Tag: parents
Science: We Need Dads
Posted on April 14, 2014 in Family, Marriage by Derick Dickens
New research has concluded what most of us already knew: children need fathers.
There is a myriad of evidence that shows a father in the home reduces violent crime, produces a better social environment, and provides essential growth opportunities. However, researchers have questioned the need for fathers thinking they only provide more parenting, not distinct and unique parenting.
New research conducted by Professor David Eggebeen of Penn State University, uncovers the unique impact fathers have on their children that is pointing researchers to the conclusion that fathers do not merely give more parenting, but distinct and unique parenting needed by children of both sexes.
Fathers do not merely give more parenting, but distinct and unique parenting needed by children of both sexes.
If You Worship Your Kids There’s a Good Chance You’re Ruining Their Life. And Yours!
Posted on April 9, 2014 in Family by Nathan Cherry
Can I let you in on a little secret? It’s one of those things everybody used to know but somewhere along the way it got lost and now it seems fewer and fewer people know this; but it’s no less true today than it ever was. The big secret is this: kids are not the center of the universe!
In the past I’ve written on the danger of becoming a narcissistic parent. But on the opposite end of the spectrum, and equally as dangerous, is falling into the trap of worshipping your kids and believing they are the center of the universe. Countless well-meaning parents fall victim to this idea that children are the center of the home and parents are simply there to serve them. One prominent family advocate shares this message:
Time to Put Down the Gadgets and Play with Your Kids
Posted on March 26, 2014 in Family by Nathan Cherry
Once upon a time the family sat down and ate dinner together each night as they discussed their day, shared stories, and parents even used the time to teach manners or other life virtues to their kids. It was a daily family ritual that served as an anchor to keep every person in the family grounded. The picture we see today?
Ten Things I Want To Tell Teenage Girls
Posted on March 20, 2014 in Family by Nathan Cherry
I’m always looking for good resources on parenting. Raising kids in this culture can be dangerous and I would be silly to think I know it all. But finding well-written, practical, common sense articles can at times be difficult. So when I do find such an article, I am all-too happy to share it.
As the father of a little girl I am deeply concerned with the “trends” in society that tempt our daughters to everything God doesn’t want them to be. Everything from fashion to movies, make-up to music is sending a constant message to our little girls that unless they look, sound, act, behave, smell, and live a certain way, something is wrong.
You Want to Influence Your Kids? Here’s How to Do It
Posted on March 11, 2014 in Family by Nathan Cherry
One issue I see in society is what appears to be a lack of concern on the part of parents for their children. I don’t mean ignoring basic needs like food and clothing, but rather the often overlooked “invisible essentials” of imparting faith, morals, and character. It appears that most parents have taken a “survival” mentality and simply hope to get through childhood and the teenage years without actually killing their kids. It’s a strange paradox to see parents acting more like kids as they seek approval form their kids, ask their kids permission, and yield to the demands of their kids.
I can’t help but wonder if parents have forgotten that it is not just their job to raise their children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” (Eph. 6:4) but also to be a steady influence into their adult years. Then again, maybe influence or the lack thereof, is the problem. And just maybe what has happened is that in the attempt to be loved by their kids parents have lost all influence and consequently are not much loved either.
Shocking Decision in the Romeike Case! The Family Will Stay in America!
Posted on March 5, 2014 in Home School by Nathan Cherry
What a difference 24 hours can make. The chances of the Romeike family being allowed to stay in America in order to home school their children, instead of being deported back to Germany where they would face fines, persecution, and the loss of their kids, was very slim.
The most devastating blow came when the Supreme Court denied their petition to hear the case. With all legal roads exhausted it seemed inevitable that this beautiful family seeking asylum in America in order to educate their children in accordance with their religious convictions would be sent home to Germany.
The most recent news from the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) however is astonishing!
Church Sign: Church is Cancelled Due to Lack of Interest
Posted on March 4, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Imagine driving up to your church next Sunday morning only to see this written on the church sign: “Church is cancelled due to lack of interest.” You’d probably call the pastor immediately and demand an answer. What does he mean “lack of interest,” you are in church nearly every week.
There’s an old saying in churches that “20% of the people do 80% of the work.” I’ve heard it all my life and, worse yet, watched churches slowly die as a result of its truth. The same people volunteer to teach classes, stuff bulletins, make meals for new moms, visit shut-ins, serve the community, and do it with a tired smile on their face while many others sit back and “do church.”
Kids That Whine About What They Don’t Have Should Meet Kids Around the World
Posted on February 14, 2014 in Family by Nathan Cherry
Have your kids ever been sitting in the middle of a huge pile of toys, watching one of their 83 DVD’s, after they just got done playing on one of their game systems while they waited for the batteries in their Nintendo DS to charge so they can go on the Internet from their computer to get game codes, and whined “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do!”
In that moment, have you wanted to yell, “When I was a kid we played with sticks and rocks and we liked it!”
Kids have the craziest ability to find a way of whining about what they don’t have in the middle of enjoying the things they have been blessed with. We’ve all seen it. While swimming at a friend’s house they lament the fact they don’t have their own swimming pool. While riding the neighbor’s go-kart they complain about not owning one. While playing dress up at a slumber party they whine about not having more shoes.
But there are two very important things I want to point out when it comes to whining and complaining in our kids.
Without Morality Based Laws Sexual “Rights” Become Foundation of Society
Posted on February 13, 2014 in Marriage, Public Policy, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
If morality is not absolute, based on something higher than society, culture, or opinion, it is only reasonable to assume that at some point laws will be based purely on the views of the people making the laws. The end result will be a shift in laws toward greater immorality rather than a shift towards morality. We can expect, then, not a redefinition of marriage, but a complete eradication of marriage altogether. As long as marriage exists, even in the minds and hearts of individuals, the perceived bigotry and discrimination the government likes to imagine will continue. The solution, then, according to the government and marriage redefinition allies, is to erase any meaning associated with marriage and family.
Mentoring: Where Older Folks Can Impact the Younger Generation
Posted on February 7, 2014 in Family by Nathan Cherry
We live in a society where the family structure has changed dramatically from what it was even just 50 years ago. There are far fewer homes with a father and mother and their biological children. There are many more homes with second marriages, step-children, and single parents. We can sit and debate the pros and cons of this social paradigm shift all we want, but the fact remains that as the church we need to stand ready to love and support every family that walks through the doors.
Of course we never want to condone sin. It seems the word sin as it relates to people’s relationships has become very blurry in our culture of “acceptance.” But the Bible still lays a blueprint for the right and the wrong way to do things. To this end we must uphold that Biblical truth regardless of shifting cultural opinions.