Daly Focus Blog
What should be the main focus of parenting?
Scripture provides a clear job description for parents in Deuteronomy 6:7, which says “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
Teaching your children God’s Word can happen in a structured setting like family devotions, but Scripture encourages parents to weave conversation about God into everyday life.
What if you and your children each spoke different languages?
Imagine the challenges. How would you communicate? How would you express your love? Even if you repeatedly said the words, “I love you,” your child might never be able to fully receive your love on an emotional level. To communicate in a way that your child understands, you would need to learn to speak his or her language.
The truth is your child does speak his or her own language.
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “My Search for a Father’s Love,” we’re sharing a conversation I had with Lynsi Snyder, the owner and president of the In-N-Out Burger chain of restaurants located in the western part of the United States.
Although her family’s wealth made life appear like a fairy tale to outsiders, Lynsi has had a difficult and, at times, heart-breaking journey. Her father died when she was 17 years old, which led her life into a downward spiral.
If some liberals wonder why parents of public school-age children are aggrieved and frustrated, they need look no further than yesterday’s story confirming that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and his staff likened protesting moms and dads at school board meetings to domestic terrorists.
You might remember the news last fall that the National School Boards Association (NSBA) suggested parents around the country who were objecting to the teaching of Critical Race Theory, along with mask wearing and other classroom-related concerns, were engaging in “a form of domestic terrorism.”
I’m sorry, Mr.
You love your children, and you want to express it well. Some days you feel happy with how you connect. Other days, you get caught up in the “everyday-ness” of life. Between work and meals and keeping up with schedules, you’re busy and not as intentional about showing love to your kids as you’d like to be.
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Showing Love to Your Child Every Day,” author Julie Lavender shares how to show love to your child and create special memories in the midst of the busyness of life.
There’s an old saying that if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything will look like a nail after a while.
That’s why in the toolbox in your garage you’ll find hammers, screwdrivers, and different sized wrenches – tools with very particular uses for specific problems around the house.
With that in mind, let me ask you: What kind of tools are in your parenting toolbox?
There isn’t one tool to rule them all.
Why do kids behave poorly?
According to Dr. Kevin Leman, all misbehavior is a quest for attention. If your children can’t get attention from you in positive ways, they’ll get it in negative ways.
There are four goals of misbehavior:
Attention – “I only count when others notice me and serve me.”Power – “I only count when others do what I want them to do when I want them to do it.”Revenge – “I only count when I hurt others like I’ve been hurt.”Display of inadequacy – “I’m no good.
Our culture is so toxic that an increasing number of young girls are suffering from a growing list of troubles – from low self-esteem and anxiety to depression and eating disorders.
What’s the answer? It isn’t so much a “what” as it is a “who.”
Mothers.
Mom, you are instrumental in helping your daughter navigate a world that is often against her. An effective way to do that is to be a good listener. Your daughter is much more likely to share her heart with you than with Dad.
Jesus’ mother was Mary.
The prophet Samuel’s mother was Hannah.
King David’s mother?
The Bible doesn’t tell us, but she must have had tremendous insight into how boys become men because she didn’t rescue her son from risk. David was a teenager when he conquered Goliath relying on strength and trust in the Lord he developed in the field. First Samuel 17:34-36 says:
“But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father.
Author Jodie Berndt has heard from hundreds, if not thousands, of parents through the years who struggle with praying for their children, as she did:
They feel inadequate.They believe prayer to be a natural part of the parenting process, but rarely feel like their prayers “pack a punch.”Jodie even worried that her proud or anxious prayers might elbow God out of the picture.
The more familiar Jodie became with the Bible, the more Scripture reshaped her perspective and her desires – and the more her prayers lined up with God’s will
The book of James says that “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).
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.
