Knowing what to look for can help keep your young adult safe.
The former professional athlete sat in the therapist’s office, sobbing. He and his wife had taken away their daughter’s cellphone the day before. While watching television that night, a picture of the boy their daughter was “talking” to popped up.
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/love-shouldnt-hurt-1.png9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-12 00:00:002022-05-20 14:00:19Love Shouldn’t Hurt: Teen Dating Abuse
You can help your child be more excited and less anxious about school.
Every fall, children head back to school. While some will be going for the first time, others will be making the transition to a new grade or perhaps even a new school.Transitioning into a new school year can be exciting, but some children are fearful. Thoughts about new teachers, concerns over moving to a new school or anxiety about a new grade are all things your child may be thinking, but not talking about.No matter the age of your child, this is an important time of year for them.
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/5-ways-you-can-prepare-for-a-great-school-year.jpg9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-12 00:00:002022-05-25 15:06:045 Ways You Can Prepare for a Great School Year
When Barbara Dafoe Whitehead was a girl, her father gave her some rules for selecting a husband.He should be a man of good character and conscience.He should be a man who will make a good father and be a good provider.The last rule was: No asthmatics. (Her father was a doctor and an asthmatic.)Dafoe Whitehead has been married to a man who exuded all of these qualities for more than 40 years. The one area in which she rebelled: her husband is an asthmatic.“Things are different now for girls…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/What-Girls-Need-to-Know-About-Successful-Marriage-alexis-chloe-feG8J8jKfZs-unsplash-1.jpg8101260Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-12 00:00:002022-05-26 11:39:11What Girls Need to Know About Successful Marriage
There is a commercial on television showing a father and his very inquisitive daughter sharing a meal together. Rapid fire, she asks why the sky is blue, why zebras have stripes, if turtles like cheese, why she has fingerprints, etc. For each question, the dad gets a little help from an insurance agent who is seated right behind him.
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/when-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-sex.jpg9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-12 00:00:002022-05-26 13:21:44When to Talk to Your Kids About Sex
You can help children achieve their potential and live their best lives.
The Science of Childhood: Inside the Minds of Our Younger Selves, is a Time magazine special edition. It examines everything from understanding child development and dealing with temper tantrums to the science of play and the secrets of birth order. It’s part of an effort to help parents and other caregivers better understand how children learn and what everyone can do to help children thrive.Since 2015, the Early Childhood Coalition, which consists of 30 organizations, has been working th…
According to Dr. Kathy Koch, educator, founder of Celebrate Kids, and author of 8 Great Smarts, every person, young and old, needs to know they are smart.“Smart is a powerful word,” says Koch. “When children discover that they are smart, they are more willing to engage with all of life, including school.
Practice these caregiving principles with the kids in your sphere of influence.
Did you know…Babies can hear three months before they are born?80 percent of a child’s brain development happens in the first three years?On average, the ratio of reprimands, warnings or scolding to praise or encouragement is 12 to 1 for children in low-income families?A major study showed that by age 2, less-advantaged children were six months behind the highly-advantaged in language processing skills?During a visit to Chattanooga, Dr. Ron Ferguson, adjunct lecturer in public polic…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/What-Every-Child-Needs-to-Learn.png9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-11 00:00:002022-06-02 11:44:26What Every Child Needs to Learn
In a Wall Street Journal article called The Divorce Generation, Susan Gregory Thomas tells the story of her marriage. She met a guy, and they fell in love. Then, they moved in together.
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/What-to-Teach-Kids-About-Marriage.jpg9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-11 00:00:002022-08-05 09:22:11What to Teach Kids About Marriage
Brooke Womack was sure there was an intruder in their house when she heard noises coming from their family room at two in the morning. In reality, it was just their toddler, Marshall, who had escaped from his bedroom and came downstairs to watch Veggie Tales."After nearly having heart failure, we told him to go back to bed," said Womack. "It is funny now, but it was not funny at the time."Walking through toddlerhood with your child can feel like a never-ending roller coaster …
Imagine walking out of your bedroom on the second floor and seeing your two-year-old climbing the outside of the staircase. That’s exactly what happened to Hal Runkel, marriage and family therapist and bestselling author of ScreamFree Parenting.“My son looked up at me with a smile on his face and said, ‘Hi Daddy!’” says Runkel. “He was over five feet off the ground.
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/How-to-Stop-Yelling-at-Your-Kids.jpg9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-11 00:00:002022-05-27 10:19:14How to Stop Yelling at Your Kids
It was a typical morning around the house. Between dressing and feeding the kids and making herself look presentable, this mom wondered if she even knew who she was anymore. She enjoyed her children, but always felt like she lived in the mommy fog and had no time for herself.
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Mom-Take-Care-of-Yourself.jpg9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-10 00:00:002022-08-03 16:26:48Mom, Take Care of Yourself
At the beginning of the school year, a second grade teacher in Texas sent this letter home to her classroom parents:After much research this summer, I am trying something new. Homework will only consist of work that your student did not finish during the school day. There will be no formally assigned homework this year.Research has been unable to prove that homework improves student performance.
How do you feel when your child has a meltdown? You probably do everything you can think of to help them, but absolutely nothing works. It could be in the store checkout line, at bedtime, the second you walk in your friend’s house or at a birthday party.
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/How-to-Help-Children-Handle-Emotions-1.jpg9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-08 00:00:002021-04-07 10:05:36How to Help Children Handle Their Emotions
You can help them learn how to challenge and confront false ideas.
When Sara left home on the first day of sixth grade, she was super-excited about starting middle school. She was anything but excited when she got in the car at the the end of the day.Sara told her mom that her friends since kindergarten had decided to end their friendship. The leader of group had told them, “We don’t like her anymore,” a statement that launched Sara and her family into a year of chaos.Every impulse in Sara’s mom wanted to hunt down those girls, but she knew better than to do th…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/How-to-Help-Kids-Handle-Rejection.jpg9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-08 00:00:002022-08-04 15:05:19How to Help Kids Handle Rejection
As Christmas approaches, some eagerly anticipate celebrating in the same way they always have. Others are ready to shake things up a bit and do something a little different.The thought of buying presents for all of their children and grandchildren overwhelmed Terri and Bill, especially when nobody really needed anything. After several conversations about what to do, they finally decided to give their family a special gift of time and togetherness.
You can help them process what's going on and guide them along the way.
When tragedy strikes, it seems to bring out the best and the worst in people. Recently, we have witnessed what may feel like one tragedy after another. Fires, shootings and a horrific bus accident have left people reeling in pain and raw with emotion.While some experienced personal loss and/or injury, these events have impacted everyone in the community.
You don't have to break the bank to celebrate Christmas! Here's a quick list of ways to make memories. It's so easy, you can't afford NOT to take a look.Make decorations for your house and the Christmas tree as a family.
The song says it’s the most wonderful time of the year. And, in a lot of ways, it is wonderful. Something about the season seems to bring out the best in many folks.
What you do with it can either build up or destroy relationships.
Have you ever come home from work with an expectation that blew up right in your face?Your “quiet evening at home” turns chaotic when one of your children says they have a science project due tomorrow and your other child suddenly needs cupcakes for the class party. So much for a calm evening after an exhausting day.You head to the grocery store for supplies and your spouse begins to oversee the science project. When you return, you realize you should have also picked up some lice-killing shampo…
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Why-Anger-Isnt-Good-or-Bad.jpg9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-07 00:00:002021-01-07 15:23:11Why Anger Isn’t Good or Bad
Get those summer plans in motion with the perfect camp for your child.
Just hearing the words, “summer camp” can make people smile. Why? Because it’s hard to forget a summer filled with new friendships and learning new things.
https://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Choosing-a-Summer-Camp-for-Your-Kids.jpg9001400Julie Baumgardnerhttps://firstthings.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ftf-logo-300x186.pngJulie Baumgardner2017-09-07 00:00:002022-04-12 10:36:54Choosing a Summer Camp for Your Kids
Love Shouldn’t Hurt: Teen Dating Abuse
The former professional athlete sat in the therapist’s office, sobbing. He and his wife had taken away their daughter’s cellphone the day before. While watching television that night, a picture of the boy their daughter was “talking” to popped up.
5 Ways You Can Prepare for a Great School Year
Every fall, children head back to school. While some will be going for the first time, others will be making the transition to a new grade or perhaps even a new school.Transitioning into a new school year can be exciting, but some children are fearful. Thoughts about new teachers, concerns over moving to a new school or anxiety about a new grade are all things your child may be thinking, but not talking about.No matter the age of your child, this is an important time of year for them.
What Girls Need to Know About Successful Marriage
When Barbara Dafoe Whitehead was a girl, her father gave her some rules for selecting a husband.He should be a man of good character and conscience.He should be a man who will make a good father and be a good provider.The last rule was: No asthmatics. (Her father was a doctor and an asthmatic.)Dafoe Whitehead has been married to a man who exuded all of these qualities for more than 40 years. The one area in which she rebelled: her husband is an asthmatic.“Things are different now for girls…
When to Talk to Your Kids About Sex
There is a commercial on television showing a father and his very inquisitive daughter sharing a meal together. Rapid fire, she asks why the sky is blue, why zebras have stripes, if turtles like cheese, why she has fingerprints, etc. For each question, the dad gets a little help from an insurance agent who is seated right behind him.
5 Basics for Childhood Learning
The Science of Childhood: Inside the Minds of Our Younger Selves, is a Time magazine special edition. It examines everything from understanding child development and dealing with temper tantrums to the science of play and the secrets of birth order. It’s part of an effort to help parents and other caregivers better understand how children learn and what everyone can do to help children thrive.Since 2015, the Early Childhood Coalition, which consists of 30 organizations, has been working th…
8 Ways Kids Are Smart
According to Dr. Kathy Koch, educator, founder of Celebrate Kids, and author of 8 Great Smarts, every person, young and old, needs to know they are smart.“Smart is a powerful word,” says Koch. “When children discover that they are smart, they are more willing to engage with all of life, including school.
What Every Child Needs to Learn
Did you know…Babies can hear three months before they are born?80 percent of a child’s brain development happens in the first three years?On average, the ratio of reprimands, warnings or scolding to praise or encouragement is 12 to 1 for children in low-income families?A major study showed that by age 2, less-advantaged children were six months behind the highly-advantaged in language processing skills?During a visit to Chattanooga, Dr. Ron Ferguson, adjunct lecturer in public polic…
What to Teach Kids About Marriage
In a Wall Street Journal article called The Divorce Generation, Susan Gregory Thomas tells the story of her marriage. She met a guy, and they fell in love. Then, they moved in together.
Toddlers
Brooke Womack was sure there was an intruder in their house when she heard noises coming from their family room at two in the morning. In reality, it was just their toddler, Marshall, who had escaped from his bedroom and came downstairs to watch Veggie Tales."After nearly having heart failure, we told him to go back to bed," said Womack. "It is funny now, but it was not funny at the time."Walking through toddlerhood with your child can feel like a never-ending roller coaster …
How to Stop Yelling at Your Kids
Imagine walking out of your bedroom on the second floor and seeing your two-year-old climbing the outside of the staircase. That’s exactly what happened to Hal Runkel, marriage and family therapist and bestselling author of ScreamFree Parenting.“My son looked up at me with a smile on his face and said, ‘Hi Daddy!’” says Runkel. “He was over five feet off the ground.
Mom, Take Care of Yourself
It was a typical morning around the house. Between dressing and feeding the kids and making herself look presentable, this mom wondered if she even knew who she was anymore. She enjoyed her children, but always felt like she lived in the mommy fog and had no time for herself.
Dealing with Homework Pressures
At the beginning of the school year, a second grade teacher in Texas sent this letter home to her classroom parents:After much research this summer, I am trying something new. Homework will only consist of work that your student did not finish during the school day. There will be no formally assigned homework this year.Research has been unable to prove that homework improves student performance.
How to Help Children Handle Their Emotions
How do you feel when your child has a meltdown? You probably do everything you can think of to help them, but absolutely nothing works. It could be in the store checkout line, at bedtime, the second you walk in your friend’s house or at a birthday party.
How to Help Kids Handle Rejection
When Sara left home on the first day of sixth grade, she was super-excited about starting middle school. She was anything but excited when she got in the car at the the end of the day.Sara told her mom that her friends since kindergarten had decided to end their friendship. The leader of group had told them, “We don’t like her anymore,” a statement that launched Sara and her family into a year of chaos.Every impulse in Sara’s mom wanted to hunt down those girls, but she knew better than to do th…
Ideas for Celebrating Christmas
As Christmas approaches, some eagerly anticipate celebrating in the same way they always have. Others are ready to shake things up a bit and do something a little different.The thought of buying presents for all of their children and grandchildren overwhelmed Terri and Bill, especially when nobody really needed anything. After several conversations about what to do, they finally decided to give their family a special gift of time and togetherness.
Give Kids Hope After Tragedy
When tragedy strikes, it seems to bring out the best and the worst in people. Recently, we have witnessed what may feel like one tragedy after another. Fires, shootings and a horrific bus accident have left people reeling in pain and raw with emotion.While some experienced personal loss and/or injury, these events have impacted everyone in the community.
24 Meaningful and Frugal Family Christmas Traditions
You don't have to break the bank to celebrate Christmas! Here's a quick list of ways to make memories. It's so easy, you can't afford NOT to take a look.Make decorations for your house and the Christmas tree as a family.
A Parents’ Holiday Survival Guide
The song says it’s the most wonderful time of the year. And, in a lot of ways, it is wonderful. Something about the season seems to bring out the best in many folks.
Why Anger Isn’t Good or Bad
Have you ever come home from work with an expectation that blew up right in your face?Your “quiet evening at home” turns chaotic when one of your children says they have a science project due tomorrow and your other child suddenly needs cupcakes for the class party. So much for a calm evening after an exhausting day.You head to the grocery store for supplies and your spouse begins to oversee the science project. When you return, you realize you should have also picked up some lice-killing shampo…
Choosing a Summer Camp for Your Kids
Just hearing the words, “summer camp” can make people smile. Why? Because it’s hard to forget a summer filled with new friendships and learning new things.
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