“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” (Psalms 127:3) If children are a gift from God, then why is parenting so difficult? Surely God wouldn’t just drop a blessing in our lives and then say, “Here you go, now figure it out.” There are numerous parenting books available to…
One of my fondest memories as a kid in the early 70’s was tuning-in to AM pop radio stations on family trips. This was during the days before the availability of digital car radio tuners. To listen to music without static, I had to be skilled at “tuning-in” to the desired station as we traveled.…
When I was a teenager, I sat down to breakfast each morning and waited for my dad to pass me the sports page. The 20 minutes we spent talking headlines, him in his suit, me in my flannels and Timberland boots – it was the 90s – was critical to our relationship. It was just…
Have you ever been in the presence of your partner, longingly looking at them and hoping they will notice your desire for touch and connection? Have you ever heard your friends complain about how their partner never plans anything romantic for them? Why does it feel so hard to ask for what we want and…
What exactly is emotional health? It is the ability to identify, manage and communicate one’s emotions to those around you. It can take practice and even feel scary. Emotional health is important to maintain because it is a part of your overall health and wellbeing. How can you promote emotional health in your home? Here…
Talk About the Holidays Early It is probably not the best time to sort out details for a holiday the week or night before. Beginning to have early conversations about where and how holidays will be spent can take some of the pressure of these decisions later on. The earlier that you can begin to…
If you have found yourself in a therapist’s office in the past year, chances are that you have heard the phrase “self care.” It is a topic that we hold near and dear to our hearts. So much so that it has probably shown up more than any other topic in the blog you are…
It’s that time of year again! The pool days come to an end, summer camp is no more, and it’s time to pull out the back-to-school supply list. While the list may tell you exactly what your child will need in the classroom, knowing what your child needs emotionally to return to school may be…
Have you ever selected a path in life and all you see in your future are your hopes for what it will be? Then the opportunity arrives and there are all these intricacies and nuanced outcomes you hadn’t even considered? Welcome to parenting! When we imagine our children as babies, we often don’t think about…
When I was around 9 or 10 old, my Dad took me and my older brother, Danny, to the Cabarrus Creamery. Although connected to a large ice cream factory, it was a simple store front that served excellent frozen treats directly to the public. I vividly remember the details of my banana milkshake that day. …