Encouraging kids to read can be a difficult task. To be completely honest, I didn't enjoy reading until I was in the seventh grade. For many of us, it takes trial and error until we finally find a book that makes us fall in love with reading.The same is true for your children. Your kids need to find a book that sparks their interests and makes them want to read. This book will be different for each child, but once you find this book, your child will be hooked on reading. If you are hoping to get your kids eager to read books, you are in the right place. Here are five books to encourage yo ..read more

Studies have shown that less than five percent of American men take paternity leave. Paternity leave is the equivalent of maternity leave for mothers; however, it is not as well known. Most of the time, when a couple has a baby, only the mother takes time off from work. This is a great misfortune because men can also benefit from paternity leave.By taking time to go home and spend time with their wife and new baby, new dads will be able to cultivate their relationship with their family. Even though the average time men take off for paternity leave is one week, new dads need to take more time o ..read more

Effective financial planning creates a stable foundation for your family, fostering an environment where love, support, and shared experiences flourish ..read more

It’s difficult to deny the influence that television has in the lives of children around the world, many of whom will spend hours every day in front of a screen. And what exactly are they seeing, hearing, and receiving when they watch television? That is a question that has haunted Christian parents for decades.I don’t think it is a stretch to say that for every one good show on television, ten more fall into the category of moral and intellectual filth. Parents know this better than anyone. And yet, many moms and dads will regularly sit their kids in front of a television or tablet every day ..read more

Have you seen that picture of the momma lioness crouching down, head hovering just above her little cub, with a haunting stare that pierces right through your soul? Her eyes say it all: "Don't mess with this one!" Yep! That's the image I want you to think of as we approach this subject matter.I'm not going to sugarcoat it; Satan is after our kids (1 Peter 5:8-10)! We can't back down and must be ready for this fight because we are in a full-on spiritual war! It isn't hard to see that the devil's sneaky tactics have only gotten bolder and more manipulative. As a momma who strives to protect her ..read more

As our kids engage in sports, their skills improve, but equally important, we want to develop their character in the process. Sports provide a platform for kids to exercise the fruits of the spirit. You may not think of sports when considering the fruits of the spirit, but it’s love for others, exhibiting kindness when interacting with others, learning patience and joy, and displaying self-control.Sportsmanship is treating others with respect and demonstrating appropriate behavior while involved in sports. This includes how you interact with your teammates, the opponents, coaches, parents, and ..read more

Yesterday, my husband and I snuggled under a pile of blankets (in 39-degree weather, mind you) for practically three hours to watch our middle daughter play softball. Well, maybe I should say that we sat in freezing cold weather to watch her team play as she sat on the bench. Again. The look on her face broke my heart, but what really pierced me through and through was the way my husband looked at our daughter.He admittedly blames himself. This hasn’t been easy for him as he has coached and spent countless hours working with our two oldest daughters, only to watch both sit on the bench for an ..read more

The most healthy way we can see ourselves with our kids is as their parents, a role superior to just friends. It's a role that looks like shared joy, guidance, respect, unconditional love, and correction, and when our kids leave the nest, it mostly looks like being our kid's number one fan as they move through life. Here are some ways we can invest in creating a robust relationship with our kids as their friend and parent ..read more

As a parent, you want your children to enjoy the best experiences possible at school. From excitement for their learning opportunities to concerns about their challenges, it’s natural to feel a range of emotions for your children at school each day. Let your love for your children motivate you to pray for them at school. Ask their Creator, who loves them completely and unconditionally, to help them learn and grow well. You can trust God to use his unlimited power to bless your children in any school situation. Here are five powerful prayers for trusting God throughout the school year that you ..read more

Saying things like, “I need to get this weight off so I can fit into my swimsuit,” “My enormous stomach makes me look pregnant,” or “I need to stop eating all this excessive sugar.” makes an impression on your child. These thoughts all link negative food and body relationships. Keep these thoughts to yourself and try to give yourself some compassion and kindness ..read more