Proactive Christmas vacation for the kids
The time after Christmas can be kind of depressing. We all get geared up for the holiday, and then—BOOM—it’s all done, and then we wait for the ball to drop so we can start a new year. For kids, this [...]
My daughter is so depressed. What do I do?
Depression is a legitimate mental illness, and it’s not something to mess around with. Christmas can be a major trigger. Can you believe 15 million people in the U. S. are affected by it?1 I want you to know that [...]
I hate the snow! Why can’t we live in Hawaii?
If you live in areas where this time of year is uncomfortable for the cold-blooded, you’ve probably heard something similar from your kids. Here are some suggestions. First, tell them the cold is God’s creation, too. Point out that the [...]
Are your kids going nuts about Christmas?
“My kids? What about me?” If you’re anything like me, you get more excited about Christmas than the kids do. Now that my youngest is grown, that’s definitely the case. I’m ALWAYS the first one up, usually around six. Why? [...]
Screen time—what’s too much?
Nine hundred twenty-nine dollars. That’s how much the average family is going to be spending on Christmas presents this year.1 Much of that money is going to be spent on mobile devices like tablets, iPhones, and more. You might be [...]
Tempers! “Oh, no, it broke!”
While Christmas brings a lot of joy, it can also bring a lot of frustration—especially when there’s that one thing all the kids fight over. Maybe it’s to put that special ornament on the Christmas tree. One Mom wrote to [...]
Keeping Christ in Christmas
In a culture where Christians are marginalized and mocked for believing in the miracle of salvation through Christ alone, it’s sometimes difficult to remember to keep our families focused on Jesus at Christmastime. How do you do it? I’d love [...]
Is Santa real—or not?
It’s what makes the Christmas season for a lot of people. There are Christians and non-Christians alike who talk about Santa Claus. Now, I’m not here to tell you whether it’s right or wrong to believe in Santa. Frankly, it’s [...]
What’s so good about Christmas?
The most wonderful time of the year can be the worst time of the year for some. For families that are struggling with loss through death, divorce, or some other disfunction it can be lonely, stressful, and sad. If you’re [...]
Don’t look at me. DON’T!
Christmas is my favorite time of the year. Cookies. Candy. And of course, Christmas programs. Some of our kids love them. Others hate them. Others don’t mind them but want to be ignored. Many times the reaction to uncomfortableness of [...]