How to Be a Mother

Q&A: What if your kids knew you before you were Christians?
A member of one of our online programs asked, "What if you were parents before you were Christians, and your oldest son had to witness some terrible emotional events between family members?" The most fundamental truth about mankind after Eden is that there is none righteous, no, not one ... all have sinned and fall…
Q&A: How Are We Supposed to Interact With Our Son’s Girlfriend?
A reader asks, "How and when do you embrace the special girl in your adult son's life? My son is 20 and this is his first "girlfriend". They've been developing this relationship for 4 months and it seems serious. We have her over periodically but don't know when to take that next step." (more…)
Q&A: My 10-yo Threatened to Run Away!
A reader asks, "How do you deal with a child who threatens to run away from home, or if your child has done it, how did you deal with it? I don't know what my options are, but my 10 year old lately has been acting very immature, and when I told him to clean…
Q&A: How do I stop my son from stealing?
A reader asks, "I am having a problem with my 8 year old stealing things. He takes small things from people at school as well as things from his little brothers. A few weeks ago he took one of my diamond rings to school. I need some advice on what to do to help him…
Q&A: What’s Wrong with my 17yo?
A reader asks, " I have a seventeen year old boy . He has always been brilliant at school - loved school, loved life. Two years ago he began a downward spiral, he has bashed myself and his sister a number of times. He refuses to go to school. He wants to stay up all…
Q&A How & When Do You Share Disturbing News with Your Children?
After the Oregon shooting this week, a reader asked, "How and when do you share news like this with your children? I haven't shared much "news" with my children but I have older ones and I want to expose them to more. What sources do you use or do you just pass the news to…
Hope For Homeschooling With A Newborn
A reader asked on our Facebook page, "I'm so frustrated. I have three boys: 5, 4, and 2 and a two week old little girl. My teacher husband just went back to work and I feel like I'm drowning. I'm exhausted and I feel like I have no control in house so I find myself…
Coming of Age:
4. Who Should Speak To The Next Young Man?
We have a tradition of a formal coming-of-age ceremony we call a “Bar Chanon.”  This can take all kinds of forms but centers on a serious call to embrace the next stage of life for the young man. We think it's only natural for the young man to be welcomed into the community by the voices…
Being a Boy Mom or Boy Dad!
People sometimes ask how we came to write and speak about raising boys. The answer is easy - we have six of them. “Six boys!” the people at the checkout line say in mock horror. "Yes!" we say, and smile warmly. “Well, better you than me,” they conclude, shaking their heads. To be fair, not everyone…
When Should You Get Your Kids Their Driver’s License?
When we were teenagers, we couldn't wait to get our driver's license. It was a step toward adulthood, and we were eager to have the independence that driving represented. All our friends felt the same way, and our parents encouraged it. Recently, though, we've been hearing something which frankly surprised us. We were listening to…