in her CD player? At the moment, it's October Road by James Taylor. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

News & Notes.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION)(Advertisement)
March 22, 2004... When author ROBIN LEE HATCHER wants a great meal, her favorite place to go is The Cottonwood Grille in her hometown of Boise, Idaho. The menu includes elk, venison, and fresh Idaho trout. Yum! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Along for the ride: a little driver's Ed was just what my faith needed.(Mom's Journal)
March 22, 2004... I have just plunged headfirst into a brand new phase of mothering, one that has prompted a dramatic jumpstart to my prayer life and produced a cramp in my right leg: I'm teaching my 16-year-old to drive. Two weeks ago, I buckled myself...