All Articles for Parenting Challenges

Children are remarkably intuitive when it comes to what makes sense and what doesn’t … even on more mature topics like cohabitation before marriage.

Glancing back at what contributed to my friendship with my sister, here are five key influences that shaped sibling relationships in my home.

Anger issues make our homes feel like an emotional battlefield. But with planting and perseverance, we may discover the field we’re on is actually a garden.

After a pandemic-filled year, back to school is offering its own challenges. But sharing the load with your spouse might be the key to surviving.

School closings, changes to home and learning routines, and anxious parents. Right now, even the most resilient children can turn into stressed kids.

Crusted cereal bowls. Kitchen counter desks. Bed sheet forts just out of conference call camera view...How do we keep up working with kids at home?

Even if you’ve never done this sort of thing before, you can trust your instincts about what your child needs. No one knows your child like you do.

“No jumping on Mimi’s couches. No snacks in the living room.” Welcome to disciplining kids at Grandma's. But whose rules do you follow? Yours or Mimi's?

I’ve been a high achiever all my life. I didn’t expect a kid with meltdowns, dismal spelling tests, embarrassing social skills. I had to get over myself.

When you’re picking out little baby outfits, you don’t anticipate someone telling you, years later, your teenager may have lymphoma.

Our Passport2Purity® weekend didn’t go anything like I had planned, but what came out of it was even better.

You can make your home a place of peace and safety for you and your spouse and kids. Here are some ways to create the setting.

I shudder at the times I’ve acted irritably toward my kids because I was still stressed from work. How do we come home as the loving parents we want to be?

The sex talk and gender conversations in your home don’t have to be big, awkward productions. But they do need to happen. The sooner the better.

After the unexpected death of our son, my wife and I learned that faith informs pain, but it doesn’t erase it.

I finally realized that my children had all the father they needed; all I had to do was point them to God for their needs.

While my generation will associate Michelle Williams with suggestive song titles, the next generation might associate her with something entirely different—being a champion for the biblical model of marriage.

Here are eight ways we can fight for, not against, our children in their hard-to-handle moments.

My son, Aaron, taught me valuable lessons on how to choose my battles … and win them.

Dating for two is difficult; dating in a crowd is downright complicated.

How Doug and Deb Gulbranson used Passport2Purity® to teach their children about the pressures they would face as teenagers.

Even when we see no visible evidence, we can trust that God is at work.

Seeing the fruit of correcting your children requires delayed gratification.

Just as failing to discipline your children will lead them to running the house, failing to trust your children will lead them to leaving the house.

Helping your children understand God’s design for sex … and how to save themselves for marriage.

When we learned that the nature of parenting is sacrifice, we went from trying to have it all to having everything that matters.

Letting your child know your expectations before you go out in public together can act as a deterrent to inappropriate behavior.

Just because you failed in the area of sexual purity doesn't mean you can't be committed to upholding God's standard for your kids.

My wife and I hoped that by the end of the Passport2Purity weekend our son would be seeing things about life more clearly.

How do we, as parents, dream new dreams for our children when we have no idea what the future holds?

“Some of the greatest needs we have are understanding and friendship.”

Our life with Annie hasn’t been easy. But it’s been worth it.

Our journey began when doctors told us our unborn daughter would be born with half a heart. In the last year we’ve learned to rely on God’s faithfulness.

A list for those who—like me—struggle with overcommitting and overworking.

Do you trust God with your love life?

A list of helpful resources.

Some solid convictions that we believe every family should embrace.

Six guidelines for controlling your emotions while correcting your kids.

Here are some tips for bringing balance to the hectic pace of life.

A nervous father interviews his daughter's date.

A Passport2Purity weekend gave me the opportunity to talk with my daughter about the issues she would face as a teenager ... and we had fun, too!

What worked yesterday with a child may not work today, and you have to be flexible

What’s the best way to discipline my older child? Barbara: The toddler and preschool years are a time to lay the groundwork for behavior and for moral choices in your children. Once you’ve got a problem conquered in your 4-year-old, it’s easy to think, That’s been taken care of, and my child won’t ever do […]

How do I know when it's needed and when it isn't?

Two tips for beginning a new marriage and a new stepfamily.

One of the hardest things I've done as a single parent

The pain was indescribable, but somehow I found peace.

Our assignment as parents is to tenderize the child’s conscience to the Holy Spirit and to the law of God.

Dealing with a child who makes the same request over and over again.

How do you relieve the pressures you feel as a family?

How can we slow down this crazy pace of life?

I've heard some Christians lately urging their children to save their first kiss for a wedding kiss.

When your child is angry you can help him understand what hurt him and work through that issue.

Getting a grip on schedules and activities is a gift that will never lose its value.

God created sex, and your children need to know His purpose for it.

When your child is angry you can help him understand what hurt him and work through that issue.

It’s not easy to wait until marriage to begin having sex. But Tee Uzoigwe was determined to wait for God’s best.

Dating can be a trap for teens.

Combing the day for things you’re thankful for can replace your old way of seeing the world.

My father loved me enough to let me feel the full extent of my actions.

Recognizing the roots in sin can head off disputes before they start.

God has good reasons for wanting us to wait until marriage for sex.

Helping your child maintain innocence in a world obsessed with sex.

Our daughter is in heaven, but we here on earth have have an incredible opportunity.

A sample devotional from FamilyLife’s newly revised Passport2Purity®.

If you let guilt over divorce cripple you, it can keep you from giving your children the love they need.

The choice between sexual purity and sexual experimentation is an key battle for Christian youth today. This deadly trap snares millions of teens.

Why parents need to help their children navigate the sexually-charged adolescent years.

From watching my single mother as I was growing up, and from watching many women in that situation, here are four essentials to succeed as a single mom.

The birth of our twin granddaughters reminds me of the lessons God teaches us in the joys and the hardships of life.

When I trusted God enough to call out to Him, I learned that He wanted to share in my grief.

We suggest four convictions that all parents should consider and uphold.

The battle for a child’s purity is real, and as parents it’s our task to set them up for success.

Helping your child practice the right thing to do is just as important as identifying the wrong thing to do.

Stop the spread of slime in your home.

Though it encourages socializing in groups, it also leads to casual sex among friends

It's been around as long as there have been children, but what do you do when they're your children?

The courageous choice of one mom gives us confidence to also be strong with our teens.

Many Christians have not taken a strong look at what they believe in.

Even if you don't intend to leave a legacy, you will.

There are no foolproof methods of parenting, because there are no perfect parents.

Healthy ways to deal with grief from the parent of a prodigal.

Distinguishing between appropriate and inappropriate expressions of anger.

Copyright © 2003 by FamilyLife. All rights reserved.

Whatever their story, prodigals need a safe haven.

What’s the best approach to discipline with my young child? Barbara: When a child is a toddler, he or she is in what I call “the training 2s.” When children are 2-5 years old, I call this the “intense training” stage. During these early years, you will notice your children becoming more defiant and rebellious—more […]

Keep your ears and eyes open and in tune to what’s going on in your child’s life, and to all that he is exposed to. Keep the lines of communication open.

The do's and don'ts of going out with the opposite sex.

We need to work at modeling appropriate expressions of anger.

Parents often feel tired from fighting the influences of the culture, but let me encourage you to hang on.

Practical tips for relieving some of the natural rivalry between siblings and helping them to develop an appreciation for one another.

Four observations to note and discuss.

As we learned more about our son, it felt like we were unwrapping a precious gift. Each testing day brought new insights into how his amazing brain worked.

Loving wayward children even when you don't approve of their behavior.

Be patient. Don’t complete their sentences. Let them finish, even if it seems they are rambling. Don’t interrupt. Face your child and make eye contact. Lean forward, if you’re seated, to show you’re interested. Take advantage of passive moments such as watching a video, listening to music, or sitting on the edge of their bed […]

A mother’s work is never done: Feed the baby, change the baby, wash the dishes, sweep the floor, cook dinner … There’s nothing worse than filling the dishwasher twice in one day only to find that there are still dishes left in the sink! Since the birth of my son, I have found myself working […]

When we discipline our children, we need to use words that have the power to heal and restore.

Having raised five children, I’ve learned a few things I hope might encourage you.

How could a child be happy after being disciplined?

Take a stroll down a typical American neighborhood, and you’ll find families who desperately need a break from the rat race

Our family continues to work on refining these three convictions.

Setting a tone in my home that allows for the spiritual disciplines of quiet and solitude is my responsibility.

Busy schedules can overtake a home if parents don't maintain a proper balance between activities and leisure time.

Sexy clothes are hallmarks of fashion today, even for young girls. How can you help your daughter make choices that show off her heart, not her body?

These four convictions helped guide us as we taught our teenagers about appearance issues.

The process of shaping convictions needs to begin early.

Challenging your child to the higher goal of purity.

Five steps for developing and implementing a sex education plan.

We're seeing a surge in girls taking the initiative with guys at younger and younger ages, and aggressively attempting to lure them into sexual activity.

Talking about sex may be the single most powerful way parents have of stepping into the lives of their children.

Every time I read the story about the Prodigal Son, I feel it's a story about me.

A crisis with a child means your family is headed into a period of testing ... and of growth.

Seven promises for brokenhearted parents

As we raised our six children, Barbara and I had many opportunities to train them to get along with each other.

Because teens are trying to figure out who they are, what they are supposed to do, and what’s expected of them, all of these issues focus on the big me.

Here are three convictions to build into your child’s life.

You need to give your child the freedom to express frustration or dissatisfaction, but train him how to do this respectfully—and at the proper time.

As you face some of life’s most challenging issues with your child, do not forget that love ultimately changes a person’s life.

Lessons from my daughter's teenage pregnancy.