Christian Parenting Today articles from September 2002

Christian Parenting Today archives from September 2002

Why we parent. (Parent to Parent).
September 22, 2002... There are days when I feel like such an inadequate parent I wonder what God could have been thinking when he allowed me to be a mother. Today has been one of those days. We have company coming for the weekend, so I've been trying to get...

Letters from home: mail that matters.
September 22, 2002... Family Fun I just finished reading your article about family reunions "Why Kids Need Family Reunions," Summer 2002) and it was excellent! It brought back memories of our family reunion with our kids and grandkids at a campground in...

Juggling a career & kids just got easier. thanks, Bee-Alive!(new energizing product for tired mothers)
September 22, 2002... Keeping up with your kids and working full-time can really wear you out. Making breakfast, packing lunches... commuting, meetings, deadlines... then home again for dinner, baths, and bedtime stories. The same non-stop schedule everyday--no...

Family fun house. (Home Pages).
September 22, 2002... Raising kids is serious business. But research has found that families that know how to laugh and play together are often healthier, happier, and closer. In her book, Traits of a Healthy Family (Winston), researcher Dolores Curran notes that...

Life in our house.
September 22, 2002... Dread Disease. When our son, Jason, turned 11, we noticed a definite change in his behavior. Once a jabbery kid who could hardly wait to tell us about his day, he started to only nod his head or grumble when he spoke. No one could please...

A virtual book club. (Web Read).(Tyndale Kids creates Cool2Read.com)
September 22, 2002... Yes Virginia, there is such a thing as a kids' Web site that promotes the reading of actual books. Last year, Tyndale Kids, the children's imprint of Christian publisher Tyndale House, launched www.Cool2Read.com. Since then, the site-which is...

Be a whale watcher. (Home Pages).(Jonah)
September 22, 2002... JONAH (Big Idea/Artisan, Rated G) Right now, before you turn another page of this magazine, go get your calendar and mark October 4 as J-Day. That's the day the long-awaited VeggieTales movie, Jonah, arrives in theaters around the country....

Your in-home Parenting expert. (Home Pages).
September 22, 2002... There's no question that the Web is a great resource for parents. But honestly, all that information can get a little overwhelming. That's why Web sites like ParentCenter.com are so refreshing. This one-stop shop offers all kinds of helpful...

Ideas that work.
September 22, 2002... The Puzzle Place To liven up our collection of puzzles, I make simple homemade ones by tracing around everyday items such as a toothbrush, a spatula, a spoon, a key, etc. For my younger children, I lay the items on the table and let them...

Just dough it. (Home Pages).(Recipe)
September 22, 2002... Mix up this simple dough from craft maven Donna Erickson and make yummy-smelling decorations, Christmas tree ornaments, or jewelry. Ingredients: 1/2 cup cinnamon 1/2 cup store bought applesauce (homemade sauce tends to be too...

Growing together when you're apart. (Home Pages).
September 22, 2002... Any time parents hove to leave their children--whether for work or for a vacation--the whole family can get stressed out. These ideas can help make your time apart a positive experience for you and your children. Put at in writing....

The Christian family in changing times. (Oodles of Stuff).
September 22, 2002... By Robert M. Hicks (Baker) $12.99, 159 pages We all have our secret failings as families. Maybe you can hardly get your kids into the same room for a meal, much less gather for something that resembles family devotions. Maybe you've got a...

God's great news for children. (Other Resources for Families).
September 22, 2002... By Rick Osborne and Marnie Wooding (Tyndale) $15.99, 112 pages Focus on the Family's Heritage Builders division has created this easy-to-understand "biography" of Jesus' life. Starting with Creation and the Fall, then moving on to Jesus'...

A love so big. (Other Resources for Families).
September 22, 2002... By Sheila Walsh (WaterBrook) $16.99, 240 pages Walsh shares stories from her own life, as well as the lives of other parents. Through moments of silliness and joy, and times of deep pain and loss, Walsh and her friends find God's hand...

1001 ways to introduce your child to the Bible. (Other Resources for Families).
September 22, 2002... by Kathy Reimer (Broadman & Holman) $12.99, 320 pages Reimer breaks each book of the Bible into it's basic themes, characters, and settings. Kids get the sense that the Bible is filled with real people. Then Reimer gets cooking with tons of...

Family time with God.
September 22, 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)...

Building a firm faith. (Early Childhood).
September 22, 2002... In the midst of our coffee shop pilgrimage, my friend Beth lamented, "Cody has my blonde hair and blue eyes, yet at times it seems like he belongs to another world." "Well, that's partly right," I replied. "Cody is a Millennial." Born...

The eternal power of music. (Elementary).
September 22, 2002... Antonio Stradivarius once said, "God needs violins to send his music into the world, and if my violins are defective, God's music will be spoiled." We labor over instruments more precious than Stradivarius violins--our children. And yet we...

Big doubts. (Preteen).(about religion)
September 22, 2002... A nervous set of parents met me in my office. Tears caine quickly. Judy, the mom, spoke in-between honks into her tissue: "Johnny, our 7th grader... [honk!]... he's always been such a good boy. And he's always loved Jesus." The dad nodded....

"I hate church!". (Teen).
September 22, 2002... "Dad, I hate our church. I think it is boring and I don't want to go there again. Even though I had heard similar words from my older daughter a few years before, I was absolutely not ready to hear the negativity and passion of this...

Open house: Sure, making your home the fun spot on the block helps you keep an eye on your kids. But it may just save a few souls, too.
September 22, 2002... In the early days of our marriage, when my husband and I were full of excitement about our unknown future, I entertained plenty of idealistic dreams about my life as a parent. I wouldn't just be a great mother to my children; I would mother all...

The ultimate prayer guide: What the Lord's Prayer can teach your family about talking with God.
September 22, 2002... I am the son of a pastor, so prayer was a regular part of my childhood. By the time I got to kindergarten, I knew how to "God is great and God is good" my food by day and "pray the Lord my soul to keep" by night. I knew all the words to those...

Black socks & brotherly love: would my boys ever stop fighting?(Brief Article)
September 22, 2002... As October approaches, I prepare in the prescribed way. I make sure there are plenty of chips in the house, that there is soda in the refrigerator, and that both the couch and the TV are in fine shape for that most important of all occasions,...

Bring out their best: How to build your child's character through loving, values-based discipline.
September 22, 2002... The domestic drama playing out in front of me started out as a familiar one. A young mother in the grocery checkout lane was telling her 3-year-old son, "No, You may not have that candy." So far so good, I thought. But sometimes "No" is not...

Think outside the box: How to turn off the TV and take back your family life.
September 22, 2002... Katie Summers, a San Francisco area mother of three young girls, describes her 3-year-old daughter, Caroline, watching TV: "Caroline's seated back against the couch, eyes glued to the action, thumb sometimes in her mouth, with no expression,...

Family-sized service: as you find ways to reach out to others, why not bring the kids?
September 22, 2002... For the last 22 years, my husband and I have ministered to refugees and immigrants in our community. We have taught English, befriended college students from around the world, developed a refugee church, shared the gospel, and offered comfort...

The heart of housework: giving kids household chores can result in more than just a clean home.
September 22, 2002... I can see it so clearly. I'm just clearing the last of the dinner dishes and the kids are getting ready for bed. But as I make my way out of the kitchen, I trip over three pairs of shoes, two stuffed animals, and a toy race car that went...

Can we talk? A simple way to deepen conversations with your kids. (A Father's Heart).(Brief Article)
September 22, 2002... Have you ever had one of these conversations with your child? "Hey pal, how was school?" "Fine." "Did you do anything interesting today?" "Not really." "Do you want to go out for pizza later?" "I guess." ...

Letting go. (On the Family Front).(Brief Article)
September 22, 2002... Q. I'm having trouble letting my three boys go out on their own. They are still young, but I see their friends staying home alone or walking to other friends' houses. What kind of guidelines should I use to start letting them have a little more...

Grumbling to gratitude: From dirty diapers to frantic schedules; can we really be thankful in everything? (Mom's Journal).(Brief Article)
September 22, 2002... I had just merged onto the busy freeway, my new baby girl in tow, when a pungent odor began circulating throughout my van. As a mother of four, my finely tuned sense of smell told me this was the real deal. There was no time to pull off the...