Talking to teachers isn’t always easy. While I’ve had the honor of meeting with some awesome teachers to have amazing conversations about how well my kids are doing in school, I’ve also endured some really challenging meetings. The last couple of years have been dotted with a lot of the latter as my oldest…
“I’m bored.” No, not me. My kid. That’s what he told me. He’s bored. Keep in mind that his room is filled with a decent supply of toys. He’s also stocked with an amazing collection of books my wife (a former school teacher) passed down to him. There are a…
Instagram lies. Well, at least I’m sure it does at some point over Christmas. When I see people posting pictures of how wonderful setting up the tree is and how magical the decorating was (okay, okay, I’ve done this…I’m guilty), it reminds me how often that process has not been an Instagrammable moment for me…
We are in that sweet spot between Thanksgiving and Christmas, where it seems that everything around us takes a soft curve—or a sharp right turn—from a spirit of gratitude to over-consumption. I don’t know about your family, but at my house, there are only a few hours between being thankful for what we have on…
There was a time in my life when watching the “The Tonight Show” when it aired was normal. Forcing my eyelids to stay open wasn’t even an issue. Those days are gone. These days, we record “The Tonight Show” and watch the previous night’s episode the next day, or week—or let them stockpile in our…
Note: each month we’re giving parents of seniors a spiritually encouraging “checklist” to capture the best moments from senior year. Sign up to automatically get a full year’s worth of memory-making ideas, plus these articles as monthly emails HERE. December: Celebrating the last Christmas Okay—so that headline admittedly makes things sound a…
Buzzing smartphones, crammed calendars, and those tempting blue tins full of sugary butter cookies are among the many things vying for our attention during a busy holiday season; each one invites us to shift our focus off Jesus and onto other things. But there’s no way around it: If we want to love God…
Do you know why it’s hard to teach your kids perseverance? Because the rest of the world is built around instantly fulfilling their every need. Do you remember Blockbuster Video? You had absolutely no guarantee they would have the movie you wanted to rent. It was very likely that some other punk in your town…
By Walt Mueller Alone together. . . is that what every member of your family will be tomorrow? Parents, this is for you. Youth workers, this is for you to pass on to the families you know and love. Can we just ditch the phones when we’re gathered together tomorrow and have a good old-fashioned…
Teaching our kids to say “thank you” is important, but truly instilling a sense of gratitude in them is another matter entirely. Gratitude goes beyond good manners — it’s a mindset and a lifestyle. A recent Wall Street Journal article about raising kids with gratitude acknowledged a growing interest in the area of gratitude in…