Daly Focus Blog
When my two sons, Trent and Troy, were born, I thought Jean andI would be able to raise them the same way. Boy, was I wrong. When it came to parenting, what worked for Trent didn’t always work for Troy.
Trent and Troy share a lot of the same interests, but spend an afternoon with each of them, and you’ll discover just how different they are. Trent is thoughtful and smart, but sometimes he struggled in school.
David and Jason Benham’s childhood was filled with wonderful memories of baseball with their dad, who became a lifelong fan as a kid when his dad surprised him with tickets to a Yankees game.
Later, when David and Jason came along, he played catch with them and coached their Little League teams.
Then there was the stadium. Each time the Benham family drove through Shreveport, Louisiana, they passed by Fair Grounds Field, the stadium home for the San Francisco Giants’ Double-A affiliate, the Shreveport Captains.
Have you ever considered raising your children as an act of worship to the Lord?
Author Gary Thomas calls that approach “sacred parenting.” It elevates parenting to something beyond raising children who do their homework, brush their teeth, and do their chores without being told.
Practical growth points like those are important, but they can also distract us from the bigger reasons God gave us children to raise, and from what He wants to accomplish in and through our families.
If you have a teenager, then you already know that the day is soon coming when your son or daughter will leave home. That moment for you will be the culmination of years of dedication, focus, and sacrifice. It will also be accompanied by a whirlwind of emotion – part accomplishment and relief, part loss and grief.
Some parents react to the struggle of letting go of their children by not letting go. They cling to their need to feel needed.
How do you respond when your children won’t put on their shoes, clean their room, or get into bed the first time you ask them? Or when they won’t eat the food you cook or do their homework without fussing about it?
Some moms struggle to navigate situations like that without yelling or speaking harshly to their children. And when they do succumb to knee-jerk reactions, they feel guilty and angry with themselves.
If you respond in unhealthy ways when your children misbehave, there’s a better approach.
Like my world, yours is probably hectic and fast paced. You’re booked solid with work, household responsibilities, and obligations to your church and community. Some days it’s tough to keep up with all of the good that you’re doing.
Overcommitment is an easy mistake to make. Every opportunity seems deserving of a yes. But one yes too many is all it takes to go from “busy” to “overwhelmed.” One day you’re happily doing good things. The next day you can barely keep up with all the good things you’re doing.
Once upon a time, public school educators and administrators routinely complemented the work of parents in the home.
No more.
With increasing regularity, moms and dads find themselves battling “woke” policies along with radical politicians and activists seeking to usurp their rights and threaten the health and safety of their kids.
Two years ago, January Littlejohn’s 13-year-old daughter came home from school and shared with her mom that her Florida middle school had given her the option of which bathroom she would prefer to use – girls or boys.
Dr. Gary Chapman says one of the most sobering questions he ever asked himself was: “What if my child turns out to be just like me?”
What if they have the same work ethic that I have?
What if they handle anger the way I do?
What if they treat their spouse the way I treat mine?
What if they have the same relationship with God that I have?
Answering those questions should remind every parent that the behavior we model is more important than the words that we speak.
According to feminist author Jill Filipovic, stay-at-home-moms are responsible for producing and encouraging the very worst of men. They’re also a drag on society and doing more harm than good to themselves, too.
In a series of tweets earlier this week, the controversial writer wrote:
“More mothers at home makes for worse, more sexist men who see women as mommies and helpmeets. Men with stay-at-home wives are more sexist than men with working wives; they don’t assess women’s workplace contributions [fairly]; and they are less likely to hire and promote women.”
Ms.
Dads matter – and more than most people realize.
That’s the message I’ve been championing for years now, a reality born out of the social science and my own childhood growing up in a broken home.
The Florida legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis agree – which is why the state has just approved a bill that will invest $70 million in programs designed to promote fatherhood.
It’s called the “Responsible Fatherhood Bill,” and funds will be distributed to nonprofit groups committed to dads.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
