In the fall of 2021, while pouring my morning coffee, I barely noticed the newspaper headline about Facebook — near daily reports made it easy to ignore. But 24 hours later, the multi-part series in the Wall Street Journal caught my full attention: “Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic For Teen Girls, Its Research Shows.” The …
Continue...As things start moving back to a post-pandemic “normal,” many parents are looking forward to their children returning to in-person learning. In addition to improving their concentration, reconnecting with in-person friends, and reestablishing rigorous standards, one of the key benefits will be less time on screens. None of this will be without effort and intentionality, …
Continue...How have you been talking to your children about the recent election outcome and political turmoil in America? Christian parents are called to teach their children what God says about the governing authorities and our obligations to them. But how can you help your children to think biblically about the election, a new president, and …
Continue...In previous years, people would ring in the New Year with noisemakers, large crowds, and dropping balls. My husband Steve and I have often taken a quieter approach, spending the days around the start of the new year planning for the months ahead. But after weeks of opening Christmas cards that all sound the same …
Continue...Have the challenges, questions, and uncertainties of this past year motivated you to start the next year with a better approach to reading the Bible with your children? January is the time when a lot of Christians try (again) to read through the Bible as a family. But it’s not always an easy task. What’s …
Continue...In a year when every circumstance seems to conspire against feeling festive, traditions have a star role to play. You may not have the typical budget for buying presents; may not have the energy to cut out cookies, take a family photo, or address 100 cards; and may not even be permitted to celebrate with …
Continue...There seem to be two common responses to the pandemic: extreme anxiety and fear as evidenced by the hoarding of groceries and the national shortage of toilet paper, and extreme distraction as evidenced by the increase in binge watching, eating and drinking, and whole-house cleaning. Amidst shared feelings of anxiety and extra trips to the …
Continue...What’s in your child’s lunchbox? According to The Wall Street Journal, when the lunch bell rings, some kids are pulling out designer multi-compartment Bento-boxes stuffed full of colorful, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, nut free fare, artfully arranged and immortalized by moms on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. That’s nothing like what I carried to school …
Continue...Recently I had a perfect opportunity and the justification for being a helicopter mom. Soon after our 15-year-old daughter started her first job as a piano accompanist, it was evident she’d been mismatched with a student beyond her skill level. I considered calling her boss to try and prevent her from losing the job she’d …
Continue...“You’ll need proof. Can you get a copy of the death certificate?” I remember the awkwardness of trying to answer that question while booking last-minute plane tickets to North Carolina for my father-in-law’s funeral. Who would fake their dad’s death just to get a discount—and not a very good one at that—on airfare? A misunderstanding …
Continue...