Afraid of the Dark
by Sarah Anderson I am mama to a two-year-old who is going through a bit of a rough stage. He is becoming more aware of being alone at night. And he is afraid. Of the dark. Of strange noises and imaginary monsters. So in order to calm these prevalent fears, his dad...
When Should You Give Your Kids Their Own Phone?
Ten-year-olds today live in a significantly different world than ten-year-olds even a few years ago. Today, when you get a phone you don't just get something to dial if you're going to be late for dinner or you're in danger. You get everything with it—Facebook,...
Making Their Own Mark
I’m sure if you are a parent, you have realized by now how unique each one of your kids is. To me, it’s astounding how I helped create these amazing human beings who are unlike anyone in the world. Sometimes, I falsely assume my two are a miniature version of me or my...
A Father's Reflections
A few weeks ago, our family had one of its most amazing celebrations yet. My oldest son, Jordan, married the love of his life. They are so ready for this and the life that is ahead of them in Christ. We couldn't be happier for them. A wedding is a monumental moment in...
Don’t Do It For Your Kids
We do so much for our kids: work late to ensure we keep climbing the ladder enroll our kids in lessons and activities so they have every opportunity drive them all over town and beyond so they can keep an active social life buy them things they don't really need so...
Growing Pains
By Tim Walker Lately, I’ve been leaking my emotions. A lot. And what’s been spilling out has been dousing my sons. (If you’re not sure, what I mean by “leaking,” read this post.) I’ve been really short with them. Annoyed. Frustrated. And I think I know the reason. It...
How to Stay on the Same Page as Parents
As we've seen earlier this week, it's so easy to get off the same page as parents. You don't have to try. It's almost automatic. And while it's easy to do, it's not great for our kids. It's also not what you set out to when you became parents. So how do you get on...
Unpacking
Our family is in the middle of an epic seven week Camp KidJam summer tour. With kids aged 4-9, that means Dan and I are doing most of the important packing for them. To ensure that they have enough underwear, sturdy shoes and a toothbrush rather than only stuffed...
The Challenges of Child-Centered Parenting
I've always wondered why celebrities seem so messed up. Can't there be one couple that stays together forever? Why do famous people have weird riders in their contracts about red M&Ms? Why the rush to serial cosmetic surgery? How come there's so much addiction?...
Earning Trust
Parents instinctively want to be able to trust their kids. But have you ever flipped the question. Are your kids able to trust you? I realize that probably sounds strange, but if you want to have influence and a great relationship with your children and teens, trust...
An Epic Adventure
EPIC. It’s a big word right now, the latest upgrade of “awesome” from years past. But to me, the word goes even deeper and conjures up larger-than-life characters and adventure from classics like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. On that note, I’ve been reading about...
Bankrupt Parents
When our kids were younger, I was working long hours at the church I pastored. My wife was working part time. The kids were in swimming, music and seasonal sports. And to top it all off, one of them was experiencing night terrors. You know, the kind of terrors where...