Today we pause and remember civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King. I can still remember the first time I watched footage of his “I Have a Dream” speech in history class. As a young man growing up in South Africa in the 1980’s Dr. King had a profound effect on my life because the [...]
Category: Family
What Are Your Expectations?
Let me start by saying that I believe most people mean well. But good intentions are just that, good intentions and nothing more. It is amazing what complete strangers feel the liberty to say. Some of the things I’ve heard as an adoptive dad have made me smile, grit my teeth, want to yell, and [...]
Christmas 2014
Every year we try to get a picture by the Christmas tree in our church. This year we decided to stop trying to capture the "perfect" picture and instead capture the family in its natural state. Enjoy!
Playful Engagement
One of my favorite parenting strategies is one that is easy to forget -- playful engagement. It’s easy to see why. We spend so much time focused on correcting our kid’s behaviors that we don’t spend enough time connecting with them. Who has time for play when the goal is behavior modification? We want obedience. [...]
Give Your Child Permission to Process Feelings
http://vimeo.com/10805836
What About Gratitude?
Let me start by saying that I believe that most people mean well. However, good intentions are just that, good intentions and nothing more. As an adoptive dad I’ve heard many comments and questions over the years that have made me smile, grit my teeth, want to explode, and everything in-between. Some days I wonder [...]
Total Voice Control
Possibly one of the most practical and useful tools Dr. Purvis teaches parents is what she calls “Total Voice Control.” This tool equips parents to focus on how they use their own voice when interacting with their child. Watch as Michael Monroe talks about how parents can use this tool to focus on how they [...]
Why Can’t You Just Move On?
We have just completed another commencement season here in Texas. High schools and colleges were graduating people by the thousands most weekends between mid-May and mid-June. In the midst of it all, I attended a high school graduation and was very impressed as I listened to the kids speak and as I heared about their [...]
Beware Bugs and Burns
Enjoying summer nights can be hard to do if you are fighting with pesky bugs who want to nibble on your ankles. A few years ago we began searching for an alternative to the icky chemical bug repellents you can buy. We discovered that using Young Living essential oils is as effective and smells so [...]
Why Changing a Child’s Story Matters
One of the most helpful things ever shared with me is the idea that we spend as much time managing perceptions as we do dealing with reality. That rings true in almost every avenue of life and perhaps none more so than with our kids, especially as it relates to their self-worth and self-image. Some [...]