New stuff means new words. The folks at the Oxford Dictionary release a list of new dictionary entries (as well as those that have been eliminated) every year. Recently. . . and not surprisingly. . . a host of new terms they’ve included are related to the assimilation of new technologies into our lives. Sadly, as…
A Facebook post I spotted this morning got me thinking. A youth worker was asking his ministry peers for ideas on what he could address during this week’s annual meeting with parents. What caught my attention was his use of the word annual. That word, when combined with parent meeting, once got me in big trouble. The……
As a new school year is beginning here in Northeast Ohio, many kids and families will face a daunting challenge at church. Transitions are highly anticipated by most kids and families. At many churches, preschoolers entering kindergarten start to attend elementary school large group worship next Sunday. Kids entering sixth grade begin middle school programming…
*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on PsychCentral. New research finds that college students report the psychological impact of childhood bullying is on the same level as severe physical or sexual abuse. The study of 480 college freshmen through seniors, indicated that the detrimental effects of bullying may linger for years….
Words That Build Not long ago, my husband and I were asked to share with a group of parents what we would do again in regards to raising our kids. We began asking ourselves if we had to go all the way back to the beginning (20 years ago) and start over, what would we choose…
As a culture-watcher, I sometimes like to “rewind” as a way to gain perspective on just how much and how fast youth culture has changed. The practice serves to wake me up at times when familiarity with what was once relatively unknown lulls us to sleep because it’s become all-too-common and widespread. That creates huge…read…
Dr. Chinwe Williams, a licensed professional counselor, talks with Carlos Whittaker (author and speaker), and Kristen Ivy, about how to help kids cope with anxiety. Anxiety and stress is a normal and unavoidable part of life, especially when experiencing something new or transitioning to a new phase. The way you acknowledge and respond to a…
When our kids are little, talking about faith is relatively easy. We read Bible stories. We ask Jesus into our hearts. We pray together for him to watch over our family and friends, and to help us when we’re afraid. And then the hard part starts. Sometime around eleven-years-old they begin to ask questions….
Growing up, whenever I got in trouble, my punishment was being sent to my room. To an introverted kid, this was a delight. I just curled up with some good books and got lost in my imagination for a while. My oldest boy, Asher, shares this same affinity for quiet time. When sharing a room…
Conversations Happen Over Blueberries and Bathwater “My husband died when my children were in preschool. He was sick for twelve hours with an illness the ER doctors misdiagnosed, and he died on our bedroom floor two days before Christmas. Overnight, my children lost their dad and I became a 31-year-old widow.” These are the…