Screen Time Standards During COVID-19 Captivity

The standards you live by are important. They are like the bones of the body, which keeps it supported and structured. Imagine the floppy mess we’d be without bones. While bones and structure are essential for a functioning body, they are not what keeps us alive. It is our relationships that is the heartbeat of […]

The COVID-19 Chaos Could Be a GIFT to Your Family – Don’t Miss it!

Call the COVID-19 cancellations and closures CRAZY – Call it SAFE – Call it FEAR – call it whatever you want, but the reality is our kids are home and the toilet paper likely needs to be rationed. We are all asking the question “What on earth are we going to do for another week […]

Resolving to be a Transformed Parent

We’re desperate for change. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to wake up on January 1stand be transformed? In the bleak dark winter, we nurture a warm hope deep in our souls. Change. Newness. Metamorphosis. What most of us realize about change is that it’s not about a day so much as it is about the […]

How Brave Faith Changes Children

Brave Parenting welcomes guest writers to share their stories and testimonies of parenting bravely with our community. Today we welcome Anika Ortiz, a mother of three from West Linn, OR. Connect with Anika: anikaortiz.com   One of the greatest gifts we offer our children is the opportunity to move beyond their comfort zones into the expanse […]

Outsourcing Your Role as a Parent

“Honestly, I don’t know what I would do.” This was an honest confession from my neighbor about kids and screens. She and I were sitting on my front porch in the sweltering Texas heat. Jeanne is wise in her years, especially after raising 4 children as a single mother. But, the one feeling that came […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Dear Homeschool Mom: 7 Truths You Need Right Now and Every Day.

Dear Homeschool Mom, You are a BRAVE PARENT. You might not believe me but I think you are amazing. Beautiful. Breathtaking. You inspire and encourage me, even when you’re struggling to form sentences after an exhausting day. I think you have the most beautiful heart and are so brave. You said, “yes” even when others (possibly even […]

The Truth About Fairy Tales

Childhood is a brief and sacred time, and sometimes parents skip over how important it is for kids to be kids. We tap our foot waiting for Father Time to speed up the process, because when they’re little, they can be exhausting! We’re almost always expecting relief in the next phase of their maturity rather […]

The One Reason Kids Need Parental Restrictions on Phones

A recent study by Pew Research Group showed that only 16% of parents use parental controls to restrict their child’s cell or smart phone. To restate this in a more obvious and ominous way: 84% of parents DO NOT USE parental controls to restrict phone usage. As a parent in the 16% I assume this […]

Parents Need Second Chances

I recently gave my Canon point and shoot camera to one of my children to use for fun. I loved the idea of supporting her interest in photography. I anticipated seeing the world through her eyes as I uploaded the pictures to my computer.  What would be the primary focus of the pictures? People, nature, […]

The Key Difference Between SELF and SELFIE

We have a rule in our home of “No Selfies.” None taken, none texted, and none posted on social media. None. And we don’t just state this as a rule, we ensure it is complied with by restricting all pictures from being sent and received on our kid’s phones. If selfies are found, the camera […]

6 Expectations Every Family Needs And Can Be Implemented Today

Have your kids ever thrown back statements like, “You expect me to be perfect all the time!” or “It’s impossible to do anything right with all your rules!” when you hold them accountable to expectations? This has become a hot topic for my family. So much that I personally found the need to take a […]

Parenting Bravely – Even When You Think You Suck At It.

As I sat curled up in a love seat across from four of the most beloved and trusted women in my life, they stunned me silent with one challenging question: What is your biggest fear? My first thought was, why are we talking about me? Isn’t it time to dive into someone else’s murky waters? […]