I’m not sure which is harder to believe: The fact that Christmas is right around the corner, or that the school year is nearly half over.

My boys, Trent and Troy, are ready for Christmas break. They’re hanging in there with school, but they’ll need some encouragement to get through the final stretch until summer.

Until then, there’s a lot of studying and homework to do, which can be stressful on students and parents alike. If you’re feeling the mid-year crunch, I think our radio program today and tomorrow will be a big help to you.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, parenting December 12, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A father who visited psychologist Michael Anderson’s counseling office illustrates the shift in thinking many moms and dads need to make in their parenting.

The father said, “You wouldn’t believe what my daughter has become. In the last 90 days, she’s changed completely. She’ll do anything her friends tell her to do. She’s smoking. She’s drinking. She’s shoplifting.”

Michael asked him, “What was she like 90 days ago?”

“She was an A-student. She was in the church youth group and would do anything we told her to do.”

That wording caught Michael’s ear.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, parenting December 5, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Before having children, women might think motherhood is the most natural role in the world. So what should a woman believe about herself when she feels like she doesn’t have what it takes to be a good mom?

The bar can seem impossibly high. Some moms have smooth pregnancies, and their babies might even take to breastfeeding easily. These mothers look completely content and patient with their children, never frustrated, never aspiring to goals or achievements outside of their family.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, parenting November 28, 2016 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura