Character and Values | Elementary (K-5th) | Featured | Middle School (6th-8th) | School Life | Social Life
What to Do When You Notice Your Kid Is Struggling Socially
And while we’d love to take a magic wand and make all of their struggles disappear . . . we can’t. However, we can take action in helping our children grow by instilling practical truths into their social lives. Read More
Social Life | Tribes Over Time
5 Ways to Build Rapport With the Leaders in Your Kid’s Life
Having a good relationship with your kid’s leader is tricky. It will look different at every age, with every kid, and with every leader. But, as a long-time small group leader, I can tell you there are a few tricks to making sure that relationship is a good... Read More
The Secret to Helping Your Kid Find Great Friends
Nothing has the potential to affect the course of your kid’s life quite the same way that their friendships do. Self-help guru Jim Rohn puts it this way: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” And you may be thinking .... Read More
Elementary (K-5th) | Middle School (6th-8th) | Social Life
The Right Way to Have “The Talk”
I remember getting “the talk” from my stepdad when I was 12 years old. I could tell by his efforts and timing that it was thrown together at the last minute. He fumbled and stumbled his way through the 30-minute awkward conversation and in the end, we were... Read More
Social Life | Widen The Circle
Bigger Than Your House
I wasn’t expecting her joy to make me question mine. Part of my job as a youth pastor has been to rally parents to embrace the development and growing independence of their children. Especially as they enter middle school. I remind them of how important it is to... Read More
Help! My Child is the Bully! What Should I Do?
No parent wants to learn that their child is a bully. In the journey of growing into who God made them to be, children (like adults) will need lots of do-overs! But it’s important for parents to take bullying seriously. How often have we heard adults say, “Bullying... Read More
How to Talk About Bullying With Your Kids
Bullying has damaging and sometimes long-term mental health consequences for all those involved. Bullying should no longer be dismissed as a rite of passage. If your son or daughter is the one who is causing another student distress, it is important to respond quickly. These tips will help... Read More
What to Do When You Find Out Your Child is Being Bullied
Even if bullying is not on the radar, it’s important to talk to kids about how to deal with it should it ever happen to them or someone they know. Read More
Social Life | Widen The Circle
Share Your Kids
I’m learning that friendship, as a parent, is even more life-giving (life-saving?) now than ever before. And this says a lot coming from a friendship-nostalgia-freak who has a file box of every single note I received in middle and high school organized by name of the sender. (If... Read More
Character and Values | Imagine The End | Social Life
In Defense of Anger
This one isn’t easy. I’m going to come right out and say that. Some of my other blog posts are way easier to write. This one is a bit of a challenge though because it means confronting some long-held beliefs. I’ll just jump into it. I think we... Read More