No Ordinary Days

What should you allow your children to watch? And when? This is a question that many parents struggle with. Sometimes we introduce a new video too soon, only to discover that it has effectively blocked off the the show or the movie they had watched previously. You've lead them to new and exciting ground and the old ground (show) no longer interests them. But despite the errors in judgement we often make, above all we must make sure that our children do not travel through the media landscape alone. We must do our best to not only guide them, but equip them with the discernment they need to detect negative influences on their own.

As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. The same could be said of your noisier, needier children. They're the one's that get most of your attention. Your quiet ones? Well, they kind of recede into the background. They aren't fussing; aren't causing any trouble, so you kind of leave them alone. But this can be a terrible mistake, for while they're left to themselves they're also struggling with life and growing up, albeit in a less exuberant way. So this episode is for the quiet child (or children) in your household. Don't let their quiet demeanor deceive you. They need you every bit as much as your other children (perhaps more so).

If you look around the world today, it seems like we're fighting the final battle on multiple philosophical (and existential) fronts. What should we, as parents, do about this and how can raise our children in such a way that will ensure ultimate victory? It has everything to do with getting the basics right - while we still can.

If you could use one word to define who your children are - what they represent and what their ultimate purpose is - what word would you choose? Well, if you were to ask God, he would use the word "arrows". That might not be the first word that comes to our minds, but surely it's worth our consideration as to why it came to his? Indeed, this one word carries with it so many rich and profound connotations that not only does it completely reframe how we view our children, it also redefines our obligations towards them.

As difficult as parenting is, winter has a way of making it more so. It's a time of rest for the earth. It can also be, if we're not careful, a time where we relax our efforts a bit (or a lot). Before you know it, we're in a parenting rut. If this sounds familiar, just know this episode is for you and also know you're not alone. Also in this episode we'll talk about 3 incredibly important things you must do this year to strengthen your home for the days ahead.