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10 Ways to Push Your Teen Away: Expect Them to Act Like Adults (Part 9)

As I continue my “10 Ways to Push Your Teen Away,” in part 9 we are going to consider how we sometimes expect our teens to act like adults. One of the clearest ways we do this is by making statements like, “Grow up!” or “Why don’t you act your age?” I have made similar statements to my own teens. One day my oldest son responded to my request that he act his own age with “I am!” And you know what? He was right. Take some time to really think about statements like that. When we tell our teens … Continue reading →

Helping Kids have a Clearer Vision of both Pregnancy and Parenting

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I’ve recently shared that statistically, as a group, teen mothers who place their babies for adoption fare better (in terms of staying in school and off the welfare rolls, and avoiding another premature pregnancy). I should also say that there are many young mothers who do a very good job of raising their babies. (To see one of our dedicated blogger’s series on being a young parent, click here.) I admit that I used to think two parents were always better than one. I now realize that being adopted does represent a loss for the baby as well as for … Continue reading →

Stress: Always Look for the Bigger Picture

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It’s a strange fact, yet I encounter it over and over again. The people who have relatively minor worries in their lives often stress more than those who have genuine life-threatening or life-destroying illnesses. Now this doesn’t seem to make sense. Yet, as stressed as many of my clients are, in general, they worry a lot less than those who live more seemingly carefree lives. As a psychologist, I have over the years heard some terrible stories of extreme hardship, and yes, these people are often chronically depressed and anxious. And yet, the majority of the so-called “normal” and “healthy” … Continue reading →

Psalm 5: Praying Expectantly to Combat Discouragement

The older I get and the closer I grow to the Lord, the more I’ve come to realize that discouragement is really ungodly thinking in disguise. I don’t really mean to say that one should never be discouraged. But rather a discouragement without hope, one that ruins our day and our thoughts, is discouragement that hasn’t been handed over to God. And yet, how do we hand discouragement over to God? David, if anyone, had a reason to be discouraged. Like so many of God’s faithful he was persecuted for doing nothing wrong. He served Saul faithfully, so faithfully in … Continue reading →

7 Ways To Transform Your Mind

Perhaps the hardest part of being a Christian is changing our mind set. We cannot change habits and attitudes, unless we first change the way we think. What do you spend most of your time thinking about? That is a good indication of what is most important to you. If we want to change so that ‘we do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,’ then we need to do as the Bible commands and ‘be transformed by the renewing of your mind,’ Romans. 12:2. To have any hope of achieving this, we need to have an … Continue reading →

Pretty Nails: Save $500 A Year

If you learn how to do your own acrylic Nails, you can save $500 a year or more. Thanks to the advice of a woman who does nails professionally, you can have pretty nails at home. Last night, my husband and I decided to put in our wedding video. We hadn’t viewed it in ages, and our kids had never seen it. “Mom, you look different,” my five-year-old said. “Well, Kid,” I thought to myself, “Three children will do that to you!” But he was right in a sense. In the video, I had been pampered, something I have been … Continue reading →

Grocery Clearance Deals at Target

Do you know about the grocery clearance deals at Target? If you do, you can save a lot of cash! I love shopping the grocery clearance section at Target, partly because of the great deals, and partly because no one else seems to know about this little secret of the store. I can always find great deals and stock up for my family. My local Target store is divided into two levels. The upper level has merchandise such as toys, kids clothes, electronics, seasonal stuff, etc. The lower floor has items such as lingerie, housewares and bedding. It also has … Continue reading →

Post-Holiday Clearance + Free Shipping at Hearthsong

I love toys that teach. When I can see that spark of discovery in a child’s eyes, it warms my heart. Legos have always been a good one for that, but there are a lot of others. Hearthsong sells many of them. Right now, they are having their post-holiday clearance, with some toys under $5. That’s a good deal. When you add in the code “HSFL3”, you’ll get free shipping – even on the less expensive toys. That makes it a dynamite deal. Most of the stuff they carry is very well made, and the prices reflect that quality. The … Continue reading →

Adoptive Parents Need To Set Clear Limits From Day One.

When a child is placed in a new home with new parents everyone’s world changes and the whole family faces a period of adjustment. Adoptive parents are happy, excited and ready to work on all the things we have learned will help our children attach and become secure. The child however, may be feeling a variety of mixed emotions and may have left a life with very different expectations and limits for behavior. Typically, there is a period of time where everyone is getting to know each other, children generally have a honeymoon period and adoptive parents should enjoy this … Continue reading →

Side Effects of Attachment Disorders (Part 5) Stealing and Jealousy

Stealing and Jealousy are two behaviors many parents find the most difficult to understand. Adoptive parents who can step back and think about the reasons a child has developed these kinds of behaviors may be able to help their children overcome stealing and jealousy needs. Some children with attachment disorders steal for no apparent reason other than instant gratification. The stolen object provides a brief period of satisfaction and the child may have no consideration for the feelings of the victim. The concern has nothing to do with anyone that may be hurt–the concern is about having something to fill … Continue reading →