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Don’t Be So Nice
Those who know me personally know that I’m not really big on “nice.” I don’t really strive to be “nice,” I don’t really trust people who are always “nice,” and one of my favorite parenting books is The Danger of Raising Nice Kids by Timothy Smith. Now, all this is not because I prefer the opposite of nice; I don’t ever want to come across as mean or cruel or cold (well, almost never). But I also don’t ever want to be seen as so sweet or pleasant or “agreeable” that I really have nothing substantive to offer. Especially in my marriage
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What’s Your One Relationship that Matters Most?
Here at ScreamFree, one of our missions is to help you bring peace into the relationships that matter most.
Naming what those relationships are is not terribly difficult for most people. But what about naming the ONE relationship that matters most to you? How would you determine that? -
Separate, but Connected
I remember as a kid being fascinated by conjoined (“Siameze”) twins. I read stories in the Guinness record book, and I watched TV specials on the courageous families and doctors facing the challenges of separation surgery. These people faced unbelievable choices, and almost always (regardless of the outcome) came away with some sense of gratitude for the journey.
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I Hope Your Teens Aren’t Perfect
Perfectionism is a disease. Once introduced into a system, it permeates into practically every arena of life: work, school, sport, parenting, romance, diet, exercise, sex…everything. What makes it so dangerous is how it can appear truthful, by infiltrating good virtues like excellence, quality, self-esteem, finishing a task, or “doing your best.”
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Teens and Tech, Part 1
In our plea for your questions last week, a large majority of you asked about teens and technology. There’s room for a whole book on that topic (and I may be writing one), but for now consider this:
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Put On Your Own Oxygen Mask First
For today’s Daily Pause, check out this 4-minute video answer to one of the questions you guys sent in last week.
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Couples Need to Disagree
When it comes to such critical areas as parenting, finances, or how to deal with extended families, we are all tempted to believe a very damaging lie: If we are to be truly “one,” then we cannot be divided by disagreement.
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Questions for the Summer
Last week I asked you guys to let us know your anxieties about this summer. We were amazed at the response! So many of you wrote in, speaking of both your hopes and fears for these next few months. What we loved most was the variety of your concerns.
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Are you friends with your kids?
There’s a very common parenting axiom thrown around these days. In an effort to reverse the trend towards over-involvement in our kids’lives, we parents will proudly proclaim that “Kids need us to be their parents, not their friends.”
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Did you do your chores? (part II)
Yesterday we talked about the battle to get your kids to do their chores this summer. At least that’s how we introduced the topic. How we concluded the discussion was a bit different.