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ParentLife, Nashville, TN (2025)

02/01/2025

Our February issue of ParentLife is out! Have you picked up your copy yet? Talk to your church about ordering copies to make them available to families in your congregation. Or order your own copy at lifeway.com/parentlife.

01/30/2025

Spring will be here before you know it. And with the warmer weather and spring break giving some time off from school, families often travel!

Traveling with kids is not always easy, but there are ways to make it easier. In her article “Travel Tips: What Traveling with Kids Taught Me,” Tammy Darling provides some great ideas like this one:

Give the kids a say! Even within a family, there are individuals with individual preferences. And while we can’t please everyone all the time, we can do what we can to make sure that everyone is having a great time. Choices are crucial. No matter their age, children want to be able to make decisions and have a say too, which is good for them.

Decide what’s OK to let the kids decide on. Would you rather swim in the indoor or outdoor pool today? Would you like to have pizza or chicken for supper? Do you want to play miniature golf or go to the arcade? Kids tend to have more fun when they’re involved in the decision-making process.

01/28/2025

In one of our Growth Spurt articles, “Science Readiness,” this month, you will find plenty of age-appropriate ideas for developing a love for science in your child. Consider the following ideas for 9 to 12 year olds:

• Science gives massive evidence for God — how nature works; that human faces are each unique (even identical twins); the discovery that the earth sits on its axis precisely in the position that supports life. Challenge your pr***en to be on the lookout for more.
• All occupations include persons who honor God and persons who ignore God. Science is not an automatic divider from God.
• Science gives massive evidence for God — how nature works; that human faces are each unique (even identical twins); discovery that the earth sits on its axis precisely in the position that supports life. Challenge your pr***en to be on the lookout for more.

01/25/2025

Times of upheaval and tragedy are difficult for people of all ages. We want to think our world and daily environments are safe, secure, and happy. However, when unexpected disasters occur, we’re often left without understanding the reasons behind the chaos. And for children, these difficulties are incredibly upsetting.

In her article “When Tragedy Strikes,” writer Dixie Walker provides some helpful guidelines for making frightening situations easier to get through with your children.

01/23/2025

Who loves family game night? Did you know that family game night can encourage healthy development?

As parents, it’s essential to recognize the social and emotional benefits that board games offer. These games create an environment where family members can engage in open conversations, practice patience, and develop empathy. Whether it’s strategizing in a game of Risk® or trading properties in Monopoly®, board games teach children valuable interpersonal skills that are crucial for their personal and academic growth.

Consider planning a Catan Game Night, complete with decorations and snacks. Get creative with ideas from Carol Thompson’s January article “Game On!”

01/20/2025

Did you know that today is Take a Walk Outdoors Day? It's easy during these cold, winter months to stay inside. But walking outdoors has lots of benefits:

- It's great great exercise!
- The vitamin D from the sunshine is good for your bones and muscle growth.
- Walking together as a family is wonderful quality time.
- Spending time enjoying God's creation and giving Him thanks for it is a great way to worship.

So what are you waiting for? Bundle up and head outside!

01/18/2025

Is your throat raspy from repeating simple instructions to your school-age child? Are you breathless and brain-dead from daily behavior battles? Turn your back on the mayhem for a minute and consider G.G. Mathis’ sanity-saving concepts in her article “Lighten Up!”

One helpful concept is creative consequences. Assume you are exasperated with angry shoe-throwing that caused a hole in your drywall. Tell your shoe-thrower that, off his feet, his sneakers are out of control. As a result, they must stay on his feet at all times. Bedtime, too. A day or so of sweaty, uncomfortable tootsies should make your point.

01/16/2025

Staying kind when you’re feeling grouchy is not always easy to do. But it is an important skill we should model and teach to our children. For some practical, age-appropriate ideas for teaching this skill, check out our January Growth Spurt article “Stay Kind While Grouchy.”

01/14/2025

How do you cultivate the cleverness that not only helps your child during his playtime but also helps him create life-giving connections as an adult? Don’t miss our January article “5 Actions That Cultivate Cleverness” by Karen Dockrey.

01/11/2025

Thankfully, bullying is now recognized for what it is and important leaders are getting involved to create an awareness of bullying with the goal of defeating it. But we believe parents and grandparents can actually do something at the ground level that can truly change how kids treat each other. It starts when parents determine to make their homes bully-free zones.

Don’t miss Penny Noffsinger’s article “Home: A Bully-Free Zone” to discover four things you can do during the early years that will help create a home that is a bully-free zone.

01/09/2025

With a little finesse and the right planning, it doesn’t have to be that expensive to eat healthy. You can eat well on a budget with the right mix of recipes and the proper timing of when you are buying more expensive ingredients, like seafood and meat.

For $5 Dinners’ awesome money-saving strategies for eating well (and a delicious recipe for Rice and Beans Fajita Bake), don’t miss this month’s “Family Recipes” column.

01/07/2025

January is a good time to look at the new year and determine your goals, priorities, and schedules for the next 12 months. As a family, discuss, determine, and decide on your family calendar in order to ease stress in the coming year.

For helpful ways to prepare your family's calendar, check out Christi McGuire’s article “Discuss, Determine, and Decide” in our January issue.

12/31/2024

Our January issue of ParentLife is out! Have you picked up your copy yet? Talk to your church about ordering copies to make them available to families in your congregation. Or order your own copy at lifeway.com/parentlife.

12/28/2024

Now that Christmas is over, the after-Christmas sales have begun. Use them to your advantage! Consider the following tip!

Think about birthday parties. When your young school-age child receives a birthday party invitation you don’t have to rush to the store: he just picks something from the toy stash you’ve built by checking toy departments on the day after Christmas. Full value gift. Discount price. Think a year or two older than your child’s current age, so the toys last all year. Stay with classics such as games that kids like to play for many years such as block sets or Jenga®.

For more tips about after-Christmas shopping, check out our Growth Spurt article on pp. 34-35 of our December issue.

12/26/2024

"For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas from the ParentLife team

12/24/2024

Our children are always on our minds. Naturally, we want what is best for them. As parents, we will go to the edges of our physical abilities to provide for, protect, and ensure that their needs are met. Wisdom comes in reminding ourselves that there are areas in life where our power is limited or nonexistent. Yet, God can move and desires to do so. It is for their benefit as well as our own that we daily place them before the Lord in prayer.

In her December article "Praying Over Your Children," Lorie Keene gives five important prayers you can pray over your child.

12/21/2024

For many families, watching Christmas movies together is a festive and fun tradition. Don't miss Emily Pardy's December article "A Festive Family Film Guide" to turn an entertaining film into a memorable evening your whole family can enjoy.

12/17/2024

Teach your children to have an attitude of gratitude and generosity this holiday season as they serve the Lord with you. Explore ideas for helping your family be generous in Dixie Walker's December article "Teaching Generosity."

What are some ways your family serves together during the holidays (or anytime)? Leave us a comment and let us know!

ParentLife