Blog
Family: Good Things to Come
Love: The Best Christmas Gift Ever!
…let me suggest a gift that you can give that will be more important than other gifts you will give this holiday season – the gift of increased love for your spouse? Allow me to explain…
Lessons They’ll Never Forget: Alternatives to Punishment
Before you use a threat, a lecture, a punitive time-out, a withdrawal of privileges, a grounding, or anything else that might fix the behavior temporarily consider these alternatives–some of which I shamelessly stole from a variety of experts.
Teaching vs. Punishment: Discipline Lessons from Ping-Pong
This article is part 2 in a 3-part series on punishment. Punishing and threatening my children is my go-to method. What do I do instead?! I have no idea. Kidding! One parenting expert responds to this question by saying: “What’s the alternative? Such a question is...
Can I Punish Character into My Child?
Teachers and parents assume that clever consequences will change their child for the better and teach the intended lesson. Research and life experience tells us that this is simply not true. If what we really hope for is the formation of morals (a knowledge of right and wrong) and character (the part of us that dictates our desires, thoughts, and actions) then we need to discipline (root word disciple) in ways that are consistent with our long term goals for our children.
Three Ways to Handle Frustration in Family Life
“Frustration often stems from unmet expectations. This is especially true in family life where both frustration and expectations can abound. Regardless of the stage of your family, it is likely you had or still have high aspirations for your loved ones. And why shouldn’t you?
Put a Pause on Technology — for the Sake of Your Marriage!
While unhappy marriages may be unhappy for a variety of reasons, happy marriages have at least one trait in common. Simply put, in successful marriages both the husband and the wife prioritize their marriage. With never ending to-do lists and distracting technology,...
Your Child May Have a Personality, Not a Disorder
In our homes and classrooms, all children come with different strengths and challenges. Before you rush to a diagnosis or a prescription consider the following…
15 Surprising Ways Exercise Can Help Your Marriage
We all know we should exercise regularly. For those of you already in the habit of exercising, you know that you have more confidence, feel happier, and have more energy when you take time to be active. However, did you know that exercise provides benefits to your...
Transform Your Family and Buy into the Ultimate Pyramid Scheme!
The Pitch Have I got a deal for YOU! What if I told you that I have something that could fix ALL of your child’s misbehavior with a simple solution—regardless of their age! And if you act now, I’ll throw in some ways to improve both you and your marriage! I know what...
2 Deadly Expectations That Can Kill a Marriage
The seeds of marital failure are often planted prior to the wedding day. How do our expectations for marriage influence our actual marital satisfaction? In this article Dr. Rob discusses two common – yet deadly- expectations that individuals bring into their marriage.
How Intentional Parenting Can Strengthen Your Marriage
Between orchestra concerts, soccer and baseball games, and end of school year activities, we were constantly on the go during the month of May. Is the month of May like that for any of the rest of you? While we love our children and want to support them, months like...
Can I Bribe My Child into Being a Good Person?
In a previous article, “Parenting isn’t Rocket Science…it’s Harder!”, I suggested that too many of us parents ask the wrong question: “How can I get my child to do or stop doing ______________ (fill in the blank)?” If we start with this question then we'll likely get...
The Magic of the 6 Second Kiss!
The Verdict When you were first married, you kissed your spouse more often (and longer) than you do now. Your Sentence Read this brief article and be willing to do the homework (best homework ever). Warning #1 If you haven't yet been married for a year, this article...
A Person’s A Person, No Matter How Small
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? Not too long ago, I became aware of a mother on Facebook expressing concern that her 18-month-old daughter was starting to climb out of her crib at night. This was apparently uncharted territory for this mom so she decided to solicit the...
Parenting Isn’t Rocket Science… It’s Harder!
Before I became a parent, I thought I fully knew what it meant to unconditionally love another individual. Probably because I was a newlywed who was so twitterpated (see Bambi) that loving my new bride was a cinch. She was pretty, she liked me, and she never (well,...
Resilience: Key to a Happy Marriage
January 1st is a great time to set goals for the upcoming year. There’s something about the calendar turning over from one year to the next that creates renewed motivation, determination, and optimism in many of us. It’s almost magical! We often feel empowered...