Love is a Rose

One of the great myths about love is that if a couple is genuinely in love, that condition is permanent and will last a lifetime. Love, even genuine love, is a fragile commodity.  Like more than one popular song has said, love is like a rose.  It must be carefully maintained and protected if it is [...]

Releasing the Reins

Everybody understands that teenagers are itching to get out on their own; not have parents telling them what to do anymore. But this yearning for control actually starts much earlier.  It’s an inevitable part of growing-up.  I remember one mother of a little four year old girl who was demanding her own way.  So the [...]

The Most Common Error

What is the most common error made by parents in disciplining their children?  I believe it is the inappropriate use of anger in attempting to manage children.  Unfortunately, most adults rely primarily on their own irritation to make children cooperate. A teacher said: “I like being a professional educator, but I hate the daily task [...]

What Makes a Marriage Strong?

So what does it take to make a strong marriage?  Most people would say “love”, and they are partly right.  Love is critical to a successful marriage and most people would never get married without it. But young love is often nothing more than infatuation, and that is not enough to keep a couple together. [...]

Defusing the Teenage Timebomb

The mother of a preschooler asked me how she could raise her little girl so as to minimise the chance of adolescent rebellion down the  road.  She had seen teenagers get into drug abuse and premarital sex and other harmful habits, so she wanted to know if there was anything she could do to set [...]

Establishing Homework Habits

Kids today have more homework than ever.  They definitely need some guidelines to help them get through it all. Here are some ideas you might want to try.  First, set aside a specific location for homework.  A kitchen table can be distracting, especially if it is near a window.  If possible, set up a desk [...]

A Supportive Household

People who grow up happy and successful often credit their achievements to a supportive family. So how do we develop that kind of encouraging environment in our home? One good way is to quickly acknowledge positive behavior in our kids.  When we see them helping someone else we should reward them with praise. You might [...]

Flattery V Praise

It’s a good thing to praise children for the praiseworthy things they do.  But is there a limit to the compliments we offer them? Praise is essential to a child’s self-esteem and children who grow up without it typically wither like un-watered plants.  But too many good words for the wrong reasons can be inflationary [...]

Good Manners for Kindergarten Children

You know, good manners and social graces don’t happen by accident.  They’re skills that people develop, and what better time to learn them than when we’re young?  Why not start now teaching your children how to be polite and mannerly? A good way to begin is to have them write thank-you notes for gifts and [...]

Are Your Kids in Category One?

There are two kinds of children that are seen in every school classroom. Those in the first category are by nature rather organised individuals who just care about details. They take their learning process very seriously and assume full responsibility for assignments given.  Parents of these children don’t have to monitor their progress to keep them [...]