I remember the first year of being a dad. The late nights, the diaper changing, the shift in habits and time management, the sheer cost of children—it was both exciting and overwhelming. I heard about all of this stuff and been warned, so although it was craziness, it was not particularly surprising. Something did surprise […]

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Dear Parents, Now more than ever, there are endless opportunities vying for our kids’ time. School and homework is enough to fill a schedule, let alone sports, clubs and extra-curricular activities. As a veteran mom and a youth group leader, I’m writing this open letter to plead with parents to prioritize church youth group for your […]

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Family Matters is proud to present a NEW BOOK, Grace Based Discipline: How to Be at Your Best When Your Kids are at Their Worst by Karis Kimmel Murray. If you’re a parent who’s ever scratched your head wondering how to discipline your kids with grace, this book is the practical help you’ve been waiting […]

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  I saw your stilettos as soon as they entered the room. I was hunched over trying to retrieve my two year old from under someone else’s chair. I could not help but notice the mulch from the playground stuck to the bottom of my dirty tennis shoes.   I sat up and took notice […]

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Parenting has always been tough. But technology, social media and the virtual space have added nuance and complexity to the job of raising kids. Our generation, born in the 70’s and 80’s, had front row seats to the rise of the digital age. We’re probably the only generation of people who’ve actually used both a […]

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  If things at street level keep proceeding on their present course, we’ll soon be raising our kids in a world that sees smoking pot on par with having a glass of wine with dinner.   When you add to this the fact that …   some of the most popular music videos now leave […]

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Texting, Kiking, Oovooing, or whatever the latest version is, my kids enjoy these apps that allow them to text or talk to their friends. This digital age we live in has new challenges for parents. A wise person told me that the church often calls things “yucky” and spits them out entirely. This could be […]

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  “Do you think one of us should be out there with them?”, my wife asked with a calm concern in her voice.  “They’ll be fine,” I answered.  “I gave them specific instructions and I’m checking on them from time to time.”  “Ok”, she said, “I’m not going to worry about it then”, and she […]

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We’re back with another Top 10 List from Raising Kids for True Greatness.  If you’ve missed our other Top 10 Lists be sure to go back and read them as they are full of great wisdom and insight. Without further ado… The Top 10 List for this week is … Top 10 Ways to Teach Your Teenagers […]

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  My oldest has embarked on the final quarter of his junior year.  What naturally accompanies this season is the swirl of activities surrounding ACT and SAT prep, college admissions presentations, and almost every adult in his life asking him about his plans after graduation.  He attends a really good public high school full of […]

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