Parenting on Purpose

  The dreams we have when we sleep are a natural part of who we are and how we live our lives. They may represent our hopes and dreams or our worst fears, which we may not even be consciously aware of. Most of us have dreams once in a while that really scare us.…

Mothers can often put everyone else’s needs before their own. They make sure that all the kids are ready for school, delivered to their extra-curricular activities, have healthy meals, are listened to and feel loved, and get to bed on time. It’s a busy life. Of course, the house has to be cleaned and maintained,…

  Depending on your frame of reference, swearing in front of your kids and allowing them to swear is generally ok or it’s definitely not ok. And this may depend on what age they are. What does it mean to swear? Most people would say it’s the use of offensive language, using words that our…

When you were going to school, did you cram before every test? If you did, you probably reread the chapters and notes in hopes that you would remember for the test. And often you did, but where’s all that information you learned today? Scientists will insist that that information is not lost; rather, it’s somewhere…

  Many of us like to show others we care about them through the affection we offer. This may be particularly true with our children. It’s generally really easy to show young children affection as they are open and willing to give hugs, kisses, be close to us and receive it all in return. Many…

Is it possible to be your child’s friend and be a good parent at the same time? Or are these roles completely at odds, forcing you into a more authoritative relationship than you would ever have imagined when you were dreaming of what your family life would be? Being a friend and being an authority…

  Are you ever really ready for your teen to start driving? The legal driving age in most states is 16 years old. This means by 15½ your child has their driving permit and they have control over the thousands of pounds of metal that you are a passenger in. Later on, they have complete…

Back in the late 70’s Kenny Rogers recorded the song “The Gambler.” The song was used later as the theme song for Kenny’s TV movie series of the same name. In song lyrics the gambler counsels: You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, Know when to walk away, know…

Much has happened in the world of toys this week, namely with the retail store Toys R Us. They released a toy, dealt with a firestorm and pulled the toy off the shelves. That’s fast action, perhaps because the firestorm was over an action figure. Toys R Us began selling a male action figure doll…

We are all human. Sometimes you say things you don’t mean. Or, you say things because you’re reacting rather than thinking. Maybe you just said something in jest, teasingly. Unfortunately, these words are the ones your kids are most likely to remember, precisely because you said them without thinking about it. Whatever you said was…

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