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My wife and I made a trip to the supermarket to pick up a few items. When we arrived, we noticed that a woman shopper and her five-year-old boy were engaged in a clash of wills. He demanded that she buy something and then threw a classic temper tantrum when she refused.
Let's look at the threats to self-esteem that must come as your child matures. From about three years of age, your little pride and joy begins making his way into the world of other people.
Most parents pour enormous energy into preparing their children for success—saving for college, enrolling them in activities, and helping them develop skills for the future. Moms and dads are involved with their kids’ careers, opportunities, security, and stability. The problem is not that we care too much about our children’s futures. It’s that we often define that horizon in terms of an earthly existence instead of an eternal one.
My mother was a very strong woman when she was young. It was only through her wisdom and devotion that I survived the emotional pressures of growing up with an alcoholic father during my early childhood. Despite the difficulties, Mom was tremendously successful in the two areas of parenting that matter most.
Family life was designed by God to be a source of delight, yet for many people it often feels more like a weight to carry than a gift to enjoy. You love your spouse and your children. You want your home to be warm and full of laughter. But somewhere between work deadlines, school schedules, church commitments, financial pressure, and the constant lure of digital screens and other distractions, joy can gradually slip away.
We asked married couples to speak candidly about the concepts and methods that have worked in their homes. The advice is not new, but it's a great place to begin.
What you have observed by looking around your social circles is born out by the numbers: According to nearly every relevant statistic, the institution of marriage is in serious trouble. The Council on Families in America reports that half of first marriages are likely to end in divorce.
Adjusting to the changes in a family when a child gets married is often just as difficult for parents as it is for adult children. There is no textbook on how to balance between 'leaving' to establish. Here are some things to think about as you enter this new season, or maybe you are in the midst of navigating changes as you read this, or perhaps realize that you need to start a healing journey of repair.
Intimacy is best grown in an atmosphere of honor. Strong marriages aren’t built on a running list of expectations. They’re built on a decision to treat each other with deep respect. When you stop keeping score and start showing honor, the tone of your relationship changes. That shift may be one of the most important lessons you will ever learn in your marriage.
If you are single, you are not unusual, forgotten, or behind schedule. You’re living in a chapter that millions of other adults are experiencing right now.
