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Dr. James Dobson

Dr. James Dobson was the Founder Chairman of the James Dobson Family Institute, a nonprofit organization that produced his radio program, Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and held 18 honorary doctoral degrees. He also was the author of more than 70 books dedicated to the preservation of the family.

Dr. Dobson served as an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine for 14 years, and on the attending staff of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles for 17 years in the divisions of child development and medical genetics.

He advised five U.S. presidents and served on eight national commissions.

Dr. Dobson was married to Shirley for just shy of 65 years, and he was the beloved father of two grown children, Danae and Ryan, and two grandchildren.

Content By Dr. James Dobson

Broadcasts

Screens and Teens – Part 2

October 6, 2023

When one family committed to two tech-free days a week, their 8-year-old son was thrilled that his father had time to teach him how to play baseball. And his mother had time to bake cookies with him. The boy gushed, “Our family is normal again. And I got my Daddy back!” On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson talks with Dr. Kathy Koch (pronounced Cook), author of Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World, on the ever evolving relationship between teenagers and screen time. Parents, if you want your teen to develop character and self-discipline, demonstrate that the smartphone is a tool, not a toy.

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Broadcasts

Screens and Teens – Part 1

October 5, 2023

For many teens, their smartphones have become their best friend and safety blanket. According to research, 56% of teens associate the absence of their cell phone with at least one of these three emotions: loneliness, feeling upset or anxious. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. Kathy Koch (pronounced Cook), author of Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World, urges parents to set reasonable limits for their children and to remember that the phone doesn’t belong to them; it’s their parents’ phone. Insist on regular phone “blackouts.” Encourage your teen to engage with you by having a meaningful conversation inside the home, play board games, do a jigsaw puzzle, read a physical book, or shoot hoops with a sibling.

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Broadcasts

Fatherhood Fears and Fun

October 4, 2023

Dads can sometimes feel terrified by the responsibilities of raising and caring for children. On today’s edition of Family Talk, author and speaker Phil Callaway shares his personal stories of fatherhood, and why it’s so important for dads to cultivate their own walk with Christ. Be encouraged as Phil urges fathers that if they want their children to have character and a love for God, they need to first model it themselves.

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Broadcasts

Confronting Guilt in Motherhood – Part 3

September 29, 2023

On today’s edition of Family Talk, join us as Dr. James Dobson concludes his enlightening conversation with author and speaker, Julie Barnhill, as they answer questions from a panel of moms on how to ride the emotional roller coaster of parenting. They also encourage moms and dads to avoid blaming themselves for the bad choices their children make. Ezekiel 18:20 says, “The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.”

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Broadcasts

Confronting Guilt in Motherhood – Part 2

September 28, 2023

On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson continues his heartfelt discussion with author and speaker, Julie Barnhill, about the undeniable guilt that moms and dads experience as they go through life with their kids. Learn more about God’s grace and the hope He provides to parents as Julie shares excerpts from her book, Motherhood: The Guilt that Keeps on Giving.

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Broadcasts

Confronting Guilt in Motherhood – Part 1

September 27, 2023

We know there is only one person on earth who lived a perfect life, Jesus Christ. Yet it’s easy for a mother to feel guilt over things that are not done “perfectly” during those child-rearing years. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson talks candidly with author and speaker, Julie Barnhill, about her book, Motherhood: The Guilt that Keeps on Giving. Tune in and discover the difference between true and false guilt.

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Blogs

Challenges with Parenting An Adopted Child

September 26, 2023

Question: Dr. Dobson, we have an adopted girl who came to us when she was four years old. She is very difficult to handle and does pretty much what she pleases. For us to make her obey would be very unpleasant for her, and frankly, we don't feel we have the right to do that. She has been through a lot in her short life. Besides, we're not her real parents. Do you think she'll be OK if we just give her a lot of love and attention?

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Broadcasts

Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America – Part 2

September 22, 2023

Raised by communist parents, David Horowitz was once a strong voice for the American Left in the 1960s. But after awakening to the evil it was doing, this Jewish writer went on to embrace American exceptionalism, birthed from Protestant Christianity. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson and his guest, David Horowitz, author of Dark Agenda, continue to discuss the secular culture’s agenda for our sovereign nation and the importance for Christians to remain vigilant. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

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Broadcasts

Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America – Part 1

September 21, 2023

You don’t have to look far to see that the war to destroy America is front and center in the public square. As our culture continues to trend toward sin and destruction, Christians need to prepare for the imposition of a radical agenda. On today’s edition of Family Talk, best-selling author David Horowitz, once himself an adherent of liberal policies, reveals why leftist doctrine is a bankrupt worldview. In his book, Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America, Horowitz warns that if the culture is allowed to kill off American Judeo-Christian values, then our freedoms could be next.

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Blogs

Why Moms Need One Another

September 15, 2023

Question: Dr. Dobson, my husband and I just moved to Arizona from Pennsylvania, and I haven't established a network of friends yet. My family is back east, and I have no one but my husband to talk to about problems the kids are having. He is very busy, so all the "homework" is left to me. How can I deal with the feelings of loneliness and isolation as a mother?

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