Dear Youth Pastors on Snapchat

Not everyone has conformed. There are still some of us brave and undaunted parents who are fighting, against all odds and societal norms, to keep our children from being polluted by the world. We are the parents who do not allow our teenagers to use social media.  Have you met us? Did you know such […]

4 Ideas To Create a Culture of Service and Empathy This Summer

School is almost out. Summer is approaching in all its glorious heat, pool days, beach trips, late nights around a campfire, and catching lightening bugs! All the good things of summer everyone looks forward to. With all these good things comes a lot of free time. So, the question every parent asks is: what to […]

Saving Childhood: Bringing Back Free Play

Once upon a time I had a darling little three year old and I nearly ruined our relationship. I made choices that left no room for her needs and stubbornly decided that because I was a mom I knew best. My child knew what was best, but I ignored her. It was our first year […]

3 Key Ways to Balance Summer Freedom & Structure

Summer is such a sweet release for both parents and children alike. Absent are the alarm clocks blaring us into a new day while the sun remains hidden from our sky. Homework and projects do not dictate our evening schedules or dampen our spirits with looming dread. So what will your children be doing with […]

A Simple and Effective Way to Protect/Monitor Your Child Online

*Disclaimer: My family purchased Circle independently and we use it as a primary internet control in our home. Because we love it, we have become an affiliate partner with Circle.* As a parent, do you believe you should monitor your child’s screen time but don’t know how to? Have you thought you were monitoring and restricting […]

The Home Smart Phone: The Better Alternative

Remember the days when you stretched out every curl from the tethered phone cord in desperate attempt to talk to your friends away from listening ears? Or maybe you recall arguing with your sibling as they continued to pick up another house phone during your call, either to eavesdrop or tell you to get off […]

Blindfolded Parenting and the Rise of Snapchat

A recent survey of American parents revealed that less than half of parents (40%) know the content their children are seeing through social media accounts. This indicates 60% of parents are metaphorically BLINDFOLDED to what content is being poured into their child. Not surprising considering Snapchat, the master Houdini of all social media apps, has taken […]

Killing the Silence: 3 Ways You Can Prioritize Face-to-Face Communication in Your Home

If you go to a Middle School party, you’ll be sure to find huddled up pre-teens, still small in their stature yet confidently boasting large smart phones. If a moment gets awkward or when 2 minutes have past (whichever comes first) they’ll reach for this technological security blanket. They’ll be messaging their friends who stand […]

How to Make ONE WORD Change Your Family’s Life

My husband and I recently had a discussion with our adult child about the difference between DREAMS and GOALS.  She boasts of her dreams for a great life. A life of success, joy, and peace. A life that eludes her, as it presently appears her life is directed by the shake of a Magic 8 […]

Big Dreams: The One Thing Children Desperately Need From You

Children love to dream. Whether they dream about life, the future, or fantastic stories from their imagination, they know how to dream big. From the moment they begin speaking and through their adolescence they blissfully proclaim their desire to be a princess, a doctor, the President, or the next big NBA basketball star. As parents, […]

Before You Gift it – RESTRICT IT

What’s under your Christmas tree? Did you buy your children a device this year for Christmas? A screen of some sort? Something that connects to the internet, perhaps? A smart phone, iPad, or Xbox? The average age for ownership of these beloved gadgets are younger every year. NINE year old children now proudly posses smart […]

How to be BRAVE on Black Friday

Gratefulness is the hot button word of the day. If you aren’t reading something encouraging you to give thanks for all you have then you’re reading the Black Friday ads looking for deals. Isn’t it interesting how we give thanks for what we have one day and then the next buy a bunch more stuff […]

Digital Amnesia and Why You Won’t Remember These Moments

Have you been at an event and witnessed someone experiencing life and capturing the moment solely through their phone? The evolution from film to digital has changed our lifestyle and most importantly our memories. We photographically document our lives extensively and excessively. From “why is my toddler crying”  (*snap*) to “this awesome meal we’re about […]

CHARACTER Driven Read Aloud BOOK LIST

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links to products for which we may receive a commission. There are 168 hours in a week. On average this is how our children spend these hours: 6.5 hr school x 5 days = 32.5 hours 4-9 hr media consumption x 7 days = 45.5 hours (avg) 2-3 hours extracurricular […]

5 Crucial Answers You Need Before Sleepovers

The silent buzzing of my phone against my nightstand assaulted my consciousness. Terribly confused why my phone would be ringing at 4:30am, I fumbled to answer the persistent caller. The voice on the other end was a parent friend, her voice was somber and serious. “There’s been an incident at the birthday party involving your […]

5 Media Standards For Babies & Toddlers

A recent study found that 97% of US children have used a mobile device, most of which began before the age of 1 year old.  By 2 years old children are using a device daily; by age 3 they are using devices completely on their own, with one-third of these 3 year olds multitasking with […]

Choice Hands: Be The Change or Be The Same

“This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn […]

The Instagram Games Girls Play (And Why My Answer is No)

For the thousandth time, my daughter breached the topic of social media with me. This time, however, I saw it coming. I knew she had a big question on her mind to ask me. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be following me around as I cleaned. As she worked up the courage to ask, I decided I […]

Breaking the Habit of Multitasking

You are Chief Coordinator of your household. You hold a job, cook meals, organize sports and extra-curricular activities, help with homework, schedule check-ups, drive the taxi, mow the grass, do the laundry and read stories at night. All of this while trying to keep an active social life and find time to be active in […]