Technology and Your Girl
Is your daughter obsessed with a phone, iPad, YouTube or social media? Or maybe she's doing fine now, but you are concerned about her future...on screens! That's why we have to keep talking about healthy tech use. In this news segment on CBS San Diego 8, we focus on...
Your Biggest Fear
What is your biggest fear as a parent? I had to laugh as I read this blog post entry from about 12 years ago: My biggest fear was realized 10,000 feet in the air. No, I’m not afraid of heights. I’m afraid of screaming babies on airplanes. Every year, we head from...
Podcast: Joy of Missing Out with Tonya Dalton
Download the podcast on iTunes or listen here: So many of us overwhelmed with long to-do lists. Our phones are constantly buzzing, pinging, and notifying. We feel busy but not productive. Help is on the way! Productivity expert Tonya Dalton helps us to strategize and...
Video: What are selfies doing to our kids?
Let's take a moment to consider...what are selfies doing to our kids (and particularly our girls)? We used to take photos of other people, so we would remember that girl we met at summer camp. Or we'd take photos of the places we visit like grandma's house or the...
Arlene on Focus on the Family today
How would you like to be happier as a wife? Let's begin by going down memory lane. Do you remember how happy you were when your husband proposed? Here's a photo of James and me the morning he proposed. The year was 1998...and I was the happiest girl in the state of...
Video: God, Not Google (plus free video series on screen time)
When our kids are sick... When we need advice... When we are wondering where to go on date night... We usually GOOGLE the answer. And although using Google can be extremely helpful, it can also slowly become extremely dangerous, especially for kids. Why? Because we...
Podcast: 4 Habits of Joy-Filled Marriages with Marcus Warner
Download the podcast on iTunes or listen here: What separates happy marriages from miserable ones? I was surprised to learn it wasn't solid communication, great sex, or amazing conflict resolution skills. It's about JOY! In this book co-authored with Rev. Chris...
Servant Leadership at Home
More about this at the bottom, but I have a new video course - absolutely free - about technology and girls. It's one way I can serve you! Today I wrote about serving others on my Proverbs 31 devotional. Becoming a leader in your home is about becoming a servant....
Free Video Series: Screen Time – 3 Reasons Why Your Daughter Can’t Stop
Tap, swipe, scroll, tap, swipe, scroll... There's got to be more to childhood than this! If you have a daughter, granddaughter, girl you mentor, or niece, you've probably been concerned about the growing influence of screens on her life. Is she getting too much screen...
Video: Buzz Buzz…Who’s Calling in Class?
Phones are buzzing in classrooms...who's calling most of the time? A recent Wall Street Journal article says that schools are instituting phone bans to cut down on classroom distractions. Students say, "My mother texts me all the time."...
Free Technology and Teens Summit Starts Today!
Smartphones and technology are the #1 stress, crisis, and questions from parents and leaders. Often, we don't know what to do with all of Gen Z's technology much less figure out how to use it to protect them. That's one reason why I wanted to be a part of the...
Podcast: Kids Say the Wisest Things with Jon Gauger
Download the podcast on iTunes or listen here: Kids have a way of saying things adults would never say, revealing profound and sometimes even Biblical truths in their funny commentary on the world. My Happy Home podcast guest, Jon Gauger is here to remind us to pay...
Video: The Best Group I’ve Ever Joined as a Parent
When you want to learn how to do something, you can join a group. There's so much to learn about parenting...today I share the one group that has made the biggest difference in my life as a parent. ...
Video: 3 Essentials for Your Child’s Health
As school begins for many kids, it can be overwhelming to think of everything your child needs. Lunch. Clean clothes. Permission slips signed. Rides coordinated. Video games monitored. Love tank filled. Phew...it can seem like a lot. Today's talk boils it down to 3...
Journaling for Busy Moms
I love buying and receiving journals. When I was in high school, I filled journal after journal with my questions about life, my meanderings about what kind of job I should get, and of course, about all the boys I had crushes on. Decades later, I don't journal like I...
Writing a Thank You Letter to God
A special welcome to my friends from Proverbs 31 who read my devotion. So glad you stopped by! The concept of writing a thank you letter is familiar to you. But what about writing a thank you letter to God? Have you ever written one? Well, if you write a thank you...
Podcast: But It Wasn’t My Fault with Marty Machowski
Download the podcast on iTunes or listen here: You've probably had your kids say something like "But it was my brother's fault!" or "I didn't know about that!" to escape blame. But you knew the truth! My guest author Marty Machowski can help us introduce the concept...
Video: The Magic of Getting Away with Your Spouse
Time to take out your calendar... Do you have date night scheduled with your spouse? Do you have an overnight trip scheduled with your spouse? Getting away a few times a year is a great way to put your marriage in the front seat, instead of stuffing it in the trunk...
Podcast: #WeToo with Mary DeMuth
Download the podcast on iTunes or listen here: The Bible tells us to rejoice with those rejoice, and to weep with those who weep. We live in an imperfect world where abuse does happen. How can a home recover when it has been harmed by sexual abuse? Can that home...
Video: 5 Back to School Tips for a Smoother Year
Since my kids attend year-round school, we've are in our 4th week of school already if you can believe that! There are a few simple principles that make the school year go much smoother. I share them here in this week's Facebook live chat:...
Video: What does success look like for your child?
What does success look like for your child? Maybe it looks like becoming an overnight YouTube sensation or professional gamer. Success however doesn't happen overnight, and it actually doesn't primarily have anything to do with talent. Here's two things you need to...
Video: Because Mentoring Matters
Mentors are role models your kids can talk to. Does your son or daughter have people like this in their lives? Finding mentors for your kids isn't as complicated as you may think...but it is something you do on purpose. My son Ethan has been in Royal Rangers at...
Podcast: Exhale with Cheri Gregory
Download the podcast on iTunes or listen here: Do you ever feel bad about being tired or failing yet another time as a mom? Help is on the way with my friend Cheri Gregory and her new book, Exhale: Lose Who You're Not, Love Who You Are, Live Your One Life Well...
Video: Preparing Your Kids to Fly
My 14-year-old flew across the country alone for the first time this week. With a connection in Chicago. Without a phone. Oh yeah baby, he did just great. Here are some tips about sending your kids off to fly solo - both literally and figuratively. It's about...
